Calendar of Events

We meet at the parking area of the French Broad River. We leave for the hike no later than 9:10 a.m. and hike 2.5 miles on the MTS trail and back for a total 5 miles hike. We walk at a pretty swift pace (2.7 to 3 mph). Hike is designed for fitness and conversation. We don’t take a break until we reach the turn around point, then we stop for brief water break. We repeat this hike on Friday. Then move on with our regular rotation of hikes.

Hikers who are new to hiking will likely be more comfortable on another meet up hike designed for people who are just beginning hiking or trying to get into shape for hiking. You might consider “WNC Easy Hikers Group,” for instance.

We meet at the parking area of the French Broad River off of Brevard Road. Coming from Asheville, go through the light at the arboretum intersection and you will see the parking area almost immediately on your left. We leave no later than 9:10 a.m. I think this is called the Brent Creek River Park.

7 miles | Moderate Forest Walk, Holiday Celebration

2021 CLASSIC HIKES OF THE SMOKIES

Discover America’s most-visited national park with a guided day hike! The Classic Hikes of the Smokies feature interpretation of the history, flora, and fauna of park trails. Hikes vary in distance, difficulty, and location within the park to provide a comprehensive overview of the Smokies, exposing hikers to high Appalachian vistas, streams teeming with aquatic life, the best collection of log structures on the Eastern Seaboard, and much more.

After completing registration…
You will receive an email the Friday before the hike with directions, and more information. All hikes begin at 9 a.m

Join the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy at Cataloochee Ranch for a moderate 5-mile roundtrip hike to Hemphill Bald, focusing on Winter Tree Identification. On the hike, we will explore strategies to identify trees in winter — such as examining bark patterns, community types, the form of the tree, and more. This hike is free for SAHC members and $10 for non-members!

Have you spent hours learning how to identify trees by their leaves, only to have them all drift away come winter? Well, lucky for you, the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy will be leading a hike on Saturday, December 18, to Hemphill Bald, focusing on Winter Tree Identification. On the hike, we will explore strategies to identify trees in winter — such as examining bark patterns, community types, the form of the tree, and more.

This moderate 5-mile roundtrip hike with an elevation change of 900 feet begins on a road used for hiking and horseback riding. Expect to see mountain streams and lovely cove hardwood forest mixed at times with hemlock stands and the ever-present rhododendron and mountain laurel. At the top of the ridge, the woods are replaced by open high altitude pastureland, and there is the chance for superb views of four counties and a number of mountain tops, including Cold Mountain, Crabtree Bald, Mt. Pisgah, and many others. The only difficult part of the hike is the last climb to the top. At the top is a stone table, moved there by Tom Alexander, Jr. and placed in the memory of his parents, Tom and Judy Alexander, founders of Cataloochee Ranch.

This hike is currently full. If you would like to be added to the waitlist, please fill out the form below. 

Kick off the new year in Chimney Rock at Chimney Rock State Park during this First Day Hike! A Park Ranger will offer an informative discussion about the Park’s history while the group strolls, hikes or bikes up to the 3.2-mile entrance road. Usually restricted to motor vehicle traffic only, there will be no cars in your way if you show up for this special, early morning hike that’s free to participants!

Meet at the Old Rock Café at 8am. Registration is not required. Please visit North Carolina State Park website for additional information.

What if we gathered at the Botanical Gardens, stared up at the clouds, and danced with plants? Maybe we will tell a joke. Maybe we will draw each other’s portraits. Maybe we will discuss what the clouds look like. Maybe we will share some strawberries. Maybe we will stretch together. Maybe we will write a song together. Maybe we will just look at each other, sharing space, breathing the same air.

Multidisciplinary Performance Artist, Mike Durkin, will lead a participatory mediative performance where audience members will gather, share space, tour the grounds, dance, and find a deeper connection between the variety of environments and worlds we occupy on a day-to-day basis.

The experience, located on the grounds of the Botanical Gardens on UNC Asheville’s campus, will last approximately 75 minutes and will have periods of walking, dancing, and other activities. Plan on wearing hiking attire, clothes you can move in, and complimentary tea will be served during the experience. Audience members can participate in as much or as little as they are comfortable with. All movements and activities require very little exertion.

Email [email protected] for reservations for performances 1/22-1/27
Buy tickets at www.ashevillefringe.org for the Saturday 1/29 and Sunday 1/30 performances, available January 1st.

For More Information, www.mikedurkin.info

Follow him on Instagram: @MikeDurkinProjects

What if we gathered at the Botanical Gardens, stared up at the clouds, and danced with plants? Maybe we will tell a joke. Maybe we will draw each other’s portraits. Maybe we will discuss what the clouds look like. Maybe we will share some strawberries. Maybe we will stretch together. Maybe we will write a song together. Maybe we will just look at each other, sharing space, breathing the same air.

Multidisciplinary Performance Artist, Mike Durkin, will lead a participatory mediative performance where audience members will gather, share space, tour the grounds, dance, and find a deeper connection between the variety of environments and worlds we occupy on a day-to-day basis.

The experience, located on the grounds of the Botanical Gardens on UNC Asheville’s campus, will last approximately 75 minutes and will have periods of walking, dancing, and other activities. Plan on wearing hiking attire, clothes you can move in, and complimentary tea will be served during the experience. Audience members can participate in as much or as little as they are comfortable with. All movements and activities require very little exertion.

A special zoom performance will be held on Saturday 1/22 for individuals to gather, share space, and dance with plants across the interwebs. Performances on Saturday 1/29 and Sunday 1/30 at 3pm are part of the Asheville Fringe Festival.

Email [email protected] for reservations for performances 1/22-1/27
Buy tickets at www.ashevillefringe.org for the Saturday 1/29 and Sunday 1/30 performances, available January 1st.

For More Information, www.mikedurkin.info

Follow him on Instagram: @MikeDurkinProjects

What if we gathered at the Botanical Gardens, stared up at the clouds, and danced with plants? Maybe we will tell a joke. Maybe we will draw each other’s portraits. Maybe we will discuss what the clouds look like. Maybe we will share some strawberries. Maybe we will stretch together. Maybe we will write a song together. Maybe we will just look at each other, sharing space, breathing the same air.

Multidisciplinary Performance Artist, Mike Durkin, will lead a participatory mediative performance where audience members will gather, share space, tour the grounds, dance, and find a deeper connection between the variety of environments and worlds we occupy on a day-to-day basis.

The experience, located on the grounds of the Botanical Gardens on UNC Asheville’s campus, will last approximately 75 minutes and will have periods of walking, dancing, and other activities. Plan on wearing hiking attire, clothes you can move in, and complimentary tea will be served during the experience. Audience members can participate in as much or as little as they are comfortable with. All movements and activities require very little exertion.

Email [email protected] for reservations for performances 1/22-1/27
Buy tickets at www.ashevillefringe.org for the Saturday 1/29 and Sunday 1/30 performances, available January 1st.

For More Information, www.mikedurkin.info

Follow him on Instagram: @MikeDurkinProjects

What if we gathered at the Botanical Gardens, stared up at the clouds, and danced with plants? Maybe we will tell a joke. Maybe we will draw each other’s portraits. Maybe we will discuss what the clouds look like. Maybe we will share some strawberries. Maybe we will stretch together. Maybe we will write a song together. Maybe we will just look at each other, sharing space, breathing the same air.

Multidisciplinary Performance Artist, Mike Durkin, will lead a participatory mediative performance where audience members will gather, share space, tour the grounds, dance, and find a deeper connection between the variety of environments and worlds we occupy on a day-to-day basis.

The experience, located on the grounds of the Botanical Gardens on UNC Asheville’s campus, will last approximately 75 minutes and will have periods of walking, dancing, and other activities. Plan on wearing hiking attire, clothes you can move in, and complimentary tea will be served during the experience. Audience members can participate in as much or as little as they are comfortable with. All movements and activities require very little exertion.

Email [email protected] for reservations for performances 1/22-1/27
Buy tickets at www.ashevillefringe.org for the Saturday 1/29 and Sunday 1/30 performances, available January 1st.

For More Information, www.mikedurkin.info

Follow him on Instagram: @MikeDurkinProjects

Do you need a little inspiration to get moving after the holiday season? Well, lucky for you, our Annual Virtual Hiking Challenge is back!

The Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy Virtual Hiking Challenge sets a goal for you to complete 60 miles in 60 days at your own pace. Those can be miles you’ve walked, run, or hiked – in your neighborhood, on a flat walking track, up a rugged mountain trail, or meandering in fields and forests. Whatever works for your comfort and skill level, all you have to do is move 60 miles within the 60-day challenge period, running from January 1 to March 1. Sign up before January 1 to have more time to complete the Challenge. Registration is open now and ends on February 1.

Registration is $25 and all participants will receive informative emails with details on some of our favorite places to hike across the mountains of NC and TN. This special email series will include recommendations to areas SAHC has protected and some of our other favorite trails and excursions. We all know that some of our favorite hiking places are experiencing overuse and suffering impacts from their popularity. We will try to share tidbits about some of the lesser-known trails and areas to enjoy the great outdoors, so you can help alleviate stress on fragile trail ecosystems. All participants will receive a Hiking Challenge patch, coupons and will be entered into a raffle to win a certificate good for two to either cave, climb, or raft through USA Raft (after March 1).  The registration fee will give participants access to the portal throughout the Challenge.

Time spent outdoors and in nature can help with both mental and physical health. We hope this Challenge will inspire folks to explore places you may not have hiked before and rediscover the joy of nature in your own neighborhood. Please note, you DO NOT have to pay to hike public trails.

Are you a little unsure about hiking in winter? Read our helpful Winter Hiking Tips so you can feel more confident hiking during the cold winter months.

Join Namaste in Nature for a reflective meditation walk in the Park. De-stress during this peaceful hike focused on reconnecting with nature and yourself. Bring your partner or a friend and enjoy this mindfulness experience focused on the season of love and warmth.

Where: Carvers Gap on Roan Mountain Distance: 2.6 miles total. ~600 ft elevation gain. Difficulty: Moderate (5). Trail conditions will be icy. Cost: FREE for all participants Join the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy on February 13 for a hike from Carver’s Gap to Jane Bald in the Highlands of Roan. Participants will travel 2.6 miles atop the highest elevation balds in the Highlands of Roan, widely considered the most spectacular scenery along the Appalachian Trail. At the peak of Jane Bald, we will enjoy a natural, unobstructed 360-degree view. We hope to come across hoar frost and rime ice on our hike. Hoar frost and rime ice are beautiful ice formations that appear after a cold night. However, they form in different ways. Rime ice forms on nights when a cold fog or cloud cover is present. When supercooled water droplets in the fog come in contact with a surface below freezing, the water droplets freeze on contact. On the other hand, hoar frost forms on clear nights when gaseous water vapor freezes onto a below-freezing surface, bypassing the liquid phase. While hiking, our goal will be to find these ice formations. Note: There are many stretches of the trail covered with thick ice. Trekking poles are highly recommended. The weather for Sunday has highs in the mid-20s with a slight chance of snow. Please plan and dress accordingly.

Unplug, unwind, and reconnect with yourself as you relax into the wisdom and beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Unplug, unwind, and reconnect with yourself as you relax into the wisdom and beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Unplug, unwind, and reconnect with yourself as you relax into the wisdom and beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains.