Black Balsam Knob features breathtaking views of the Blue Ridge. photograph by Eifel Kreutz/iStock/Getty Images Plus
On a clear day, hikers summitting Black Balsam Knob — elevation 6,214 feet — can see for miles in every direction. Each successive layer of mountains is a little fainter than the one before as the peaks march on toward the distant horizon. The one-and-a-half-mile round-trip hike from Black Balsam Knob Road is the most popular day-hike portion of the 30.1-mile Art Loeb Trail, named for local hiker and conservationist Arthur J. Loeb, who helped clear and maintain trails with the Carolina Mountain Club. The more remote sections, like the portion that traverses the Shining Rock Wilderness, are often reserved for adventurous backpackers. The challenging trail climbs and descends thousands of feet as it runs from near the Davidson River Campground at the eastern edge of Pisgah National Forest to the northern edge near Camp Daniel Boone, crossing through pine and old-growth forests lined with rhododendrons, and over summit after summit of breathtaking views. — Rebecca Woltz
The trailhead to Black Balsam Knob is off the Blue Ridge Parkway at Milepost 420.2.
We are fortunate to live in beautiful North Carolina—yet no matter how secluded an overlook or how off-the-trail a campsite, we’re constantly being watched. And buzzed. And bitten. Mosquitoes can make even the most seasoned hiker, boater, or fisherman cringe. We’ve got protection.
The Chimneys overlook Linville Gorge, which has been called “The Grand Canyon of the East.” photograph by skiserge1/iStock/Getty Images Plus
The mountains and cliffs surrounding Linville Gorge provide ample opportunities for dramatic views, like the rocky outcrop known as The Chimneys. The path through these granite pillars forms part of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail as it passes through the gorge, winding over, around, and between the rocky outcrops. To reach it, park at the Table Rock Mountain parking area and find the south trailhead for the MST, then follow the one-and-a-half-mile round-trip portion of trail along the east rim of the gorge, which itself offers plenty of views of the surrounding mountains to both the east and the west. If you reach the top of one of The Chimney’s many boulders — hope you aren’t afraid of heights! — you’ll be rewarded with views from the Piedmont to Tennessee. In fact, with a permit and some nerve, you can even pitch your tent here. This area of the Linville Gorge Wilderness is incredibly popular with rock climbers and backpackers, but offers plenty of routes for day-hikers, too. To extend your adventure, keep following the MST along the canyon rim to Shortoff Mountain, or double back and head to Table Rock. Or, follow the 1,175-mile trail all the way to Jockey’s Ridge. — Katie Schanze
Find the trailhead to the Chimneys at the parking area for the Table Rock Summit Trail on Old Table Rock Road in the Linville Gorge Wilderness.
Visit the Roan Highlands in late June to see stunning Catawba rhododendrons in full bloom. photograph by WerksMedia/iStock/Getty Images Plus
Roan Mountain is not one peak but a long, towering ridge that rises along the border of North Carolina and Tennessee. Known for spruce-fir forests, treeless, high-elevation meadows — or grassy balds — and an explosion of color during the late-June Catawba rhododendron bloom, the Roan Highlands are a gorgeous spot for a hike on a North Carolina section of the Appalachian Trail, which stretches 2,184 miles from Georgia to Maine. The North Carolina portion of the AT is nearly 300 miles long, so if you’re not up for that, try this segment for a day hike with some of the most beautiful and easily accessible views along the whole trail: For a three-mile round-trip hike, park at the Carver’s Gap parking area on the North Carolina/Tennessee border and follow the Appalachian Trail into the forest. You’ll soon emerge into open meadows, and less than a mile from the trailhead, you’ll reach Round Bald. Spread out a picnic and take in the 360-degree views of the Appalachian Mountains, then keep going to reach Jane Bald, where you can turn around. For a weekend trip, set up camp at Round Bald. — Katie Schanze
The Carver’s Gap parking area is located in the Pisgah-Cherokee National Forest on the North Carolina/Tennessee border.
North Carolina is known for many things, but nothing more important this week than the qualities of endurance, resilience, and hope.
By day, this adventure park in the Triad is a fall festival to die for. By night, the undead come alive for Halloween tricks. Welcome to one man’s vision of year-round merrymaking.
North Carolina’s border dances across the mountains as it traces four different states. Life here can be more remote, but good neighbors are never far away.
The Blue Ridge Parkway stands out among America’s national parks: Unfurling across six Appalachian mountain chains, it connects dozens of rural communities and binds together generations of families through shared memories.
