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Photo Essay: Banner Elk

High in a northwestern corner of the state, a little town on the Elk River welcomes new friends and temporary neighbors to celebrate mild summers, snowy winters, and — perhaps most spectacularly — bright, beautiful autumns.

Fair Game

Ambition Blooms

In flower and gardening categories, State Fair competitors with green thumbs (or not) pin their hopes on plants that often have a mind of their own.

Conquering the Midway

It may seem impossible to win that giant Jamaican banana at the hoop toss. But according to the Wake County law enforcement officers (and their kids) who work the game-testing beat, it just takes a little know-how.

Into the Wild

The Getaway

Our modern world is smaller than it used to be. So how far away can you get from people, from society, from modern life? Our writer found North Carolina’s most remote spot and went there to find out.

Seeking Civility

An 80-year-old experiment in communal living is still going strong in the Black Mountains. Really, the idea is simple — neighbors helping neighbors — but in practice, nothing could be more complex.

The Everything Root

A cure-all to many, wild ginseng is still hunted and sold in Blue Ridge counties. Protecting it takes vigilance, know-how, and, sometimes, even a stakeout.

Survival School

On the river, along the trail, or just off the grid, knowing how to handle an emergency in the wilderness can save a life — these are the lessons taught at Nantahala Outdoor Center.

Cabin Fever

Just outside Asheville, a last vestige of vintage mountain travel still welcomes hikers and families alike with rustic and retro charm.

High Country Bounty Hunter

Chef Andy Long puts Appalachia on the table (by way of Louisiana), and everyone — from locals to leaf peepers — is eating it up. But it’s the mountain community he’s found and fostered that makes his farmhouse restaurant feel like home.

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