Towns to Visit: Brevard

Downtown Brevard is small but worth a walking tour. Start at the nice Transylania County library -- worth a look inside if it's open.

Continue on east on Broad Street. In another block, the stores start. Be sure to visit Bracken Mountain Bakery (on the left) for some great bread or pastries and coffee.

At the intersection with Main Street, you'll see the brick courthouse, and life-sized elk sculpture (pictured above). This is one of 15 creatures scattered throughout downtown. Take a right on Main Street, and visit the galleries along the right. Continue several blocks to the Visitor's Center, historic Episcopal church, and the Brevard Inn.

If you're walking on a Saturday morning, you'll see a Farmer's Market behind the Masonic Temple building. There might be a food truck there as well.

Turn around, and follow Main Street back to the center of town, cross Broad Street, and check out some of the stores along both sides of the street, including a gelato store (Kiwi Gelato) and a chocolate store (tucked into an alley on your left, across from The Square Root restaurant), the Co-Ed movie theater, Ace Hardware, the post office, and some al-fresco dining places such as Hob Nob's.

If you're feeling extra energetic, return to the town center, take a left at Broad, and walk a couple blocks to the Brevard College campus. This is a prime spot to find the elusive white squirrels. They really do exist!

Or head west on the 180-200 block of King Street to the newly-named Lumber District, a micro-size version Asheville's River Arts District. In what was once a lumber factory and surrounding buildings is now the LumberYard Performing Arts Center, Haen Gallery, live-music venue 185 King Street and more outdoor sculpture. lumberyard.com thehaengallery.com 185kingst.com


Dining options

Fast food? There's a Subway on U.S. 64 just west of town.

Want to avoid the chains but want quick and cheap? Try Pescados Burritos (in the strip mall across from Brevard College). Mayberry's (30 W. Main St.) has interesting sandwiches and salads.

If you're looking for a "Whole Foods" experience, try Food Matters Market, about a mile past downtown on US64 East, in the Strauss Park area. It's a large natural-foods grocery. They also have some take-out food, or you can dine on your purchases on their covered patio.

Japanese and Thai – For dine-in, try Sora Japanese near the Wal-Mart at intersection of U.S 276 and NC 280. For take-out, try Pad Thai at 180 N. Caldwell St.

Try the Asian Pacific wrap at Jordan Street Cafe (48 W. Jordan St.) or the grilled pork over fennel grits at Square Root (33 Times Arcade Alley) or pizza and creole food at Jaime's Creole Brasserie (44 East Main St).

Bars: Just east of town (down the steep hill on US 64), Dugan's Pub is a bar (with some Irish food) on the ground floor of the new French Broad Place condos. Also worth a visit -- Jordan Street Cafe and Pub (at 30 West Jordan Street). It has a pub side and a fine dining side, for whatever mood you're in.

Breweries: Oskar Blues Brewery - this Colorado-based brewery recently opened its East-coast outpost in Brevard. Tours and pub details at oskarblues.com. There's also Brevard Brewing Co., which specializes in lagers. brevard-brewing.com

Music
In summer, the Brevard Music Center attracts world-class musicians (mostly classical) to its covered outdoor space. Phoenix Lounge and Trailblazers give locals a more laid-back place to drink and dance on Saturday nights.

Cycling/Greenway
The town's greenway continues to grow. It starts near the old railroad station just west of downtown, and winds through town almost 5 miles, ending at the Davidson River campground on Highway 276. Map here.

Nearby

* Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute (http://www.pari.edu/) - about 30 min drive west of Brevard. Tours of the facility are most Wednesdays at 2pm. On the second Friday of each month, there's a night-time tour, and weather permitting, a chance to view the sky through telescopes.

* Dupont State Forest and Pisgah National Forest.

Towns to Visit: Asheville

Asheville - largest town in the region with 85,000 residents. Downtown has a self-paced walking tour to see its collection of art-deco buildings. Center of restaurants, nightlife, culture, shopping, and nearby mountain activities.45 minutes northeast of Brevard.

Blue Ridge Parkway - Some of the prettiest stretches of this National Park System roadway rim Asheville and are perfrct for leisurely driving or hearty cycling. For hikers, plenty of trails are nearby. A good introduction starts at milepost 389, south of downtown, where the Parkway meets U.S. 25 (Hendersonville Road). Drive onto the Parkway and you're instantly transported into a dense hilly forest. You'd never know a bustling little city was so close. Drive North on the Parkway to see the Visitors Center and Folk Art Center.

Blue Ridge Parkway Visitors Center – Built in 2007, contains a 70-seat theater and exhibits about the Blue Ridge Parkway. Open 9-5 daily. Location: Parkway milepost 384, about 1 mile south of the Parkway intersection with US 70 (or 1 mile north of the US 74-A exit). From Asheville, follow 70 East or 74-A East to the Parkway. Just two miles from Folk Art Center.

Folk Art Center – The most popular attraction on the Blue Ridge Parkway, at mile marker 382. Large gallery space for local artists, and art for sale. Home of the Southern Highland Craft Guild. Open 9-6 (closes at 5 Jan-Mar). Location: 7 miles east of downtown, one mile north of Parkway intersection with US 70 (Tunnel Road), two miles north of Blue Ridge Parkway Visitors Center.

Bonus Hike: If you have the energy, try hiking a section of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail, which passes in front of the Folk Art Center, going North along the Blue Ridge Parkway. You can follow it for 2.5 miles - about 3 hr round-trip - then turn left on a very short side trail (the tree on the right side of the trail here has a small red dot along with a white circle) to Lunch Rock for a nice view overlooking the Haw Creek valley.

Craggy Gardens - If you want to extend your Parkway drive, continue North as the road steepens. Craggy Gardens Visitors' Center is an 18-mile drive from the Folk Art Center.

* Max Patch - Save part of the day for a trip to Max Patch, a lofty bald meadow along the Appalachian Trail. From this 4,600-ft summit, you'll see an awe-inspiring 360-degree view of the Blue Ridge mountains. It's 40 miles from Asheville, the last stretch up a gravel road, but worth the drive. From the parking lot, it's a fairly easy 1+ mile hike to the summit. Directions: From Asheville, head west on I-40 to exit 7 (Harmon's Den). go right on Cold Springs Road to State Route 1182 (Max Patch Road). Turn left for the parking area.

Biking - Check out the Blue Ridge Bicycle Club website for road and mountain bike rides in the area. Gun down Butter Gap Trail's 4 miles (Oct to Apr only). Bring a map from BioWheels at 81 Coxe Ave. Ride the fast trail counterclockwise for the best, moderately technical downhills, linking Cat Gap, Long Branch and Fores Road 471, passing a waterfall near the end of Butter Gap.

Or try this 7-miler in Pisgah Forest -- start at Trace Ridge Trailhead with a 2.5-mile ascent up forest Road 5000, then fly down rolling singletrack on the Trace Ridge Trail.

If you don't want to bike on city streets, try the Carrier Park Velodrome at 500 Amboy Rd.

Disc Golf -- Try a 9-hole round at Fletcher Community Park, 85 Howard Gap Road, Fletcher.

NC Arboretum – 426-acre arboretum includes 36 acres of impressively landscaped gardens. From a Visitor Education Center (with frequent exhibits and a café), the Grand Garden Promenade leads to additional gardens, and a well-regarded bonsai collection. There are miles of hiking and biking trails (see Hiking section for more details). Parking fee ($6 per car) is waived on Tuesdays. Location: From Brevard, take 64 East 3 miles to NC 280 intersection. Continue straight on NC 280 for 12.4 miles. Turn left onto NC 191, and drive 7.3 miles. Entrance is at intersection of NC 191 and the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Brewery Tours - Highland Brewing Company runs a tour of its brewery (and free beer tastings!) every weekday at 4:00pm. After the tour, sit at the outdoor patio and enjoy more beer (and sometimes music). Check out their website here: http://www.highlandbrewing.com. Directions: Take I-40 East to its intersection with I-240 and 74-A (exit 53B). Stay in the far right lane, and take Exit 8 off I-240, which is 74-A. At the end of the ramp, turn right onto Highway 74-A. Go straight through one more stoplight. Get into right turn lane & make hair-pin right turn onto Old Charlotte Hwy. Take second left into Blue Ridge Motion Pictures (past the guard shack and up a long, winding driveway). At the top of the driveway, continue straight ahead to the last building on the left. Confused? Call them weekdays at (828) 299-3370.

The WNC Cheese Trail
Several dairy farms in Western NC have joined a group known as The WNC Cheese Trail. Several of them are close to Asheville, such as Blue Ridge Mountain Creamery and Looking Glass Creamery in Fairview.

 Downtown - There's far too much to do and see in downtown Asheville to list here. Of course there's Biltmore House (expensive to visit) and Biltmore Village next to it (free to visit). The 1.7-mile downtown self-guided walking tour, known as the Asheville Urban Trail, is fascinating. For gardens, try the Asheville Botanical Gardens next to UNC-Asheville. Find out what's happening this week by picking up a copy of Mountain X, the local weekly independent newspaper, or read the on-line version here.

Bookstores
Lots of local bookstores to find, including Battery Park Book Exchange at the SW corner of the Grove Arcade, which includes champagne, coffee and dessert bars.

Crafts
For crafts, head to the River Arts District. Perhaps view Akira Satake's ceramics at 125 Riverside Drive, Studio C, and next-door Yuzu Patisserie akirasatake.com and yuzubycynthia.com

Downtown has lots of arts & crafts stores. Try Lexington Glassworks at 81 S. Lexington Ave.

Haywood Road
For a break from Asheville's tourist-heavy downtown, check out the variety of locally owned shops and eateries in West Asheville's Haywood Road neighborhood (or online onhaywood.com). One such place is VILLAGERS, an urban homesteading shop with beautiful pottery and gardening tools. 278 Haywood Road or forvillagers.com.

Restaurants

Plant - Food & Wine Magazine says it's one of the country's best vegetarian restaurants, you can find gluten-free beer and biodynamic wine to pair with Asian dishes like curry tofu with Thai basil. plantisfood.com

Limones - Fusing Mexican with French-influenced California cooking. 13 Eagle St.

Cúrate - Spanish tapas, rated one of the best restarant experiences in the US by GQ in March 2013 here. Address: 11 Biltmore Avenue. Website: curatetapasbar.com

Breakfast Places

• Biscuit Head - homemade sausage, biscuits, eggs for breakfast & lunch. 733 Haywood Rd and 379 Biltmore Ave.
• Vortex Donuts - 32 Banks Ave., vortexdoughnuts.com

Towns to Visit: Hendersonville

30-minute drive from either Brevard or Asheville,

Considering its population size, Hendersonville has a very lively downtown. Main Street has 10 blocks of probably over 100 interesting shops and restaurants. The county seat of Henderson county, known as the state's Apple Capital.

From late August through October, you might want to pick or buy apples here:

Justus Orchard - 187 Garren Road, Hendersonville; 828-685-8033

Skytop Orchard - Pinnacle Mountain Road, Flat Rock; 828-692-7930 - Try one of their apple cider donuts.

Local Sights

Bullington Gardens - a 12-acre preserve once owned by retired NY police officer Bob Bullington, now run by the Henderson County Educational Foundation. Native woodland garden, dahlia garden, perennials. Open 8-4:30 M-F at 95 Upper Red Oak Trail. bullingtongardens.org

Jump Off Rock - panoramic views and a few short hikes are available just west of downtown. Take Fifth Ave west, it becomes Laurel Park Hwy, and ends at Jump Off Rock.

Thomas Wolfe's Angel - In Oakdale Cemetery, small signs point you to the most famous resident, a marble angel that Thomas Wolfe described in "Look Homeward, Angel". At the intersection of US 64 and Valley Street, west of town.

Western NC Air Museum - Founded in 1989 by three local flyers, the museum has replicas of the Wright Brothers flyer, and more than a dozen other restored aircraft. No admission, but donations accepted. 1340 Gilbert St. westernnorthcarolinaairmuseum.com

Restaurants

• Mountain Deli - Sandwiches, bagels, salads, beer/wine. Hot-carved roast beef Tuesdays and Fridays, roast turkey breast Mondays and Thursdays, smoked ham Wednesdays and Saturdays. Closed Sunday. 343 N Main St. mtndeli.com
• McFarlan Bakery - massive selection of cakes, pies, cookies, bread, in business since the 1930s. Open T-Sat 7-5:30. 309 N Main St. mcfarlanbakery.com
• Postero - "new American cuisine" in a 1922 bank building. 401 N Main St. postero-hvl.com

Bonus: Flat Rock – just south of Hendersonville, along Business US25 is perhaps the oldest resort town in North Carolina – the village of Flat Rock. Not much there, except a lot of expensive homes that are difficult to see from the road. The “village” consists of basically a handful of stores and a bakery. But perhaps worth a look are:

Carl Sandburg home (follow signs from the village, daily 9-5, $5 house tours, grounds free).

St John in the Wilderness (1905 Greenville Hwy [US25], one of the oldest churches in Western NC, tour schedule here).

Wineries

East of town along US 64 East are two wineries:

-- Burntshirt Vineyards

-- St. Paul Mountain Vineyards 

Towns to Visit: Greenville SC

1 hour drive from Brevard. A terrific day trip.

Suggested itinerary:

From downtown Brevard, follow US276 South (E. Main Street) to Greenville. (To save a mile: from my house in Downing Park, take a right onto Country Club Road. After 6 blocks or so (and just before the High School) take a left on Gallimore Road. Follow it to a stop sign at US276, and take a right).

Along US276 in North Carolina, when you get to the community of Connestee Falls, stop for a quick look at their waterfall. Park on the right in what appears to be an abandoned parking lot, with a small real estate office and large sign advertising Connestee Falls Real Estate. The top of the falls is just a few steps behind the parking lot.

After you cross the South Carolina line on US276, look for the Caesar’s Head Visitors Center. Walk to the end of the parking lot for an awesome view. There’s also a short cliff-top walk that goes to several other scenic overlooks, including some interesting stairs around rock formations. Lots of other hikes are available here, but that’s another day.

The next few miles of US276 are very curvy and slow, as you make your way down the mountain-sides you saw from Caesar’s Head. Continue following US276 South. You will eventually pass the campus of Furman University.

Past Furman University, continue to follow US276/US25 South for 5 miles. Then, take a left to follow US276 at Stone Avenue, which will intersect (in 0.3 miles) with N. Main Street.

Once you get to Greenville, park a block or two from Main Street. Have lunch and walk the lively 7-block section of Main Street between North Street and the pedestrian suspension Liberty Bridge (pictured) spanning Reedy River Park (a reclaimed warehouse district). The River Park is worth a stroll. Nearby, pick up maps at the Michelin Map Store. The Greenville Zoo is a mile east of here. There are several museums just to the north of downtown.

When you drive back to Brevard, you can take a slightly longer (15 minutes more) but far less curvy and “mountainous” route. From Greenville, start retracing your route, following US276 North. Near Travellers Rest, follow signs for US25 North (instead of US276) to Hendersonville (perhaps stopping in Hendersonville or Flat Rock [see Hendersonville section above]). Then take US64 West to Brevard.

If you have a bike, or want to walk or jog a while, try the Swamp Rabbit Trail, a paved path that goes from Travellers Rest to downtown Greenville. 

Towns to Visit: Lake Lure

Bat Cave / Chimney Rock / Lake Lure
45-minute drive from Brevard

This area is an interesting day-trip, with a lot to see in a relatively small area. To get there from Brevard, take US64 East through Hendersonville, and on to the quaint tourist town of Bat Cave. On the way, you will drive through miles of apple orchards in Fruitland and Edneyville.

Bat Cave – This small town seems to exist only for the tourist, but it’s worth a stop. It’s about 6 blocks long, but only a block or two wide, sandwiched between a mountain ridge and a creek. It consists almost entirely of craft shops, with a few restaurants scattered amongst them. When you stop, be sure to stretch your legs by taking the stairs down to a very nice path along the creek.

Chimney Rock Park – In the middle of Bat Cave there is a bridge across the creek which takes you to this park, recently purchased by the State of NC.

Hikers head to Chimney Rock Park, which has craggy peaks and a trail that leads to Hickory Nut Falls. Climb to the centerpiece, a huge pillar of granite called the Chimney, with 75-mile views in all directions. You can walk along hiking trails past waterfalls or take the 26-story elevator to the top and walk out to the Chimney Rock itself. In 2009, ticket price is $14 (adult) or $6 (age 6-15). Hours 8:30-5:30, open April to October.

Lake Lure - About 7 miles east of Bat Cave along US64 is the historic 1927 Lake Lure Inn and Spa (pictured). It’s the center of activities on beautiful man-made Lake Lure. You can park on the shore of the lake near the inn, and walk along a series of boardwalks, or walk through the city park that juts out into the lake, for a picturesque stroll.

If Lake Lure looks familiar, it might be because the area stood in for the Catskill Mountains in the film "Dirty Dancing." The scenery is spectacular and the more than 21 miles of shoreline along the lake make it easy to find an isolated spot for an impromptu picnic.

If you have more time, you can take an hourly boat tour of the lake for $14 (kids 4-12 for $6). Tours run 10-6 daily April through October (weekends only 10-4 March and November). Tickets are sold at the Marina (877/386-4255, lakelure.com/rentals). Canoe, kayak and boat rentals also available.

The beach and a small water-park are open in season for $8.

The town itself is home to mom-and-pop businesses like an old-fashioned general store called Dalton's where you can get anything from a fishing license to a fried baloney sandwich (828/625-9750).

Where to refuel: Overlooking the lake, the Point of View Restaurant has plenty of choices, including a tasty broiled fish sandwich and a mountain trout entrée (828/625-4380, thepointofview.com, from $9).

For a quick meal, the Beachside Grill serves breakfast, sandwiches and salads, and there’s a Subway a couple miles west on US64.

To return to Brevard: follow US64 West.

If you have extra time, downtown Tryon and the tiny historic railroad town of Saluda are both worth a look. Get to 74 West to I-26 West and look for the town exits.

Continue to follow I-26 West to the West US64 exit toward Hendersonville and follow US64 West back to Brevard.

Towns to Visit: Black Mountain

Black Mountain/Montreat
1 hour drive northeast of Brevard.

The towns of Black Mountain and Montreat make an enjoyable whole- or half-day outing, depending on how much hiking and/or shopping you want to do.

Black Mountain has a lively downtown. There are dozens of craft stores and cafes, in a beautiful valley surrounded by mountains. To get there, take I-40 East from Asheville to the Black Mountain exit.

Montreat was originally a Presbyterian mountain retreat (and still is), but is now also a conference center, college, history center, campgrounds, and small town. It’s also a hiking center. To get there, from Black Mountain take route 9 north for 2 miles to the stone gate (shown) then another 1.5 miles to Lake Susan.

For a short walk, take a tour on foot through the town and college, starting at Lake Susan opposite the Assembly Inn on Assembly Drive, the center of Montreat. You might want to visit the Nelson Bell Library (corner of Appalachian Way and Lookout Rd) or see the 16-foot fresco “The Return of the Prodigal” in the Chapel of the Prodigal (across from the library).

One option is to hike or drive to the end of Graybeard Trail Road, which starts at Lake Susan. For a short 2 mile loop, from the end of the road follow the Graybeard Trail, taking a left on the Harry Bryan Trail, and then a left on the Julia Woodward Trail, and follow signs down the hill back to the start. If you instead took a right on the Julia Woodward Trail, it will end shortly at a small waterfall flowing between two boulders on Slaty Branch Creek.

For longer hikes, pick up a map at the Montreat General Store on Lake Susan.
If you have time on the way back, you might consider a visit to the Folk Art Center on the Blue Ridge Parkway. From I-40 West, take exit 55 (there will be brown signs for the Folk Art Center). Follow US70 a mile or so, and take the Blue Ridge Parkway North exit ramp. The Folk Art Center is a mile or so on your left. To return to Brevard from here, you could take the Blue Ridge Parkway south for 12 miles, taking the NC-191 (Brevard Road)/ NC Arboretum exit. Follow NC-191 south for 7 miles to its intersection with NC-280. Take a right on NC-280 and follow it 12 miles to its intersection with US64, and on to Brevard.

Towns to Visit: Waynesville

1 hour drive over the Blue Ridge Parkway from Brevard.

It’s the county seat of Haywood County, and the largest town in NC west of Asheville.

Waynesville has done a nice job of revitalizing their downtown. There are dozens of art galleries, craft stores, coffee shops and restaurants along a 10-block section of Main Street. The center of town is the intersection of US276 and US23.

Just northeast of downtown is Lake Junaluska, a conference and retreat center (run by the United Methodist Church) surrounding a large lake. There are hiking trails, boat rentals, and a golf course. A 5-mile greenway runs from Waynesville to the Lake. On the far side of the lake is the Corneille Bryan Native Garden on 1.5 acres with nearly 500 species of native plants. lakejunaluska.com

Barn quilts, which are painted on barns and other buildings and resemble quilts, are popular in Haywood County. Best examples are "Moon Over Cold Mtn" in Cruso and "Five Spot" in Canton. For more info, go to the Visitors Center at 44 N. Main St. in Waynesville (800-334-9036) or visit haywoodquilttrails.com

To get to Waynesville, take US276 North from Brevard. It’s a mountainous and curvy road over and across the Blue Ridge Parkway.

>>Restaurants

• Joey's Pancake House - Try the blueberry pancakes with country ham. Closes at noon, and all day Thursday. 4309 Socco Rd, Maggie Valley. 828-926-0212. joeyspancake.com
• Haywood Smokehouse - barbeque is Texas-style and the firewood is hickory, in an old Waynesville house. 79 Elysinia Ave. 828-456-7275. haywoodsmokehouse.com
• Clyde's Restaurant - bustling comfort-food diner. 2107 S. Main St. 828-456-9135.
• The Sweet Onion - gets a lot of good press, but the Raleigh newspaper wasn't impressed. 39 Miller St. 828-456-5559. sweetonionrestaurant.com

>>Breweries

• Frog Level Brewing - A cool, cavernous hangout that shares a porch and yard with next-door Panacea coffeehouse. 55 Commerce St. 828-454-5664. froglevelbrewing.com
• Boojum Brewing - the brewery is at 357 Dayton Dr, and the taproom is downtown at 50 N Main St. boojumbrewing.com
• BearWaters Brewing - 130 Frasier St. bwbrewing.com
• Tipping Point Brewing and Tavern - 190 N. Main St. tippingpointtavern.com

Pisgah National Forest

You could spend an hour or an entire day visiting any of these attractions along U.S 276 as it winds its way through the Pisgah National Forest upward from Brevard to the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Just have a free hour or two? Try one of these (mileage listed is from the intersection of US 276 and NC 280/US64).

Ranger Station – (1.7 miles on right) Visitors Center has maps and info about the area.

English Chapel – (2 miles on the left) Built in 1860, was used as church and schoolhouse for Davidson River Community. (No parking lot, but you can walk to it from the Ranger Station)

Fish Hatchery & Wildlife Education Center. - Feed the trout. Visit the gift shop and exhibits. Tour the native flower garden. (5.5 miles, take a left on Forest Service road 475, and drive another 1.4 miles)

View a waterfall from your car – Looking Glass Falls, with 60-foot drop, is visible from the road. Because of its ease of access, it’s one of the most popular falls in western North Carolina (5.6 miles on the right).

Hike to a waterfall – The Moore Cove Trail (at 6.7 miles on the right) starts at a parking area on the right before a stone bridge. The 1.3-mile round-trip trail is fairly easy, and leads to Moore Cove Falls with a 50-foot drop and large cave that allows you to stand behind the falls.

Sliding Rock – (8 miles on the left, fee to enter) Use the bathhouse to change into your swimsuit and slide down a 60-foot stone water slide into an 8-foot pool, or just watch others slide from two observation points.

Cradle of Forestry – (11.6 miles on right, fee to enter) Historic site commemorating forestry conservation. 18-minute movie. Children will like the helicopter simulator and computer games. Several one-mile loop trails, showing how Dr. Carl Schenck and his students lived and worked.

Pisgah Inn – take a right on the Blue Ridge Parkway, and continue a couple miles to the Pisgah Inn for a meal, a visit to the gift shop, or just to admire the views. Open late March through October.

Longer Hikes

Pink Beds – Here's a rarity - a mountain bog just a few hundred feet beneath the crest of the Blue Ridge. It's a fairly flat (considering how high you are!) 4.3-mile loop trail. Especially nice when rhododendrons are in bloom late June/early July. (11.9 miles on right)

Looking Glass Rock Trail – A 6.2-mile round-trip strenuous hike to the top of the spectacular done of rock known as Looking Glass Rock. The trail is steep and rugged, with switchback after switchback, but the view from the top is awesome. Trailhead: on the right on Forest Road 475, about 0.4 miles from U.S. 276.

John Rock – If Looking Glass is too strenuous, try this one - a 4-mile round-trip moderately-strenuous hike to the top of John Rock (shown here), with great views of the Fish Hatchery and Looking Glass Rock. There aren’t any guard rails on the rock, so stay close to the forest-edge. It’s a long way down! Start on the Cat Gap Loop Trail, which starts at the eastern end of the Fish Hatchery parking lot, following a creek. At 1.25 miles, take a right onto John Rock trail to the summit. Return the same way.

Graveyard Fields - The three waterfalls in the Graveyard Fields are easily accessible from the Blue Ridge Parkway. The main trail descends from the parking area by means of steps that give way to an asphalt path, necessary due to the popularity of the area. Many parts of the trail beyond the asphalt portion have been worn into deep ruts which are often muddy due to the frequency of precipitation. For those who wish to hike beyond the Yellowstone Prong Valley, the spur off the Graveyard Field Trail, the Graveyard Ridge Trail, leads to, among several places, Black Balsam Knob and Tennent Mountain where spectacular views, buckets full of blueberries (in August), and grassy balds await. Trailhead: take US 276 North to Blue Ridge Parkway, turn left (South) on the Parkway about 4 miles to parking area on right at Milepost 418.8.

Art Loeb/MST Loop - Quite varied terrain in a 5-mile loop. Start at the Mountains-to-Sea Trail parking lot (first small lot on route 816 - Black Balsam Knob Rd, off the Blue Ridge Parkway). Head north, taking an immediate left at the trail fork onto the Art Loeb Trail for great views over the top of Black Balsam Knob and Tennent Mtn. At Ivestor Gap, take sharp right onto Big East Fork Trail for a short while, then another sharp right (south) onto Graveyard Ridge Trail. It's relatively easy going (flat) until take a right onto the white-blazed MST over a ridge, and back to the start.