Winter Birding in Graham County
Graham County is a Birder Friendly Community and several locations within the county are part of the North Carolina Birding Trail – Smoky Mountain Area. The Cherohala Skyway, the Joyce Kilmer/Slickrock Wilderness Area, Stecoah Gap, Snowbird Mountain Lodge and Fontana...
Fall Fly Fishing
In Western North Carolina, autumn is unfolding. Soon the bright yellows and burnt oranges and flaming reds will blanket the mountainous landscape, offering a colorful playground for all who adventure here. Mother Nature is always on her time, and yet the...
ENJOYING GRAHAM COUNTY WHILE PHYSICAL DISTANCING
According to an article in American Association of Retired persons (AARP) since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, public health officials around the globe have zeroed in on one action to slow the spread of the virus: social distancing. But now, some experts are swapping that phrase for another that they say more accurately defines the concept.
“We’re changing to say ‘physical distance,’ and that’s on purpose because we want people to still remain connected,” Maria Van Kerkhove, an epidemiologist with the World Health Organization (WHO), said at a recent WHO press conference.
Mushroom Appreciation
Graham County is one of the most wonderful spots on the East Coast of the United States to see mushrooms, lichens, mosses and ferns. All year long the mountains and valleys are filled with beauty, but you have to train yourself to look. For years, I hiked the trails and explored the stream banks and reveled in the birds, the trees and especially the wildflowers. Then I was introduced to my first wild-foraged mushroom by a friend of mine from Asheville, Mr. Alan Muskat. Alan came up to my property and led a mushroom hike to seek as many different mushrooms as we could find. I was astounded and fascinated. They were everywhere I looked!
Hunting
Every Fall we receive numerous phone calls from people who have questions about hiking during the hunting season. Throughout the fall, hunters are seeking deer, wild turkey, wild boar and bear in the forests of Western North Carolina. Visitors may notice trucks along the sides of the backcountry roads, surrounded by people dressed in camouflage and often, orange caps.
Early Cemeteries
Over the centuries humans have dealt with death in many different ways. Much can be learned from a visit to a graveyard. Death of a loved one, especially when it was unexpected, is always devastating and the engraving on the gravestones can teach us about the history and culture of an area. There are numerous cemeteries along the Lakeshore Trail, many just off the trail corridor by a few feet. Have you ever wondered why?
