The Town that Backpacks Built

Muddy boots are a welcome sight in this postcard-perfect spot in the Smokies. Whether you hike in on the Appalachian Trail or drive in for a weekend visit, Hot Springs offers every traveler a special kind of trail magic.

No Mountain High Enough

If a walk in the woods meant peaceful meditation for 19th-century naturalists like Henry David Thoreau, it signaled danger for African-Americans. An outdoorsman is changing that narrative by leading Charlotte's Outdoor Afro hiking club on journeys to reclaim natural spaces.

Big Memories in a Tiny Shack

In the shadow of Whiteside Mountain in Jackson County sits the Grimshawes Post Office, an eensy-weensy wooden building that old-timers fondly remember and newcomers visit on hiking excursions around Cashiers and Highlands.