I keep a computer file of all my old route plans, and I just looked to see where I'd originally had us in early April of 2021. We would've been in the southwest, around west Texas or southern New Mexico. I'm not sorry we're not there right now, nor am I sorry we're here in the east. While we didn't get to see the Smoky Mountains in all their autumn finery, we got to experience an area on our list of potential future living places at a time that many might consider "less than." We figure if we like a place then, we'll like it when it shines, and that bodes well for choosing.
We stayed in the Pisgah National Forest south of Asheville, in two different sites, discovering too late that neither of us had taken a photo of either. At the time we booked, we weren't able to get a hook-up site for our whole stay and had to reserve a dry site for the second half. Sub-freezing weather was headed our way (yay, spring!) and TBG used his ferreting skillz to find out that we could move to an unoccupied host site (read: full hook-ups!) saving us from what was promising to be a very uncomfortable few nights. The days, however, were clear and bright, and offered up several great hiking days on numerous trails all accessible right from our door.
I chose our first outing to take us along connecting trails from the campground to the North Carolina Arboretum.
Even in early spring, it was a beautiful place, with miles of well-maintained trails, a very nice Visitor Center, and lovely gardens. I could have happily visited more than once if we'd had time.
The Blue Ridge Parkway (BRP) runs through the forest, and we intersected it on our next hike.
Spring hiking in hardwood forests is obviously more barren-looking than it will be, but the temps are far more suitable than they will be when it's prettier. The photos don't convey the increased green of the grasses and leaf buds, nor the carpeting of violets. There were ever-present swarms of Silvery Blue butterflies -- or as I've re-named them "Flyolets" because they literally look like flying violets, and you can only see how blue they are when they're in flight.
A rainy day gave us the excuse to stay mostly in, working on our hobbies. I finished another NPS gourd, and TBG came back from a short solo walk with a picture of a neon orange critter. I was instantly jealous and made him accompany me on a second walk, hoping against hope that we'd find another. Unbelievably, we did!
The one he'd spotted was larger, but this little one was only about two inches long, and I nearly stomped on it, barely able to discern it from rusty pine needles on the asphalt. It is an Eastern Red-spotted Newt. They are not uncommon, but are only this color and terrestrial as efts (i.e. juveniles) so spotting one, let alone two in one day, especially since the impending freeze was going to drive them into deep hiding, was a treat.
The next day we switched to our new site, and then drove into town to hit up the REI where my mission was to find new hiking pants that I've desperately needed for months. Online shopping as a full-time traveler presents its own challenges, but when you don't know what size of anything you need, it's a pointless endeavor. I came away with three pairs of ridiculously expensive pants that I adore, even though I discovered a faulty pant-leg snap on one requiring a return visit on another day for an exchange. I also got a little Easter bouquet and maybe some candy during my first in-person grocery shop in almost a year.
Wasting no time in trying out my new gear, we hit the trails again the next day.
The trails weren't what we'd call crowded, but it was a holiday, possibly a Spring Break, week. Either way, the Pisgah is a very popular mountain biking area, and we had to move many times to let bikes pass. As mountain bikers ourselves (well, him now more than me) we can only complain so much, but I will say that multi-use trails aren't generally our favs. There also seems to be a curious lack of trail courtesy here in the east whereby those coming up behind don't announce themselves at all. PSA: if you're an Eastern Biker, please say something like "On your left!" or "Biker up!" and when the happy hikers step aside, tell them how many in your group, "Just me!" or "Two more!" will do nicely. Thank you, and have a good ride!
Along with all the wildflowers popping up, so follow the butterflies. An almost constant fluttering of swallowtails could be seen along any trail, most of them far too busy to linger for a photo. When I was looking them up to confirm proper identification, I learned that the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail has a hybridized relative that looks nearly identical but is only found along the slopes of these mountains and is known as the Appalachian Tiger Swallowtail. The photos I needed to make a definite determination didn't happen, but in the following two pictures, you can readily tell the difference between the Western and the Eastern. Whether or not is an Appalachian (probably not) the swallowtails are unquestionably among the prettiest of all the butterflies. Interestingly, the dark one in the above collage is a female, which can be yellow or black in any of the species.
Something we missed by only a few weeks is the blooming of the native rhododendrons and especially the famed flame azaleas that line many of the forest roads and the Blue Ridge Parkway. Being from a place where both are found in great abundance, we know how their bloom can be spectacular, even though I've always thought the shrubs themselves quite unattractive. They did provide a lot of green, though.
Our penultimate hike had us puffing up to the top of Grassy Knob, then down a bit to a parking area and trail access alongside the BRP.
TBG commented while starting down about the lack of cars and road noise from the parkway, and the lot was deserted, which seemed quite odd on such a nice Saturday.
We noticed a lone bicyclist coming up the road, and I walked to the curb in order to call out to him and ask what happened to life as we know it. He assured us that there had been no apocalypse but that the BRP was closed due to ice in some spots. We had a nice chat with him, and by that I mean we grilled him on what living in the area was like. When we have the opportunity to latch onto locals, particularly those who are recreating similarly, we don't waste time. After he'd ridden on, we got to interrogate a solo female hiker in the same fashion. It was quite a productive hike!
On our rest day, we drove around Asheville and the surrounding area to check it out and see what we thought of it. There was much to like, but for now and considering our continued exploration, the debate rages on. Someday, I'll write a post all about how we decided to end up where we did, but first, we'll need to end up somewhere. Meanwhile, we'll enjoy the uniqueness of each place we come to, like the following scenes from our Lake Powhatan campground.
Being pretty close to Smoky Mountain N.P., we had considered making a drive in for an official visit and hike. In order to access one that was open and long enough, though, required a 1.75-hour drive one way. With all the trails at our doorstep, and terrain that wasn't likely to be much different, we couldn't see spending almost four hours in the car.
TBG mapped out a hike that he said was to be "about" 11 miles. Thirteen+ miles later...
At one trail junction, we came upon an NPS boundary marker on a tree and discovered that the BRP is part of the national park, meaning we'd put boots down in the park several times. I can paint a SMMO gourd after all!
Despite the freezy nights, we really enjoyed our time around Asheville. The locals we met along the way (hi, Genevieve and Hugh!) clearly loved living there, and there is, obviously, no shortage of the kinds of outdoor activities we like the most. We are savoring witnessing spring unfold before our very eyes. It is a much different season in the east than in the Pacific North or southwest, and for all my growing up years in Ohio, it was my favorite. In places where winter is particularly hard, it is almost always the favorite of those who live there. Everything is new and fresh and full of promise. I hope wherever you are, Faithful Readers, you feel it, too.
**********COMMENTS**********
I definitely don’t think spring is a poor time to visit western NC – as long as you can weather the nippy temperatures and potential for sleet. Seeing tiny green leaves pop out before your very eyes makes it feel like living in a nature documentary with lots of sped-up footage of leaf emergence! While some may think fall is more spectacular, the brilliance of the leaves can change from year to year depending on weather conditions. But spring is reliably lovely, and I value reliability.
I also think you were smart not to make the drive over to SMMO. It’s the most heavily visited national park and we found the trails fairly busy during our early spring visit in 2018. You had similarly great scenery with a tiny fraction of the crowds at Pisgah NF, which was clearly a great base to explore the area.
Great read and nice pants. The WNC mountains are amazing. We spent many summers in the area and camped around Linville Gorge off old NC 105. Amazing. Thanks for the blog as it triggered lots of happy memories.
We feel the exact same way about evaluating locations for long term landing spots. Our rule is to never make any decisions based on October visits. Every place is beautiful in October. The question is what it’s like at a less ideal time. And yeah, for those purposes, early spring, before all the leaves really start coming out in the east, is an important time to visit. But, like you found, there is plenty to like even in the offseason – lack of crowds, lack of bugs, the beginnings of Spring…. all great things. Of course, the best thing to do is talk to the folks who live the way you do and live in the place you’re interested in, and it sounds like you really made the most of your opportunities to do that. There is no crime in accosting random strangers and demanding answers. Ok, there is. Don’t do that. But, asking nicely never hurts. 🙂
Another excellent blog loaded with information and great photography… thank’s for sharing
That’s exactly how we choose places to live, based on what strangers tell us about their hometowns! I am not kidding. And visiting in less than idyllic seasons is a good reality check.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the beautiful arboretum. We also loved it when we were there in early spring several years ago and it saved us when we tired of hikes featuring mountains covered in brown sticks, LOL. Your other hikes (with the exception of that bait-and-switch 13-miler) looked great, too.
As you know, I think you should have adopted that adorable little spotted newt. And I learned something new about butterflies. We’ve fostered Eastern swallowtails here and often see tiger swallowtails floating through the yard, but I had no idea that female tiger swallowtails could be black. Now I’m going to be on the lookout for them. Keep those nature facts coming! OXOX
Ashville and all of NC is beautiful. The state has a lot of offer. Our son went to college in NC and we always loved our visits. But then we discovered the west and it called to me. It will be interesting to see what you someday find. Nice hiking trails! Love REI pants. I got two pairs at REI last year and love them. They are so comfortable.
I’m not ready to give up on winter yet, but spring is upon us here in SE Idaho. Bulbs are blooming, even though we’ve had 3 snow storms in 4 weeks and the surrounding mountains are still white. Grateful for the moisture and crisp mornings, so no complaints. I’ve heard many good things about Asheville and have had other friends consider that area as well. Still hoping you’ll end up further west, but agree that it’s fun to explore and pick the brains of locals.
Ashville, is one of our fave city and we even for a brief moment, said we could live here! But it was June and the flowers and the greenery around was at its peak, then we think of winter. Nah, not here! The trails you took do look sparse, and it gave me a good comparison of our visit there. TBG has good eyes for spotting the orange lizard, which I have not see in any of our hikes. Pretty soon you will have a corner in Essie full of beautiful NPS stones!
We love that area too and has been on our radar for a potential future home. We will be at Davidson River campground in Pisgah in the fall. We are currently in NW Arkansas and, just like you, enjoying the beauty of spring. So nice to see green after 6 months of desert. Hope to see you in Ashland!
I like seasons; but not brutal seasons. That is why the PNW works for me. The winters are not too cold and the summers are amazing; reasonable humidity, mostly cool nights. Port Angeles even shares part of the rain shadow with Sequim (which gets about the same amount of rain as Los Angeles). I have to live close to the sea and close to the mountains. I even like the rain. The only downside is one shared by everyone at this latitude and that is the long winter nights… but balanced by daylight until almost 10 PM in the summer. And the added bonus is living at the doorstep of a national park larger than the state of Rhode Island surrounded by national forests and wilderness areas.
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I definitely don’t think spring is a poor time to visit western NC – as long as you can weather the nippy temperatures and potential for sleet. Seeing tiny green leaves pop out before your very eyes makes it feel like living in a nature documentary with lots of sped-up footage of leaf emergence! While some may think fall is more spectacular, the brilliance of the leaves can change from year to year depending on weather conditions. But spring is reliably lovely, and I value reliability.
I also think you were smart not to make the drive over to SMMO. It’s the most heavily visited national park and we found the trails fairly busy during our early spring visit in 2018. You had similarly great scenery with a tiny fraction of the crowds at Pisgah NF, which was clearly a great base to explore the area.
Great read and nice pants. The WNC mountains are amazing. We spent many summers in the area and camped around Linville Gorge off old NC 105. Amazing. Thanks for the blog as it triggered lots of happy memories.
We feel the exact same way about evaluating locations for long term landing spots. Our rule is to never make any decisions based on October visits. Every place is beautiful in October. The question is what it’s like at a less ideal time. And yeah, for those purposes, early spring, before all the leaves really start coming out in the east, is an important time to visit. But, like you found, there is plenty to like even in the offseason – lack of crowds, lack of bugs, the beginnings of Spring…. all great things. Of course, the best thing to do is talk to the folks who live the way you do and live in the place you’re interested in, and it sounds like you really made the most of your opportunities to do that. There is no crime in accosting random strangers and demanding answers. Ok, there is. Don’t do that. But, asking nicely never hurts. 🙂
Another excellent blog loaded with information
and great photography…
thank’s for sharing
That’s exactly how we choose places to live, based on what strangers tell us about their hometowns! I am not kidding. And visiting in less than idyllic seasons is a good reality check.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the beautiful arboretum. We also loved it when we were there in early spring several years ago and it saved us when we tired of hikes featuring mountains covered in brown sticks, LOL. Your other hikes (with the exception of that bait-and-switch 13-miler) looked great, too.
As you know, I think you should have adopted that adorable little spotted newt. And I learned something new about butterflies. We’ve fostered Eastern swallowtails here and often see tiger swallowtails floating through the yard, but I had no idea that female tiger swallowtails could be black. Now I’m going to be on the lookout for them. Keep those nature facts coming! OXOX
Ashville and all of NC is beautiful. The state has a lot of offer. Our son went to college in NC and we always loved our visits. But then we discovered the west and it called to me. It will be interesting to see what you someday find. Nice hiking trails! Love REI pants. I got two pairs at REI last year and love them. They are so comfortable.
I’m not ready to give up on winter yet, but spring is upon us here in SE Idaho. Bulbs are blooming, even though we’ve had 3 snow storms in 4 weeks and the surrounding mountains are still white. Grateful for the moisture and crisp mornings, so no complaints. I’ve heard many good things about Asheville and have had other friends consider that area as well. Still hoping you’ll end up further west, but agree that it’s fun to explore and pick the brains of locals.
Ashville, is one of our fave city and we even for a brief moment, said we could live here! But it was June and the flowers and the greenery around was at its peak, then we think of winter. Nah, not here!
The trails you took do look sparse, and it gave me a good comparison of our visit there. TBG has good eyes for spotting the orange lizard, which I have not see in any of our hikes.
Pretty soon you will have a corner in Essie full of beautiful NPS stones!
We love that area too and has been on our radar for a potential future home. We will be at Davidson River campground in Pisgah in the fall. We are currently in NW Arkansas and, just like you, enjoying the beauty of spring. So nice to see green after 6 months of desert. Hope to see you in Ashland!
I like seasons; but not brutal seasons. That is why the PNW works for me. The winters are not too cold and the summers are amazing; reasonable humidity, mostly cool nights. Port Angeles even shares part of the rain shadow with Sequim (which gets about the same amount of rain as Los Angeles). I have to live close to the sea and close to the mountains. I even like the rain. The only downside is one shared by everyone at this latitude and that is the long winter nights… but balanced by daylight until almost 10 PM in the summer. And the added bonus is living at the doorstep of a national park larger than the state of Rhode Island surrounded by national forests and wilderness areas.