New App for Android™ from WNCOutdoors.info featuring the Waterfalls of Western North Carolina

ASHEVILLE, NC – September 30, 2014 — Just in time for the fall leaf season, a new waterfall guide for Android phones and tablets is ready for download! Starting today, you can visit 50 of Western North Carolina’s popular waterfalls using this guide on your Android device. It’s packed with the same information provided by the developer’s popular...

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The Woman Who Walked 10,000 Miles (No Exaggeration) in Three Years

A hundred years ago, when Robert Falcon Scott set out for Antarctica on his Terra Nova expedition, his two primary goals were scientific discovery and reaching the geographic South Pole. Arguably, though, Scott was really chasing what contemporary observers call a sufferfest. He set himself up for trouble: Scott brought Manchurian and Siberian ponies that quickly fell...

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Fall Hiking in Taos: Flechado Canyon Trail

A sense of anticipation can be felt in the forest now. The leaves are changing from green to yellow and the air feels fresh and cool. Soon the aspen will be gloriously golden. Fall is the perfect time to get out and explore some of the hikes south of Taos, NM in the Carson National Forest. Flechado Canyon Trail is a lightly-traveled hike that follows a stream through...

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Fresh off Appalachian Trail, former Marine paddling Mississippi River

Closing in on 30 and coming off a three-year stretch he likens to a country song, Jared McCallum decided he needed more adventure. So the former Marine from Florida set out April 1 to hike the Appalachian Trail. Nevermind that he’d never hiked before – or even camped. In August, as he neared the end of his five-month, 2,180-mile adventure, McCallum decided the best way...

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Prophetstown, IN hike gives visitors history lesson

It was a great day for a walk and a history lesson. Nearly a dozen people gathered at Prophetstown State Park near Battle Ground, Indiana to participate in a historical hiking trail. The hike was a special event for September, which is archaeology month. Participants learned how artifacts found at archeological digs have helped the park tell the story of the Native...

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Dozens of hikers trapped or missing after Japanese volcano erupts

Rescue teams searched Sunday for dozens of climbers who were caught by the sudden eruption of a volcano in central Japan a day earlier. Mount Ontake unleashed a huge cloud of ash on Saturday morning that billowed down the mountainside and engulfed hikers in its path. Forty-five people remained trapped in several cottages on the mountain, and at least 23 other people are...

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Backbone Trail group hikes take slow trek through Santa Monica Mountains

Hiking the Backbone Trail is the slowest and most gratifying 65 miles you’ll ever travel in Southern California. In a region built for cars and speed, the Backbone Trail represents a return to the simple pleasures and challenges of taking your time, putting one foot in front of the other, and seeing how far you can go. Stretching through the Santa Monica Mountains from...

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Hiking through time: History underfoot at Donner Pass

t’s ironic so many American success stories happened at a spot named for one of history’s iconic failures. But that’s how it is with the Donner Pass near Truckee, Calif. The first wagon train to successfully cross the Sierra Nevada squeezed through the tiny granite gap in 1844. In the 1860s laborers built massive walls and 15 tunnels through the pass to...

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Living Wetlands Interpretive Nature Trail provides educational opportunities in Montana

The goal in making this trail available to the public is to share the history, science, and beauty of the wetlands, and to provide a glimpse into the lives of the wildlife with which we share this habitat. This three-phased project funded through the Recreational Trails Program by Montana’s State trails program enabled the design and installation of an interpretive...

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Temporary Closure of Ball Creek Road (NFSR 83) in Nantahala National Forest

The US Forest Service today announced that Ball Creek Road (NFSR 83), located in Macon County, NC on the Nantahala Ranger District of the Nantahala National Forest, will be temporarily closed for its entire length from approx. September 29th, 2014 until late October, depending on the duration of the road work. Ball Creek Road begins at Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory and...

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Forest Service joins with multiple partners to host fun-filled celebration of Wilderness Act and Chattooga Wild and Scenic River in Oconee County, SC

When a special occasion comes along, most of us want our friends to celebrate with us. The celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Chattooga Wild and Scenic River and the 50th anniversary of the Wilderness Act on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2014 is no different. The Forest Service and multiple friends and partners have joined forces to host a day of outdoor activities on the...

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Top 5 fall hiking trails around Fort Wayne and Allen County, IN

Fall is more than pumpkin-flavored beverages and a reluctant step toward winter. It’s a time to enjoy nature and see Indiana in its best light – under the warm glow of colorful native trees. Fall is a welcomed season to many nature lovers because the cool crisp air and relatively low amount of precipitation means it’s time to take to the trails to celebrate...

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This Amazing Utah Canyon Hike Comes With a Rescue Dog

In a world of resorts eager to find a competitive edge in guest amenities, one Utah resort has truly gone to the dogs. Flash and his canine buddies get to hike the rusty red mountains twice a week — at least they will until they are adopted from the Ivins Animal Shelter in Ivins, Utah. They do it as part of a program with the Red Mountain Resort, where guests get the...

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Reach the Peaks Hiking Challenge Sept. 27

If you’re looking for a challenge, look no further than Hanging Rock State Park and the 2nd annual “Reach the Peaks” hiking challenge scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 27, 2014. The hike already has over 160 registrations and the number of registered hikers is rapidly increasing each day. Reach the Peaks, a strenuous 11 mile hike, will challenge participants to summit the...

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Frazee, MN to be named Trail Town, hikes offered on Sept. 27 to celebrate

Join the celebration on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2014 as Frazee, Minnesota becomes an official Trail Town on the North Country National Scenic Trail. Joining communities as far-spread and diverse as Canastota, N.Y., Dayton, Ohio, and Solon Springs, Wis., Frazee has earned official status as a gateway to America’s longest National Scenic Trail. The public is invited to the...

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New trails open and improved at Trinity River Refuge

Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge has opened a new set of hiking trails in Liberty, TX. These trails provide a primitive hiking experience through undisturbed bottomland hardwood forests, with opportunities to view native wildlife and a range of natural habitats. All trails are fully-marked and ready to be hiked without the need of a map for guidance, but only open...

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Washington seeks plan for 1,000 miles of recreation trails

Perhaps you’ve heard of the war between cars and bicycles in Seattle, WA. Another battle is being waged on recreation trails across the state. If you’ve ever been startled by a speeding mountain bike while hiking or angered about a trail rutted by horse hooves or off-roaders, you have a chance to do something about it. The state is developing a trail policy...

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San Juan Islands, Victoria, Gulf Islands subject of hiking book

“Day Hiking the San Juan Islands and Gulf Islands,” by Craig Romano has to be one of the most ambitious hiking books out there, both for the author to write and for would-be hikers who buy it and aim to use it. Romano, who has taken up the mantle of great Northwest trails author, takes us on a journey to a land of Oz, where islands dot the Salish Sea, the...

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After 11 years, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument reopens

The “most dangerous national park” has been largely closed to the public for the last 11 years. Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, on the southern Arizona border, once saw a steady flow of immigrants – and drug runners – from Mexico. On Aug. 9, 2002, ranger Kris Eggle was shot and killed while chasing a cartel hit squad, prompting park officials to close nearly 70...

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National Forest to celebrate National Public Lands Day

The Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest in Wisconsin will celebrate National Public Lands on Sept. 27, 2014 with a fee-free day and volunteer service projects to improve America’s public lands. “America’s national forests and grasslands belong to all of us,” said U.S. Forest Service Eastern Regional Forester Kathleen Atkinson. “These...

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Hiking a new family-friendly trail at Mount St. Helens

The popular Ape Cave recreation area in the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument now has a view of the iconic mountain. The Volcano View Trail is the first new trail built in the national monument in nearly two decades. Since last year, trail volunteers have been building the milelong trail, which takes hikers up to a viewpoint from the Ape Cave...

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New Oregon Topo Maps Feature National Scenic Trails

Newly released US Topo maps for Oregon now feature segments of the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail. Several of the 1,835 new US Topo quadrangles for the state now display parts of the Trail along with other improved data layers. “Having the Pacific Crest NST finally show up on Oregon US Topo maps is significant for all of the recreational users of the wild spaces the...

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Enjoy Nature, Enjoy Hiking

Naturalist John Muir once said, “In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks.” There is no better time than today to go outside and enjoy nature. One of the major benefits of hiking is that it delivers almost immediate rewards. As long as you haven’t been leading a totally sedentary life, you can usually begin hiking right away. Another plus: You...

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Grand County, CO trail improvements await forest visitors

There’s still plenty of warm weather to test out one of the U.S. Forest Service’s improved trails in Grand County. Late summer and early fall provide an ideal opportunity to experience some of the new trail work the U.S. Forest Service has completed this summer with the help of many volunteer groups and a grant from the National Forest Foundation’s Ski Conservation Fund....

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Join the Appalachian Trail Conservancy for Family Hiking Day Sept. 27

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC), along with its Appalachian Trail (A.T.) Community™ partners and 31 Trail maintaining clubs, invite families to take a hike on the A.T. during the fourth annual Family Hiking Day on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2014. Held trail-wide on National Public Lands Day, Family Hiking Day is a program developed by the ATC to introduce and welcome...

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Hikers try to improve Pacific Crest Trail app

Hiking along the Pacific Crest Trail this summer, Lon Cooper looks like a human version of the Google Street View car. Rising out of the side of his stuffed backpack is a gray pipe with a small, but thick, circular top. The antenna stands about 3 inches out of the top of his pack and looks like a miniature version of the tall cameras standing atop the infamous mapping...

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Mulberry Bend Offers Hikers New Trail

The National Park Service (NPS) cut the ribbon on three fourths of a mile of new trails at the Mulberry Bend Scenic Overlook. The scenic overlook is situated on the Nebraska side of the Missouri National Recreation River (MNRR) just south of Vermillion. MNRR Superintendent Rick Clark said the trail had been in planning for some time as a way to give visitors to the river...

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Second cross-Missouri hiking-biking trail under consideration

A group that advocates for creating biking and hiking trails along abandoned rail lines wants a second cross-state trail in Missouri that would link with the Katy Trail to establish a 400-mile loop across the state. The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy is one of several organizations seeking to buy 145 acres of an abandoned rail corridor from Ameren Corp. The St. Louis-based...

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