On Saturday, June 17, 2017, Great Smoky Mountains National Park will host the annual Women’s Work Festival at the Mountain Farm Museum. This event honors the vast contributions made by the women of Southern Appalachia showcasing traditional work led by women on mountain farms in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. The event is from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 pm. Demonstrations among the historic buildings will include hearth cooking, soap making, corn shuck crafts, and spinning. Exhibits of artifacts and historic photographs will provide...
read moreLocated in the west of South America, Peru offers adventures as varied as its climate and regions. With arid coastal deserts, cooler Andean highlands and tropical rainforest it plays host to spectacular scenery and exciting activities. The landscape of Peru can be divided into three regions; the coast, the highlands and the rainforest. The coast is a narrow strip of land running from the north to the south on the east side of the country; it is bordered by the Pacific Ocean on the east and the Andes mountains on the West. The land here is dry...
read moreGiven the crisis of global climate change, anti-fossil fuel activists have sought to draw attention to the climate impacts of extracting, transporting, and burning natural gas, whose primary component is methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Oil Change International, a nonprofit research group, studied one of the largest proposed natural gas pipelines in the Appalachian region and came away with precise calculations of the pipeline project’s climate impact. The Rover Pipeline, owned by Energy Transfer Partners (ETP) — the same company behind the...
read moreKnown as one of the Midwest’s premier rock climbing parks, Devil’s Lake State Park is also a hiker’s dream. This 9,000 acre park includes a 360 acre natural lake, banked on two sides with 500 foot tall bluffs, and over 20 miles of hiking trails ranging from easy to difficult. Located just outside of the town of Baraboo, Wisconsin (only about 40 minutes northwest of the Capital city of Madison), the park is within the Baraboo Hills, a national natural landmark. These hills are over 1.6 billion years old, and were once part of the Baraboo...
read moreThe U.S. Forest Service will hold open houses across the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests from late June to early August, 2017 to provide the public with opportunities to talk with Forest Service staff about local issues, district projects, and the Nantahala and Pisgah Forest Plan revision. “Public attendance at meetings like these helps us to understand your needs, concerns, and values and helps you understand Forest Service programs and activities,” explains Allen Nicholas, Forest Supervisor for National Forests in North...
read moreWith May in the books, it’s official: carbon dioxide set an all-time monthly record. It’s a sobering annual reminder that humans are pushing the climate into a state unseen in millions of years. Carbon dioxide peaked at 409.65 parts per million for the year, according to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. It’s not a surprise that it happened. Carbon dioxide levels at Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii peak in May every year. The news comes one day after President Trump announced his plan to pull out of the world’s...
read moreIn Sweden everyone has the legal right to walk, cycle, ride, ski and camp almost anywhere in nature. “This is made possible thanks to a Swedish right guaranteed by the constitution – freedom to roam. This right enables the Swedish people to experience nature and enjoy the beautiful Swedish wildlife,” says the president of Visit Sweden USA. Known as allemansrätten (meaning “everyman’s right”), the right of public access gives people the freedom to roam just about anywhere in the countryside as long as they “Don’t disturb – Don’t destroy.”...
read moreAfter two years of intensive planning, Gov. John Hickenlooper will unveil a comprehensive online map of more than 39,000 miles of trails across Colorado. Spanning 226 jurisdictions, the interactive map — at cpw.state.co.us/cts — marks the first run at gathering every hiking, biking and multi-use trail in Colorado in a single location. For years that trail info has been stitched across a patchwork of websites, field offices and guidebooks. The Colorado Trail Explorer, developed by Colorado Parks and Wildlife, includes 17,099 trails and 1,431...
read morePeople haven’t always enjoyed a nice walk in the woods (or up a mountain, or down into a canyon). Before the development of mass transportation, walking was a necessary part of daily life — a chore. The idea of doing it for fun didn’t exist. But then horse-drawn omnibuses became common, and eventually so did trolleys, trains and personal cars. And then came the first hikers. “They’re able to reinvent this idea of walking as not something you do just out of necessity, but rather something you do for fun,” said Silas Chamberlin,...
read moreThe summer is almost upon us and already there have been lost hikers and even a death after someone lost their footing. One thing is for certain, there are things you can do to reduce your risks while hiking. Anybody can get lost. It’s easy to do. You can get lost in the day time… forget a map, misread the trail, not pay attention, have too much fun. You can slide into the brush, trip on a log, rub up against poison oak or stinging nettles, turn your ankle or come home with ticks. The weather can change from hot to cold, from calm to...
read moreSeveral federal agencies and their nonprofit partners announced the launch of #FindYourWay to celebrate the upcoming 50th anniversary of the National Trails System and the Wild & Scenic Rivers acts in 2018. Over the next two years, #FindYourWay will invite visitors from all backgrounds to explore America’s trails and rivers. The National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Forest Service, and the Army Corps of Engineers have stewardship roles in the trails and rivers systems, from the...
read moreGreat Smoky Mountains National Park Rangers received help from local high school students in Elkmont to plant native trees. Recently, 19 students from Blount, Sevier, Cocke, and Knox Counties planted more than 400 trees in areas where cabins were removed along Jakes Creek in the Elkmont Historic District. By planting the native trees and shrubs, students are helping to restore the montane alluvial forest in Elkmont. Students planted red maples, white oaks, red oaks, redbuds, black gums, hackberries, and false indigo shrubs. “The soil was...
read moreThe Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy has purchased 324 acres of land it called “one of our top conservation priorities.” The acreage is in Carter County on the northern slope of Hump Mountain west of Banner Elk, N.C. Total purchase price was $1,621,120. “Our purchasing this tract ensures that future generations of hikers will be able to enjoy the beauty and tranquility of the Appalachian Trail on Hump Mountain,” said SAHC executive director Carl Silverstein. The land comes within 500 feet of the AT, and purchasing it will ensure...
read moreAmong the newest additions to the National Park System, the 88,900-acre Valles Caldera National Preserve is a surprising gem at the top of the Jemez Mountains in north-central New Mexico that helps earn the state its motto—“The Land of Enchantment.” Valles Caldera National Preserve enchants visitors with its stunning natural beauty and rich human history. Recreational activities include hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, fishing, scenic drives, as well as cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in the winter. The preserve encompasses a...
read moreThe Cradle of Forestry in America will offer a Junior Forester program for boys and girls ages 8-12 years old. This outdoor-oriented experience will be held every Wednesday from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. from June 14, 2017 to August 9 at the Cradle of Forestry site in Pisgah National Forest. The Cradle of Forestry Junior Forester program combines learning new skills with discovery and reflection. This year, each week focuses on a different type of scientist that works in our forests. While participating in hands on activities, Junior Foresters...
read moreWith sandstone buttes, colossal mesas, and panoramic vistas, Monument Valley is one of the USA’s iconic landscapes. Sure, it’s possible to drive right through the Valley, visiting the main sites in just two or three hours, but if you really want to explore it, consider spending at least a day here. There are even quick excursions and scenic drives in the nearby area, if you are looking for even more activities to fill your time. Located on the Utah-Arizona border, Monument Valley is part of the Colorado Plateau. It is not officially a...
read moreAt Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, the glory of nature is on display. The park is packed with 3.3 million acres of glaciers, wildflowers and water. But the area’s indigenous people haven’t always been celebrated. The Huna Tlingit people, whose ancestors lived in what is now the park, have had a contentious history with the National Park Service. But the relationship has improved in recent years. Now, in honor of the Huna Tlingit’s connection to the area, two gigantic totem poles—each weighing 2,000 pounds and rising 20...
read moreA report by the World Economic Forum (WEF) shows that from a list of 136 countries, Brazil appears first in potential natural resources, and a large part of that is the amazing terrain and diverse parks that the South American giant has to offer. The Ibitipoca State Park is a forested state park is Minas Gerais that is full of caves, canyons and waterfalls. Pico do Pião is the highlight but the area is full of trails like Prainha, Ponte de Pedra and Cachoeira dos Macacos. In English Vale da Lua translates to “Moon Valley”, and the Chapada dos...
read moreBy June 10th, 2017, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke will announce his decision on whether to recommend reducing or removing protection for Bears Ears National Monument. Just a couple weeks after President Trump signed an executive order targeting national monuments, Bears Ears National Monument’s May 26th comment period deadline has passed. In the coming weeks, the Trump administration will supposedly review those comments on its protected status. After that—by June 10th—Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke will make a recommendation about...
read moreNational Trails Day is coming up June 3, 2017, and officials at Shenandoah National Park are holding events on hiking skills. The Potomac Appalachian Trail Club, or PATC, says new and experienced hikers can learn new trail skills at its Trail Patrol “Beyond the Trailhead” event at the Byrd Visitor Center. There will be discussions on Leave No Trace outdoor ethics and wilderness first aid techniques as well as a demonstration of traditional tools used to maintain trails in the wilderness. There will also be a series of guided hikes...
read moreWhen Ida DeKelver set off by foot from her ranch home in an isolated British Columbia valley, she was accompanied by two donkeys, Jack and Bill. Between them, they carried 140 pounds of provisions. She planned on riding Bill much of the way. Her destination was her hometown in Saskatchewan, some 1,400 kilometres to the east on the other side of the Rocky Mountains. On the morning of Sept. 15, 1967, she sent the children off to school before bidding adieu to her husband, Emil, who was left to carry out chores on their sheep ranch. DeKelver’s...
read moreHikers and mountain bikers are out for a pleasant surprise when they make their next visit to some of the Spokane, Washington area’s most popular trail systems. Agencies and growing stable of trained volunteers have been quietly chipping away in recent years at improving old trails and building new ones on county, state and federal areas. The results are impressive at destinations such as Riverside State Park, Spokane County conservation areas and Fishtrap Lake, all of which are currently green and bright with blooming wildflowers. Many of...
read moreWhere should you hike with the kids next? That’s the question a new hiking guide by Bangor Daily News outdoors columnist Aislinn Sarnacki seeks to answer. The recently released book “Family Friendly Hikes in Maine” features 35 easy hikes from across the state. And if anyone knows hiking here in Maine, it’s Sarnacki. She estimates she’s hiked 250 trails in Maine since she began writing her popular weekly column “1-Minute Hikes,” 5½ years ago. The 35 hikes featured in the book allow Mainers to improve their own mental and physical health while...
read moreIn Southern California, you just can’t beat the mountain ranges. Whether you’ve got your eye on the peaks in the Santa Monica Mountains, the Santa Susanas, the San Bernardinos, the Sierras, the Verdugos or the San Gabriels … the Simi Hills or the San Rafael Hills … or the Temblor Range or the Coso Range (just to name a few) … these are some of the best (and the highest) ones to summit. But sometimes you don’t want the undertaking of climbing a mountain. Sure — climb every mountain, as they say. But you don’t have to only climb mountains....
read moreNASA scientists detected a pulse of melting ice and water traveling through a major glacier in Greenland that was so big that it warped the solid Earth — a surge equivalent in mass to 18,000 Empire State Buildings. The pulse — which occurred during the 2012 record melt year — traveled nearly 15 miles through the Rink Glacier in western Greenland over four months before reaching the sea, the researchers said. “It’s a gigantic mass,” said Eric Larour, one of the study’s authors and a researcher at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. “It is able...
read moreHiking season is underway in the Columbia River Gorge. While occasionally spectacular during the depths of winter, it’s the spring months of April, May and June when the Gorge reaches its scenic peak. Blooms of wildflowers, roaring waterfalls, panoramic viewpoints and mossy forest combine to offer singular hiking experiences up and down the national scenic area. To get you prepared for the season, here is a list of the 13 best overall hikes the Gorge has to offer, in consultation with the Friends of the Columbia River Gorge. As ever, it’s...
read moreThere’s a dirt trail that starts on the fringe of the Everglades and stretches the length of Florida. It’s a footpath, really, that runs under swamps and over roots, along rivers, and through the barren, still remains of wildfires. Dozens of hikers head to the trail’s start every year, a small plaque engraved in stone behind a visitor’s center on U.S. 41 halfway between Naples and Miami. Few of them make it to the end, to the northern terminus 1,100 miles away, among the faded brick ruins of a long abandoned military fort off Pensacola...
read moreThe holiday weekend is traditionally the start of the hiking season in Vermont. Hiking is one of the state’s top summer tourism draws and the Green Mountain Club (GMC) estimates 200,000 people visit The Long Trail each year. The official protectors and maintainers of the Long Trail, the 107-year-old Green Mountain Club is the premier Vermont hiking organization with numerous hiking guides and maps available to Vermonters and visitors alike. From its rocky summits to its gentle valleys, Vermont is home to hundreds of miles of hiking...
read moreJust in time for the start of another hiking season, the third edition of the venerable guidebook “Hiking Alaska” has hit the shelves. It’s easily the most comprehensive statewide resource for residents and visitors who are looking for the best places to put their feet to the ground. Author Mollie Foster has greatly expanded the book from previous editions. The new version is nearly 100 pages longer than the last, which came out in 2006, and includes significant changes. Foster said that the new version “received an...
read moreCentered directly between South Carolina’s top two tourist destinations, Charleston and Myrtle Beach, the Francis Marion National Forest’s nearly 260,000 acres sprawl across Berkeley and Charleston counties and have enhanced the lives of visitors and residents for decades. Officially designated in 1936, the area is named in honor of the fabled American Revolutionary War hero. In the historic forest, the bright lights and noise of city life give way to peacefulness and calm. Dog walkers, runners, campers, bikers, hikers, horseback riders,...
read moreTrying any sport or hobby for the first time can be nerve-wracking; adjusting to a new set of rules, lingo, setting, and even physical demands can stir up chaos in our already frazzled brains, making us reluctant to try new and exciting things. Hiking is an activity that continues to be a learning process. No matter how many summits you reach, you still find yourself encountering situations that you could’ve been better prepared for, or those you would never have seen coming, which is what adds to the sense of adventure and exploration of the...
read moreThe Department of the Interior deleted a line explaining how climate change drives sea level rise from the news release accompanying a new study on coastal flooding. Last week, six scientists published a journal article, “Doubling of coastal flooding frequency within decades due to sea-level rise,” which explains that coastal flooding will be much worse than previously expected, explicitly citing the role of “climate change.” Since three of the scientists were from the Interior Department’s U.S. Geological Survey, the USGS sent out a press...
read moreGovernor Andrew M. Cuomo announced $2 million in funding for projects to improve and expand State Park hiking trails and outdoor recreational access projects in State Parks across New York. The 2017-18 budget dedicates nearly $2 million to 12 projects to improve and expand State Park hiking trails and outdoor recreational access projects across New York. The trails projects are part of the Governor’s historic commitment to improving parks and expanding access to outdoor recreation through the NY Parks 2020 Plan. “The New York State Parks...
read moreThis national parks ranger and self-proclaimed cartomaniac shares favorites from his extensive map collection. Clambering in the back of a van or station wagon and driving with your folks to your nearest national park used to be a summer tradition. Certainly, it was for Matt Holly, who grew up to be a national park’s ranger. “I come from a family that loved visiting national parks,” he says. “There was just something about driving through that park entrance and having the ranger hand you a map. You made it. You’re here now. Let’s have some...
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I am Jeff Clark, founder of Internet Brothers, producer of this blog, and passionate about hiking. I live in Western NC near the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains. Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests are just out my door, so the content will focus on these areas, but let me know what you would like to see on the site. 
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