Join us for our Western Region Spring Hike! For this hike, we'll hike the Panthertown Valley Trail to Mac's Gap Trail, forming a loop. This is a moderate 5.6-mile hike with 895 feet of elevation gain located near Glenville, North Carolina in the Panthertown Valley area of Nantahala National Forest. There is lots of variety on this hike - streams, views, waterfalls, lovely forests, and beautiful varying terrain.
Join MountainTrue's Public Lands Field Biologist, Josh Kelly, as he leads us on a hike to explore the wildflowers found in Elk Knob State Park. The hike is on the Summit trail, a moderate, 4-mile out and back trail, that offers spectacular views of Mount Jefferson, Grandfather Mountain, Mount Mitchell, and more!
Join Mountaintrue's Ecologist & Public Lands Director Bob Gale as we explore the trail leading to Rattle Snake Lodge. More than thirty varieties of flowers are known to live on the way to the lodge, including dwarf larkspur, Jack-in-the-pulpit, and blue cohosh. During the hike, Bob will stop and discuss the wildflowers we will see on this trail. The hike will take us to the Rattlesnake lodge site, which was built in 1903 as a summer home for Dr. Chase P. Ambler. The Parkway gained the right-of-way in the 1930s, giving hikers an opportunity to explore the remains.
Join our Green Riverkeeper for a trip down the wild and remote Upper Green River! This section is for those looking for a high-intensity whitewater experience with continuous Class II-III rapids and two Class IV rapids.
Join MountainTrue's High Country Water Quality Administrator, Hannah Woodburn, and take the plunge to explore the unique ecosystems of the Watauga River. Hannah is a graduate student at Appalachian State University in biochemical toxicity and is one of the leading experts on the Watauga and its ecology. She is intimately familiar with the area and the river ecosystem and is eager to help us find some smallmouth bass, black nose dace, rainbow and brown trout, and hopefully some tangerine darters!
Join MountainTrue's High Country Water Quality Administrator, Hannah Woodburn, and take the plunge to explore the unique ecosystems of the Watauga River. Hannah is a graduate student at Appalachian State University in biochemical toxicity and is one of the leading experts on the Watauga and its ecology. She is intimately familiar with the area and the river ecosystem and is eager to help us find some smallmouth bass, black nose dace, rainbow and brown trout, and hopefully some tangerine darters!
Join MountainTrue as we team up with Flying Bikes Tours to take out a fleet of electric bikes! We will still pass through downtown, where Chris Joyell, Director of the Asheville Design Center. will share his extensive knowledge about Asheville's urban core, including stories of how redlining has shaped our city and what the future could hold for Asheville.
Do you love to paddle? Then come paddle with us by the light of the moon! We will meet up at Lake Houser at 7 pm to drop off boats so we can run our shuttles and be back to put in at 7:50 sunset. Due to covid-19, you must have your own shuttle arrangements to get back to the put in this year.
Join MountainTrue's Ecologist and Public Lands Director, Bob Gale, for a gorgeous and educational hike through Pisgah National Forest. This moderate hike offers breathtaking views of the fall foliage, and if we are lucky, we will catch glimpses of the Monarch Butterfly migration. We will be hiking the Pilot Cove Loop Trail in Pisgah, which is approximately 4 miles long. The trail starts in a lesser-known part of Pisgah National Forest and winds upward among the brightly colored sourwood and black gum trees. After opening up onto a beautiful rocky outcrop, the trails travels through recently logged forested as well as much older sections of forest. There are some steep inclines on this trail, but Bob will be making frequent stops to rest and interpret the flora and fauna.
Did you know there are over 30 Forest Communities in the Southern Appalachians? Join our Public Lands Director and Ecologist Bob Gale on a hike to learn more about the biodiversity of flora throughout the Forest Communities on the Tanawha Trail. We will find ourselves immersed in the Spruce-Fir Forest Community and the High Elevation Red Oak Community along this trail. This 4-mile hike is strenuous and can be steep in a few places; there are various rocky areas where footing can be tricky. Please consider your ability to climb over rocks and maintain balance while hiking over roots before signing up to attend this hike.
