Fall Branch Falls ( photo credit Dave Meeks) Toccoa River Swinging Bridge ( photo credit Dave Meeks) Bald River Falls (photo credit Graham Averill) Three locations. One shared responsibility. There’s a simple truth about trails like the Benton MacKaye: They don’t stay wild and beautiful
Read More
The author at Baxter Creek Planning, communication, risk management, and the mindset that matters most There’s a moment on a quiet stretch of trail—no voices, no footsteps, no distant hum of anything—that clarifies what solo hiking really is. Not isolation.Not unnecessary risk.But self-reliance paired with
Read More
Why Trail Maintenance Is Conservation Work How erosion control, drainage, blowdowns, and reroutes help protect the places we love For many people, the word conservation brings to mind protected land, wildlife habitat, native plants, or clean water. All of that is part of the picture.
Read More
Slower hiking, deeper noticing, and experiential wilderness travel — an early spring ramp-up for March. Early spring is when many of us feel the pull to “get after it” again—bigger miles, bigger goals, a faster return to summer strength. And there’s nothing wrong with ambition.
Read More
One of the most remarkable—and often overlooked—features of the Benton MacKaye Trail (BMT) is that it functions as a bioregional traverse, carrying hikers through three major Appalachian ecological regions. From ancient Blue Ridge forests to folded valley landscapes and finally into the rugged highlands of
Read More
Why the BMT Is an Ideal Training Ground for an Appalachian Trail Thru-Hike For many long-distance hikers, the Appalachian Trail (AT) represents the pinnacle of eastern U.S. backpacking—a multi-month journey requiring physical endurance, mental resilience, and careful planning. Yet before stepping onto Springer Mountain and
Read More
The Benton MacKaye Trail (BMT) winds quietly through some of the most beautiful and remote sections of the Southern Appalachians. It’s a place where crisp November air drifts through leafless trees, long-range views open up, and the forest whispers its history. Every switchback, ridge, and
Read More
Nothing beats autumn on the Benton MacKaye Trail (BMT). From its northern reach in the high country of Great Smoky Mountains National Park to its southern finish on Springer Mountain, color rolls downhill for six glorious weeks. Use this guide to time your visit and
Read More
Jack’s River Falls (photo credit David Fine) Few natural features capture the magic of the Southern Appalachians quite like waterfalls. Whether they’re thundering cascades plunging into deep pools or delicate veils spilling over mossy ledges, waterfalls along and near the Benton MacKaye Trail (BMT) reward
Read More