• Food
    • Recipes
    • Restaurants
    • Supper Club
    • A Taste of Our State
  • Travel
    • Tar Heel Towns
    • Travel Guides
    • Murphy to Manteo
    • Quirky Detours
    • Carolina Calendar
    • Our State Trips & Events
  • Living in NC
    • From Elizabeth Hudson
    • Ramblin’ Man
    • Photo Essay
    • Features
    • Arts & Culture
    • Home & Garden
    • History
    • Quiz
    • NC Icons
  • Podcasts
    • Storytellers
    • Editor’s Column
    • North Carolina, Naturally
    • North Carolina, Noted
    • Ramblin’ Man
    • Hidden History
    • Book Club With Wiley Cash
  • Newsletters
  • Store
subscribe
  • Manage My Account
  • Our State Trips
  • Carolina Calendar
  • Contests & Promotions
  • Our State Archives
Skip to content
  • Food
    • Recipes
    • Restaurants
    • Supper Club
    • A Taste of Our State
  • Travel
    • Tar Heel Towns
    • Travel Guides
    • Murphy to Manteo
    • Quirky Detours
    • Carolina Calendar
    • Our State Trips & Events
  • Living in NC
    • From Elizabeth Hudson
    • Ramblin’ Man
    • Photo Essay
    • Features
    • Arts & Culture
    • Home & Garden
    • History
    • Quiz
    • NC Icons
  • Podcasts
    • Storytellers
    • Editor’s Column
    • North Carolina, Naturally
    • North Carolina, Noted
    • Ramblin’ Man
    • Hidden History
    • Book Club With Wiley Cash
  • Newsletters
  • Store
subscribe

pisgah national forest

photographer Neil Jernigan pauses for a self-portrait in the soaring pinewoods that lie along Patsy Pond Trail in Croatan National
Photo Essay

Into the Woods

From sweeping vistas to secluded coves, North Carolina’s four national forests conserve our untamed lands for wildlife and human explorers alike.

by T. Edward Nickens
Birds-eye view of downtown Burnsville, NC
Sponsored

5 Outdoor Activities in Burnsville and Beyond

Away from big-city bustle, noise, and commotion, this Yancey County town offers an oasis to reconnect with peaceful mountain living.

by Jimmy Ryals
Buffalo graze happily at Dr. King’s Farms in Leicester, NC
Ramblin' Man Columns

Where the Buffalo Roamed

Hard to imagine, but 300 years ago, it would’ve been entirely possible to cross paths with wild bison in North Carolina. To search for them now is to journey into the historical record.

by T. Edward Nickens
Sponsored

Trailblazing in Blowing Rock

From Blue Ridge hiking and craft trails to history walks and horseback riding, you’ll find your path in the High Country.

by Lara Ivanitch
Travel Guides

A Locals’ Guide to Brevard & Beyond

With more than 250 waterfalls, three national and state forests, a state park, a top-notch training center for classical musicians, and so much more nearby, this mountain town is the conductor of Transylvania County’s symphony for the senses.

by Chloe Klingstedt
Travel

From Ranch to Retreat in Burnsville

A big-city photographer had a vision to transform a storied Burnsville property into a space for contemplation and reflection — a healing place.

by Michael Kruse
Travel

8 Scenic Drives in the North Carolina Mountains

Need inspiration for your fall leaf-peeping trip? During a drive on these winding scenic byways — with plenty of stops for waterfalls, hikes, museums, delicious food, and gorgeous views along the way — the journey is the destination.

by Rebecca Woltz
Features

Swing Time: North Carolina’s Suspension Bridges

In Gorges State Park and other remote areas of our state, swinging suspension bridges — practically woven into the woods around them — transport hikers over rivers, across creeks, and into the past.

by Brad Campbell
Travel

An Introduction to Camping in Brevard

On an unusually cold weekend in Pisgah National Forest, a writer introduces her fiancé to the wonders — and blunders — of camping.

by Katie Schanze
  • 1
  • 2
  • »

Subscribe
Our State Travel Club

Get our most popular weekly newsletter: This is NC

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
SEE ALL OUR NEWSLETTERS >

subscribe MANAGE MY ACCOUNT
FOLLOW US
  • Videos
  • Podcasts
  • Playlists
  • Sponsored Content
  • Tar Heel Towns
  • Newsletters
  • Contests & Promotions
  • Our State Archives
  • Our State Store
  • Our State Trips & Events
  • Best of Our State on PBS NC
  • Magazine Finder
  • The Story of Our State
  • Contact Us
  • Careers
  • Advertise With Our State
  • Ad Specs
  • Submit an Event
  • Letter to the Editor
  • Reader Comments
  • Contributor Guidelines
  • Reprint / Reuse Policy
  • Privacy Policy

© Our State Magazine 2025, All rights reserved. | Website by Web Publisher PRO