Things to do / Travel Guide
The fact that Great Smoky National Park is the most-visited national park in the U.S., is just one reason that the southern Appalachian Mountains are, as a whole, one of the most commonly visited regions country-wide. But don't worry about congestion. This region is so vast, and so deeply pocketed with mountains and valleys that, should you choose, there's more than enough room here to totally slip out of civilization and just commune with the beauties of nature to your heart's content.
Hiking in the Southern Appalachian Mountains
There are numerous choices for the bicyclist, kayaker, and fisher, among other sports enthusiasts, but the region is best friend to the hiker. The Appalachian Trail runs through the region, so you'll see lots of north-bound hikers in the spring and south-bounders in the fall. Encourage the former, and congratulate the latter, because these people are your inspiration. At the southern end of the Trail are the Smokies, a park bearing 850 miles of trails and unpaved roads. There are other great hiking opportunities available, both in West Virginia and near the Virginia–Kentucky border.
Many say the most challenging part of the whole Appalachian Trail is the Virginia segment. Paralleling the famous Blue Ridge Parkway, you'll find yourself traversing up and down mountains of 2,000-3,000 feet. Mount Rogers, the highest point in Virginia, is located in this area. It can get awfully cold and rainy atop Mount Rogers, as well as many of the other peaks, but the vistas they provide of highland meadows, and the Blue Ridge Mountains, are spectacular.
Shenandoah National Park, in northwest Virginia, provides easier hiking options. One exception to this rule is the great Old Rag Mountain, which Virginians endow with near mythical status. The opportunities for rock-hopping and scrambling are awesome on Old Rag, as the whole summit is full of huge granite rocks with fissures and splitter cracks, challenging slopes, and awesome jumps. This is not a place for beginners!
Down in the Smokies, you have a multitude of options. Perhaps you'll choose to focus on nature, taking in the array of flora and fauna. Alternatively, you may choose to concentrate on the awesome panoramic vistas all around. Of course the scenery may be nothing more than a backdrop for you as you work out your muscles in a strenuous hike.
On the Tennessee side of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, one of the best trails, with a taste of all of the above, is the Alum Cave Trail. You can hike up Mount Le Conte, which happens to be the tallest (though not the highest) mountain east of the Mississippi. It's a steep trip up, but there are a number of overlooks along the way: Arch Rock, Eye of the Needle, and, at the summit, Myrtle Point and Cliff Tops all make it completely worth it and then some.
Biking in the Southern Appalachian Mountains
West Virginia, with its rocky, mountainous character, is the mountain biking center of the East. And at the epicenter of it all is the legendary Spruce Knob, the mightiest of all the Alleghenies. The expert biker will enjoy riding the ridge for a while, then angling down the mountain into a wide-open meadow. For more raw downhill action, head over to Snowshoe Mountain, which is also a premier ski resort.
If you like rail trails, there's a wonderful, gargantuan 77-mile one along the Greenbrier River. The trail floor varies from gravelly to slightly rough, so this is mountain bike territory. The trail passes through two tunnels, over 35 bridges, and past a number of small towns. All the while, the lovely Allegheny Mountains rise above all around you.
For the experienced road cyclist, you can't beat biking on the Blue Ridge Parkway. There are plenty of panoramas, with views of up to 50-60 miles in the distance. In these parts, the nighttime sky is as you've never seen it. Less-experienced bikers can also find some segments with less dramatic elevation changes and hairpin curves.
Fishing, Kayaking, and Canoeing in the Southern Appalachian Mountains
Water enthusiasts will have no problem finding their niche in this region. Four major lakes surround the Great Smoky Mountains: Cherokee Lake, Douglas Lake, Tellico Lake, and Fontana Lake. All four are great for fishing, kayaking, and canoeing, and each has their particular lure. For example, Tellico Lake is a prime location for smallmouth bass and brown fish fishing, while Douglas Lake is famous for its bass, sauger, walleye, and crappie.
You can kayak on the lakes just to see the beautiful natural scenery. For more excitement, there are the rivers of West Virginia. The Potomac River and the Greenbrier can get white at times and in no place is it truly smooth sailing, but that just adds to the fun. During the autumn, floating down the Shenandoah, within Shenandoah National Park, while looking at the fall foliage, is all the rage. You get great views of the Shenandoah Mountains and the Blue Ridge Mountains from a low vantage point, and may even see deer, bald eagles, or even a bear on the riverbank as you float on past.
Golfing, Skiing, and Skydiving in the Southern Appalachian Mountains
West Virginia and North Carolina both contain excellent golf courses. As these are mountainous areas, these courses feature truly beautiful backdrops. The Homestead Resort's Cascades Course is considered the nation's fourth best overall. With its spectacular vistas of the Allegheny Mountains, and very narrow fairways, this is definitely a “beauty and the beast” situation as the beautiful terrain can also be the source of your biggest golfing hazzards. In North Carolina, the highest-elevation course east of the Rockies is the Linville Golf Club.
Of course, for the winter enthusiast, there is no shortage of ski resorts in the region. From the Timberline Four Seasons Ski Resort in ultra-cool Davis West Virginia, to the Ober Gatlinberg Ski area, there's something for everybody in these mountainous parts. You can tell your friends back home that, yes, there IS snow in the South.
You'll never get bored of all the outdoors activities the southern Appalachian Mountains have to offer, because they are just so numerous and varied. However if you do crave something a little off the beaten path, may we recommend skydiving. If you've ever gone mountain biking in West Virginia, think of skydiving in the state as an extended spill from your cycle. Unfortunately, there are no training wheels from 12,000 feet, but there are plenty of licensed schools with professional instructors to make sure that won't be a problem.
The southern Appalachian Mountains is a vast, sprawling region packed with all things outdoors. Once you've visited, you're sure to return again and again; with or without your training wheels.
Outdoor Recreation in Roanoke, Asheville, Smoky, Blue Ridge, Shenandoah and Southern Appalachian Mountains
Outdoor-Sports-Recreation
Ski Beech Mountain Resort - North Carolina
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