MountainTrue Hemlock Hike at John Rock near Brevard, NC 7/19-CANCELED
2025-07-19 09:00 - 12:30 (America/New_York) | John Rock Loop Trailhead, Fish Hatchery Ln, Brevard, NC, 28712
We regret that this hike has been canceled. We hope you will check out our other upcoming events! Join MountainTrue and Hemlock Restoration Initiative (HRI) on a guided hike at John Rock to see hemlock trees! Learn from Josh Kelly and HRI’s Olivia Hall about hemlock conservation and the importance of these ecosystems.
John Rock Trail Loop is a moderately difficult 5-mile hike with 1,000 feet of elevation gain. We’ll be back to the trailhead by lunchtime, but please bring plenty of water and any snacks you would like along the way.
*Children are welcome if they can hike up to 5 moderately strenuous miles. Anyone under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian for the duration of the outing.

As much as we love our furry friends, no pets are permitted on this hike.
Please remember to:
-Wear sturdy hiking shoes and clothing appropriate for the weather (including rain gear).
-Bring water, lunch, snacks and any medications you may need
The trailhead for John Rock Loop Trail is to the left of the Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education. Park and meet our group at the trailhead at 9 am.
The RAIN DATE for this event will be July 26th. Please save both dates in your calendar.

Snorkel the French Broad River Headwaters in Rosman, NC 8/2
2025-08-02 10:00 - 14:00 | Champion’s Park River Access, Champion Park's River Access - 39 Old Turnpike Rd, Rosman, NC, 28772
Join MountainTrue staff and partners for a guided snorkeling experience on the French Broad River’s headwaters at Champion Park in Rosman, NC. Come reconnect with the river post-Hurricane-Helene. We will be guided by Kevin Merrill – Owner & Biologist with Oxbow River Snorkeling.
Kevin has intimate knowledge of the fish, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates on this particular site and within Western North Carolina in general. You’ll learn about what you’re seeing, the conservation and preservation efforts occurring to help protect these species and their habitats, and the state of the river after the Hurricane.
Masks, snorkels, wetsuits, and booties can be rented through our partnership with Mountains to Seas. If you rent equipment, please make sure to complete ALL of the sizing fields for each ticketed guest to ensure we get the correct size for wetsuits and booties. The water in August can still be pretty chilly so please plan accordingly. Gear rentals are helping our friends in the recreation field keep their doors open.
Due to the sensitivity of the site and the capacity of our guides, we will be limiting this adventure to two separate two-hour time slots with no more than ten people each.
The first tour starts at 10:00 AM and the second tour at 12:00 PM.
Please Note that snorkeling tours like this one are at the mercy of Mother Nature. High water velocity and poor visibility following a heavy rain event may create conditions unfavorable for this activity to continue as planned. If this occurs for our scheduled date, we will unfortunately need to cancel and refund any expenses.
Register:**If the ticket type or timeslot that you need are not available please contact amy@mountaintrue.org for assistance or to be put on the waitlist. Registration will close on August 1st.

Register for the 10 am tour

Register for the 12 pm tour!

Art in Action: a guided course in drawing nature under threat with artist John Springer & MountainTrue in Pisgah Forest, NC
2025-08-23 10:00 - 14:00 | Pink Bed Picnic Shelter
Join MountainTrue and artist John Springer for a guided outing and drawing course in Pisgah Forest, NC. Reconnect with nature in a place currently under threat from the Pisgah-Nantahala Forest Management Plan. Selected artwork from the outing will be featured in a silent auction, raising funds for the Resilient Forest Program. Mark your calendar for the opening event- Endangered Impressions: a collection of drawings highlighting nature threatened by the Nantahala-Pisgah Forest Management Plan.
Meet-up location: Pink Bed Picnic Shelter in Pisgah Forest, NC (coordinates: Latitude 35° 21′ 13.0000″ N Longitude 82° 46′ 40.0001″ W)

From Asheville: take 19/23 to 151 South to the Parkway, and then turn right and travel to 276.

From Brevard: Take US 276 north for about 11 miles.

Look for a large sign on the road indicating the picnic area entrance .

Time: 10 am to 2 pm
This event will be rain or shine. As much as we love our furry friends, please no pets.
Please bring: Weather-appropriate layers, rain gear, water, snacks/lunch and your sense of wonder.
All art supplies will be provided to participants. Donations to help support MountainTrue and artist John Springer are welcome, but not required to participate.
Description about the drawing course:
What is it that draws people to sit along riverbanks? What is it about walking a forest path that awakens curiosity and contemplation? This exercise is geared towards noticing relationships in the visible world by searching for elements and instances in nature that strike you as the participant to pause and ponder. With some initial instruction, we will engage in a series of sketches from a motif. By drawing rapidly, we can put trust in our eyes and declutter our minds, igniting our fluid imaginations to reveal truthful renderings that are unique to us and the moment. By studying the light and dark relationships, we will begin to hone in on the essential elements and reveal the harmoniousness that brings you to your chosen place and aspect, consciously or unconsciously. This is an experience meant to lead towards discovering yourself in nature and the nature within you.
You will receive guided instruction from the artist before setting out on the Pink Beds Loop Hike to draw.
About the hike: This relatively flat loop hike (5.1 miles round trip) – which features a shortcut option – is all about water. You’ll see rare mountain bogs, including glimpses of some rare and endangered species of plants if you’re lucky. You’ll pass through a forest in transition, as beavers have dammed the South Fork Mills River to form their ponds, which are drowning out the trees. You’ll also find crystal clear brooks, wildlife meadows, scenic fern-filled woods, and an optional waterfall. More info here.
About the artist (John Springer)
John Springer (b. 1990, Columbus, GA) is an American artist who lives in Aix-en-Provence, France. By observing particular patterns within nature John seeks to render visually through painting and drawing the universal truths of the human-environment relationship. John’s work emerges at the confluence of nature and culture and it is in this commingling where he sees potential harmonies that can give meaning to our existence. By knowing ourselves and our place in nature John believes each of us can live more fully, more cohesively and more sustainably in the changing modern world.

Why this area?
The Soapstone Ridge, which is just to the south of the Pink Beds, is an extremely diverse forest with numerous rare species and two very popular trails. It is one of the areas prioritized for logging by the Trump Administration and the Pisgah Forest Plan. The Trump administration has directed National Forests to increase logging by 125% annually through 2034. Additionally, there have been two serious attempts to sell up to 3 million acres of National Forest Land this year, and while those proposals do not yet include North Carolina, it is likely that land sale proposals will continue.

Want more information about the art show and silent auction? Click here.
Photo credit: John Springer

POSTPONED: "Sew" in Love with Mama Green in Saluda, NC 10/16
2025-10-16 18:00 - 21:00 | Green Riverkeeper Office, 7347 Ozone Dr, Suite 4, Saluda, NC, 28773
This event has been POSTPONED. Check back in early 2026 for updates. Join MountainTrue and SewAVL for a fun evening of creative expression as you create a custom fabric patch (one-of-kind appliqué) to adorn a shirt or jacket from your closet! Breathe some new life into your wardrobe by embellishing your top while upcycling fabrics that have been curated and pulled from the piles that could have wound up in the landfill. You will get to select up to 3-4 elements of your choosing from the fabric options at the event. Once you have designed your patch, instructor Karmen will sew it onto your garment so you can take it with you when you leave. Light refreshments will be available!
Tickets: $35 (registration fee covers instructor costs; if you want to support our Green Riverkeeper program, we invite you to consider using the additional donation box to make a donation.)
Ages 16+ are welcome (anyone under the age of 18 will need to be accompanied by a parent/guardian for the duration of the event). This event is beginner friendly and no sewing experience needed!
Please bring: a shirt or jacket to have your patchwork creation sewn on at the event!
About SewAVL: Karmen Milham grew up in the beautiful bay area of Mobile, AL, where her incredibly imaginative mom filled her childhood with all sorts of sewn wonders. Her journey through life brought her to the charming town of Asheville in 2021. A couple of years later, she opened a cozy little store packed with one-of-a-kind remade and up-cycled textile treasures. Karmen’s live/work/studio space in downtown Asheville is a true reflection of who she is and this beautiful community – a vibrant mix of playfulness, dedication to craft, and heartfelt love for creativity, recycling, and self expression. Karmen is excited to share, inspire, and create with you!
Examples for inspiration:

Roadless Area Hike Series - Balsam Cone near Asheville, NC 11/22
2025-11-22 09:00 - 17:00 | Folk Art Center, 382 Blue Rdg Pkwy, Asheville, NC, 28805
To highlight the importance of the Forest Service Roadless Rule, MountainTrue will be leading monthly hikes to roadless areas. In November, we will hike the incredibly unique and scenic Black Mountain Crest trail through the Balsam Cone Roadless Area.
*Children age 10 and up are welcome if they can hike strenuous miles. Anyone under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian for the duration of the outing.

As much as we love our furry friends, no pets are permitted on this hike.
Please remember to:
-Wear sturdy hiking shoes and clothing appropriate for the weather (including rain gear).
-Bring at least 2.0 liters of water, lunch, snacks and any medications or personal items you may need
This is a strenuous hike with high elevation so please bring warm layers.
The hike will depart from Mount Mitchell State Park and follow the Black Mountain Crest Trail. We will carpool from the Folk Art Center on the Parkway at 9 a.m. https://maps.app.goo.gl/Ryqv6qoffMaun1tf7

Roadless Area Hike Series - Boteler Peak near Hayesville, NC 12/6
2025-12-06 10:00 - 17:00
MountainTrue is holding a series of hikes to Forest Service Roadless Areas to highlight the importance and success of the 2001 Roadless Rule, which protects 58.5 million acres nationwide. In December, we will visit one of North Carolina’s lesser known 5000′ peaks, Boteler Peak in the Nantahala National Forest of Clay County. This is a moderately strenuous hike, about 4.5 miles with 1,400′ of elevation change. Participants will experience a diversity of forest types and ages and a good view from the rocky summit of Boteler Peak.
*Children age 10 and up are welcome if they can hike strenuous miles. Anyone under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian for the duration of the outing.

As much as we love our furry friends, no pets are permitted on this hike.
Please remember to:
-Wear sturdy hiking shoes and clothing appropriate for the weather (including rain gear).
-Bring at least 2.0 liters of water, lunch, snacks and any medications or personal items you may need
The hike begins at the Chunky Gal Trailhead, northbound, on US HWY 64 https://maps.app.goo.gl/ytNfRwnZH8CSsSjY9.
**Carpool from Asheville at Cracker Barrel at Exit 44 on I-40 at 8:15 a.m. https://maps.app.goo.gl/UtHDAv2FkNe2MYWJA
