#camiphoto

Mouse Creek Falls in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in western North Carolina. The hike up Big Creek Trail was lovely on this cool morning in the mountains.

Making the hike to the Linville Daffodil Flats has been on my wish list, but it seemed too daunting to attempt…until this year.  After lots of research, buying better hiking boots, and taking longer hikes to prepare, the weather and my schedule lined up perfectly with peak bloom.  I’m over the moon to share photos of the epic journey. To get to this former homestead covered in bright yellow narcissus, you have to descend into the Linville Gorge and there is no easy way to do that.  The shortest access is via the Pinch In Trail – 1.5 miles with around 1500 feet in elevation change.

Mountain laurel blooming at Midnight Hole located in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in western North Carolina. When visiting these places of beauty, please remember to leave no trace and pack out everything you bring in.

Moss covering the base of a tall oak tree on the Big Creek Trail at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina. This area is such an amazing place filled with wonderfully diverse flora and fauna.

Tucked in the Cradle of Forestry near the Blue Ridge Parkway off Highway 276, a rare mountain bog ecosystem exists called Pink Beds. This loop hike takes you through uniquely diverse landscapes shifting from rhododendron covered trails to open meadows to forests, over footbridges and fallen trees, through creeks and across long expanses of boardwalks that are reminiscent of being in a coastal area.  It is a thriving area for wildlife and the hard work of the local beavers is pretty evident in this ever changing, magical place.

Water cascading down Looking Glass Creek in the Pisgah National Forest near Brevard, North Carolina. There are so many cool places tucked away in the Brevard area.

"Circumstantial Evidence" by Roger Martin is one of eighteen sculptures on display at the NC Arboretum in Asheville, North Carolina. We are honored to be sponsors of the Wild Art sculpture showcase on display through September 26th. Go check it out!

Vibrant Azalea blooms near a trail at the NC Arboretum in Asheville, North Carolina.