On August 23rd workers were placing the boardwalk planking over the first section.  The planking is made of recycled plastic boards. This section of the trail will include an approximately 6′ by 6′ deck where those in wheelchairs can sit and enjoy the view of the lake and lodge. A future section of boardwalk will include a larger deck directly across Abbott Lake from the Peaks of Otter Lodge that could allow for those in wheelchairs to fish in comfort and safety.

The walkway will include bumper type curbing along the edges and handrails where the boardwalk crosses feeder streams above the lake such as the one shown above.

This project was originally planned eleven years ago and is finally coming to fruition.

There are the obvious facilities in this section; the Otter Creek Campground with its new entrance bridge and Kiosk, the concession operated Otter Creek Restaurant, and the James River Visitor Center.  But there is so much more.

The inquisitive visitor will discover the Otter Creek Trail.  This 3.5 mile trail meanders along the creek and Parkway motor road from the campground to the visitor center.  The trail is easy to walk and crosses the creek numerous times on stepping stones and pedestrian bridges.  Sharp rock bluffs, mountain laurel, redbud, and bird life are abundant.  At State Route 130 the trail travels through an underpass of the road.  If you are observant you will see what appears to be a ditch that follows the edge of the trail.  This is the remains of what was once a large mill operation that was obliterated when the present bridge for 130 was built.

The trail forks and makes a loop around Otter Lake.  At the north end of the loop you will find the skeletal chimney and foundation of what was once the Nathaniel Sledd Cabin.  This site is believed to have been the home of the first European settler in Amherst County, Virginia in the early 1700s.  He was drawn to this location to trade with Native Americans for beaver pelts.  Otter Creek was a heavily used travel route from the mountains above to the James River and above the threat of flood.  Otter Lake did not exist at that time being built when the Blue Ridge Parkway came through in the late 1950s.  Beaver still live in Otter Creek today.  Hikers can see their handiwork in dams and the stumps and bases of trees that they have felled for food and construction materials.  Trees around the trail have wire mesh around their base to protect them from the industrious rodents.

Beyond the James River Visitor Center you will find a remnant of our Country’s transportation history.  On the opposite bank of the James River is a fully restored canal lock from the Kanawha Canal System that served as the main commercial transportation from the Shenandoah Valley to Richmond, Virginia before the Civil War.  Looking up river you will be looking into the James River Water Gap, a geological feature left from a millennium of the river cutting its way through the Blue Ridge Mountains.  This makes the James one of only two rivers that flow from west of the Blue Ridge toward the Atlantic Ocean.

So the next time you are driving through this area stop and get out of your vehicle and see what wonders await you.

To view the video in its entirety, go to the YouTube link below:

You will note in the video that the bison gave several warnings that he was uncomfortable with the approach of humans.  First he tried to move away and place a tree line between the threat and himself.  When the person still came on through the trees the bison then lifted his head and looked at him with his head moving up and down.  The bison then kicked his heels up lowering his head and the woman still kept filming him.  Finally the wild animal stressed by the perceived threat had to revert to flight or fight mode.  Since the threat had kept moving toward him even after he attempted to calmly make flight from the area he most likely felt he had no choice but to fight and attack.

These same behaviors can been seen in any wildlife you may encounter in a National Park even if  it is a  bear, deer, or chipmunk on the Blue Ridge Parkway.  Always give wildlife their space.  Revel in the opportunity to view animals in their native habitat, but do not crowd or stress them into instinctual reactions.

This incident once again illustrates the lesson I have told several times on this blog and in my book, “A Park Ranger’s Life”, that park visitors should always enjoy viewing wildlife from afar.

This is a great leg stretcher with gradual grades. It is an easy to moderate hike. There is a good amount of roots and stones on the trail, but it is easily maneuverable. To get to the huge views, go right at the first junction on the trail. When the trail splits again, stay on Beacon Heights trail and go left. At the next junction and crest, there will be a bench.

A short walk to the right of the bench, will take you out onto a large flat rock which is a massive crop of quartzite with endless views to the Piedmont and awesome views of the high peaks of Mount Mitchell to the south along the Parkway.

A short walk up some stone steps to the left of the bench will also take you out onto a large flat rock, which is another massive crop of quartzite, with great views of the eastern flank of Grandfather Mountain along the Parkway heading north. There are also huge views of Pisgah National Forest to the east.

This is a “bring a picnic, stretch out on the rocks, and take in the endless views” kind of place! I give this hike a rating of 4 ½ hiking sticks of a possible 5. This is definitely another easy BRP hike with great views. You can find additional information and Blue Ridge Parkway hiking trail maps on Virtual Blue Ridge. Cool Runnings!

This is an easy, slightly inclining trail which is a pleasant 15-minute walk in the woods, meandering through some nice and varied foliage. An extra treat is that many species are marked and identified. In no time, you are walking onto the outcrop of Flatrock which is a massive crop of quartzite. There are incredible 180° long range views of a western panorama. This is definitely one of the great sunset views on the BRP.

We sat for at least an hour on some huge boulders taking in the exceptional good energy. We were able to get some great pictures of our experience.

This is a “bring some sweet tea, kick back on the rocks and watch the sunset” kind of place. Even though this is only 7/10 of a mile hike, I give it a rating of 4 ½ hiking sticks out of possible 5, because of the great sunset views at Flat Rock.

You can get more information on this trail and other great BRP hiking trails in the book “Hiking the Blue Ridge Parkway” by Randy Johnson. It is available online at my favorite Blue Ridge Parkway Store. Cool Runnings!

These are scenes from a family hike taken on July 2 on the Apple Orchard Falls Trail just north of the Peaks of Otter on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia.

The Apple Orchard Falls Trail can be found at the Sunset Fields Overlook at Mile Post 79 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The trail is a moderately steep downhill hike for approximately 1.4 miles to the falls. The hiker will then have to retrace their steps up hill to return to their car. You should allow at least 2 hours for a leisurely hike. Several other trails can be accessed from this area including the Appalachian Trail.

The area is a beautiful mixture of habitats and abundant in deer, bear, and turkey. As you progress down slope you will detect a thickening of vegetation and increase in humidity as the springs along the mountain side feed into a drainage producing the stream leading you to the falls.

The trail head is on National Park Service land, but the hiker will spend most of this hike on lands managed by the US Forest Service as part of the George Washington/Jefferson National Forests.

Funding through a partnership with Nature Valley, the National Park Foundation, and the National Park Service is now making this trail possible.  Work is being done by The Blue Ridge Parkway’s Maintenance Staff with assistance from a crew provided by the Student Conservation Corps (SCA).  Footers are now being placed to support a boardwalk along one edge of Abbott Lake.  Once completed persons confined to wheelchairs or unsure of their footing will be able to venture away from the paved parking lots and sidewalks of the Peaks of Otter Lodge and travel through the forest and field edge of Abbott Lake.  This area is abundant in wildlife such as whitetail deer, birds, bear, and frogs.

 The trail will be completed in sections with the first part hoping to be available by this fall.

Here are some simple tips to help prevent you or a family member from becoming a statistic in a report and ruining a wonderful Blue Ridge Parkway experience.

• Plan ahead for your hike.  Review a map of the area or check for a map posted at the trail head.  Having a vision of the trail route and where it goes will be helpful should you become confused by unofficial social trails.
• After reviewing a map and if available a description of the trail, do not take on a hike that is more physically difficult than all the members of your group can handle.
• Check the weather report for the area before your hike.  Dress and carry appropriate gear to remain comfortable and safe during your time outdoors.  Remember that in mountainous terrain temperatures drop sharply at night, so be prepared to prevent hypothermia should you be late getting to your destination or vehicle.
• Proper foot wear is essential not only for comfort but to prevent injuries.  If hiking in rocky terrain, be sure to wear stout hiking boots with good tread.  Most of the injuries treated by park rangers involve slips and falls on trails by people wearing inappropriate foot wear.
• Stay on the designated trails.  The vast majority of the searches for lost hikers I worked during my career involved people getting off the trail, getting confused, and then trying to cut cross country to get to their destination.
• Keep your group within sight of each other.  Never let some members, especially children, run ahead of the group.  This is a recipe for disaster when members of your hiking group take a different trail and become separated.  The result is generally people overreacting and contributing to the complexity of the situation.  This reaction is amplified when the missing hikers are children.  Well intended emotions then kick in and decision making becomes more difficult for members of the group.  One tip is to have the slowest member of your group walk in the front and everyone has to stay behind them.
• Carry water even on short hikes.  You may be amazed how quickly you can dehydrate while hiking outdoors.  Dehydration and hypothermia both result in confusion and a loss of decision making skills.

Following these simple practices will help you to enjoy your next visit to any park.

Story by Randy Johnson

May will offer High Country trail enthusiasts critical opportunities to help Blue Ridge Parkway paths reopen for the summer travel season after last winter’s damaging storms.

The Parkway is staging two late May volunteer days when local hikers can come out and help reopen the Tanawha Trail, still covered with storm debris and impassable in places from Grandfather Mountain to Price Park.

Saturday May 15 and May 22, the National Park Service will commit two chainsaw-certified employees each Saturday in hopes of having two brush-clearing crews working at a time.

The Watauga Tourism Development Authority, organizers of the recently successful High Country Outdoor Summit, is supporting the effort and is asking volunteers to sign up in advance, preferably with an e-mail to WTDA planner Eric Wooldridge (eric@exploreboonearea.com, or 828-266-1345).

To read more about trail cleanup efforts and how you can help please visit Virtual Blue Ridge.

The Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition has grown to be one of the top photography events in our region.   This year, we saw a near 20% increase in submissions and received them from 14 states and several international destinations.

A number of individuals, organizations, and businesses lend a hand to make AMPC possible, and we work hard to highlight those efforts.  Something we don’t spend a lot of time highlighting is what we do with the proceeds garnered from the annual competition, so I wanted to take some time to share that with you.

AMPC is coordinated by Appalachian State University’s Outdoor Programs (OP).  In our 37 year history, OP has grown to be the adventure authority at App State introducing students to outdoor opportunities in their backyard and around the world.

In the nineties, OP began offering extended expeditions; trips typically 3 to 4 weeks in length that often carried academic credit.  Those initial expeditions included mountaineering in the Teton National Park and multidiscipline trips to Alaska.

This model of blending adventure, challenge, and expeditionary learning proved very successful, and in 2004 Outdoor Programs offered our first short-term study abroad course: an International expedition to New Zealand.  It was around this time that we started referring to these experiences as Student Outdoor Learning Expeditions, or SOLE trips for short.

In May, we will return to New Zealand with a group of App State students for our seventh expedition.  Another group will be traveling to Wales, our fourth expedition to that Country.  Since 2004, we have embarked on two expeditions to Fiji and returned again on one occasion to Alaska.  The proceeds from AMPC combined with the proceeds from our annual screenings of the Banff Mountain Film Festival are used to reduce the cost of OP’s Student Outdoor Learning Expeditions; opening doors for more students to experience the benefits of short-term study abroad through active journeys of discovery.

These expeditions immerse students in the rugged environments and unique cultures of the places we visit.  In 2008, a videographer from Appalachian joined our expedition to New Zealand to document the experience and to share the impact these experiences have on the students who participate.  The images and words of the students captured in this brief documentary communicate far more than I can, so enjoy!

Part 1 :: Outdoor Programs in New Zealand

Part 2 :: Outdoor Programs in New Zealand

Part 3 :: Outdoor Programs in New Zealand

A couple minutes into my trip a deer ran across the road in front of me. Thankfully, the speed limit was only 35mph at that portion of the parkway so I did not even have to slow down before the deer was safely to the other side of the parkway.

As I continued south for a while, I came to “Sims Pond Overlook”. By stopping to read the nice wooden map I noticed the Green Knob Trail began just beyond Sims Pond.

Welcomed by wildflowers, I followed a dirt path to the Sims Pond Bridge past the Pond, and into the woods. Rhododendron bushes point hikers in the right direction as well as giving the atmosphere a distinct smell.

Once I was in the forest and on my way, I glanced down at some unusual leaves that happened to catch my eye. Immediately I was down on my hands and knees taking photographs of this greenery that was covered in water droplets.

This wonder occurs the morning after a heavy mountain rain. Water drops are left behind as the downpour ceases and the sun comes up. The rays of light pass through each drop and give it a shimmer affect.

It’s a photographers dream to be able to capture this magic on camera. The whole forest seemed to sparkle in the early morning sunlight from then on.

About halfway through the trail, hikers come upon a cow pasture. Thinking the entirety of the trail would be beside the creek, this surprised me. However, it turned out to be one of my favorite parts of the trail.
At the beginning there is a tree with its branches spread out to shade hikers from the direct sunlight. Under the branches is also a bench where I sat and rested for a while. All that could be heard was the sound of bugs buzzing around the wildflowers and tall grass.

Serenity can be found under that tree as you glance out over the sunny hills. After walking a while through the grass and back into the woods, I came upon another tree with a bench under it. This one was significantly larger than the other and had an incredible view.

As I stopped to sit on the bench, I gazed ahead to what seemed to be a hole in the tops of the trees. Mountains off in the distance and clouds could be clearly seen from this hole.

The rest of the trail was down hill and passed through another portion of a pasture. This path was narrow and clearly lined with plants on either side. Before long, the trail flattened out and ended on the parkway across the road from the beginning of the trail.

The Green Knob Trail was a moderate hike that doesn’t lack changes of scenery or places to rest your feet! I recommend you check out this trail and bring your friends along for a good hike.

On Monday I took a friend and set out to hike the Boone Fork Trail! This trail conveniently loops around Price Park Campground allowing campers to hike through many different environments during their stay.

More than half of the trail runs beside Bee Tree Creek, which includes many interesting sections of moderate to slow moving rapids.

It would be a good idea to wear appropriate hiking sandals so you can get your feet wet. Chacos or Tevas are among sandals that were made for the type of terrain Boone Fork Trail entails.

I dipped my feet in the cold mountain water at every creek crossing. It was very refreshing on this warm summer day. If you enjoy being alone, plan your hike for a weekday and you won’t be disappointed!

We started at 4:30 in the afternoon and hiked on into the summer evening. On weekends the trails tend to be busier, but a 5-mile stretch allows hikers to set their own pace and generally be alone. Just be sure you allow at least three hours of daylight to complete the trail.

I would go as far to say this is my favorite North Carolina hiking trail. With so many changes of scenery, it is far from being dull. About a quarter mile into the trail, I heard some rustling in a thicket behind me. Suddenly a light brown figure came running towards the trail.

Not used to seeing wildlife on the weekdays, I immediately thought “Oh no! Someone has lost their golden retriever”. To my surprise a large deer had emerged from the trees and ran across the path.

This time camera ready, another deer crossed at the same spot just in time for me to get a photo. Wildlife is prominent in this area and at any time of the year you may come across one of these creatures. I also saw grey squirrels, dragonflies, and a very neatly constructed beaver dam.

Rhododendron bushes greet hikers on every mile of the wooded journey. In my opinion, this plant gives the North Carolina Mountains its distinct smell. If you don’t smell rhododendron, check to make sure you are still in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

White or pink blooms and long slick leaves set these bushes apart from the rest of the forest. Pine trees can also be found along the Boone Fork Trail. These become recognizable when the path starts to be scattered with brown pine needles.

A personal favorite of mine were the ferns. Not as frequent as the rhododendron, but certainly as enjoyable, the ferns lined at least a quarter of the trail.

I highly recommend this trail to hikers ready for a long picturesque walk. Take a friend with you, bring some water, and set out to enjoy this awesome trail!

If you plan to spend a day in the area, also take advantage of the campgrounds in addition to this trail.

Pictured from left to right, Houck Medford, executive director of the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation; Becky Smucker, president of the Carolina Mountain Club; Willa Mays, director of development for the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation; Jeff Brewer, president of the FMST; Don Walton, sectional trail chief for the Carolina Mountain Club; and Kate Dixon, executive director of FMST.

When I was growing up in Waynesville, it was easy to recognize and know the people that were doing things because that was all they talked about — and in this particular case it was a couple known by Doris (Dr. Doris) and Frank (Dr. Frank) Hammett. The perpetual topic was the Balsam Highlands Task Force without it’s other descriptors — more specifically the Balsam Highlands Task Force of the Friends of the Mountains to Sea Trail. Whew! I guess you are getting the picture but I grew up in the Balsams and they certainly seemed fine to me. Why would they even need a task force? I am convinced at this point of my life that the task was to join Dr. Doris in “combating the park service” and whoever else that might need to be “forced” or coerced to bend to her will to put a trail that was to have stretched from Clingman’s Dome in the Smokies to Jockey’s Ridge at Manteo exactly where she wanted it. Much of this trail was to be along the Blue Ridge Parkway. And her primary partner in this venture is the founder, mentor to Dr. Frank and Dr. Doris, and still going strong at the age of 83 Allen DeHart.

This group has made mountainous strides with enough “tasks forces”to blanket the state and now for the first time in its history, a full-time and very capable executive director, Kate Dixon.

Want to volunteer by building a trail, spending time on the Blue Ridge Parkway, and being associated with a wonderful group of people? FMST would be a great place to start.