By Xo Jane for In Style Magazine Long before I understood the word “anxiety,” I knew I was an anxious child. I was a worrier — worried that the world would end, worried I would spontaneously get sick, and worried about everyone around me. I was constantly told that I was a worrier, and so of course, I worried about worrying. I was also a huge fan of labels. I knew a lot about what I was not. I was not an athlete, I was not outdoorsy, and I was not someone who believed in blowing my savings on worldly adventures. So when I decided...
read moreRepresentatives of a variety of Pisgah user groups, in cooperation with the U.S. Forest Service, announced the formation of a North Carolina non-profit corporation called The Pisgah Conservancy. The new organization’s mission is to preserve the natural resources and scenic beauty of the Pisgah Ranger District and to enhance the experience of all visitors to Pisgah. The Pisgah Conservancy’s efforts will be focused on sustainable recreational usage of the Forest, watershed improvement, eradication of invasive species, removal of...
read moreThe U.S. Forest Service and the North Carolina Forest Service are warning the public of high fire danger across North Carolina. Fire danger is high across the state due to lack of rainfall in recent weeks and low humidity. Conditions across North Carolina are forecasted to remain dry for the next couple weeks. April typically marks the height of wildfire season in North Carolina. This year, with limited rainfall throughout March and April, forests are especially receptive to spreading fires. Concern is highest in Western North Carolina where...
read moreWe’re at the beginning of another Blue Ridge Parkway season, and it’s time to start preparing the Blue Ridge Music Center area for visitors. The Fisher Peak Chapter of FRIENDS of the Blue Ridge Parkway is planning a workday on Saturday, April 30, 2016 from 10 a.m. til noon with a hot dog cookout immediately following the work activities. FRIENDS will be providing the “dogs,” toppings, bottled water, ice, cups, plates. Participating volunteers can bring a side dish or dessert, and non-alcoholic drink. Some workers will...
read moreFor nearly 40 years, Craig Pugsley has worked at Custer State Park in South Dakota’s magnificent Black Hills, greeting guests and answering their many questions as they enter the visitors center. Other than asking about the bathrooms, one of the most common comments is, “I can’t believe this isn’t a national park.” “People are struck by the size, the diversity of landscape and the quality of our facilities,” Pugsley said. “Our resources are similar to or exceed many national parks, so the confusion is natural and we take it as a compliment.”...
read moreHugging the ridgelines above Lake Superior along northeastern Minnesota’s North Shore, the Superior Hiking Trail (SHT) is the hottest long-distance footpath in the cool Northwoods. The SHT links two state forests, eight state parks and a national forest, plus it offers some 296 miles of continuous trail from Jay Cooke State Park near Duluth, Minn., to the Canadian border. Ever changing, the SHT meanders through deciduous and boreal forests; past babbling brooks, swift rivers and waterfalls; and atop the windswept rocky escarpments of the...
read moreNASA reports that this was the hottest three-month start (January to March) of any year on record. It beat the previous record — just set in 2015 — by a stunning 0.7°F (0.39°C). Normally, such multi-month records are measured in the hundredths of a degree. Last month was the hottest March and February the hottest on record by far. It followed the hottest January on record by far, which followed the hottest December by far, which followed the hottest November on record by far, which followed the hottest October on record by far. Some may...
read moreWhen you eventually reach the top of Queen Mountain in Joshua Tree National Park, there is little more up there than a U.S. Geological Survey marker and a Boys Scout log book kept inside a black, plastic water-tight box. That, and the sort of quiet, breezy views of the vast high desert, this perch at 5,687 feet will most surely offer, all under the careful watch of a circling hawk. Look out in the distance in one direction, you’ll see the Marine base and the town of Twentynine Palms; off in the other direction is the beautiful openness that...
read moreTo say the 2016 Greenland melt season is off to the races is an understatement. Warm, wet conditions rapidly kicked off the melt season this weekend, more than a month-and-a-half ahead of schedule. It has easily set a record for earliest melt season onset, and marks the first time it’s begun in April. Little to no melt through winter is the norm as sub-zero temperatures keep Greenland’s massive ice sheet, well, on ice. Warm weather usually kicks off the melt season in late May or early June, but this year is a bit different. Record warm...
read moreUntil very recently, the Bisti and De-Na-Zin Wilderness areas of northwest New Mexico were a locals’ secret. They were miles from anywhere, and you were more likely to see cow than a person when hiking around the 45,000 acres of dramatic and desolate desert. Over the last few years, a few high profile dinosaur finds, some effective marketing, and the internet have come together to increase the area’s popularity substantially. A little over 40 miles of patchy highway south of Farmington, New Mexico, you will cross a sea of sagebrush on one...
read moreThe Pisgah National Forest is encouraging visitors to Graveyard Fields, Black Balsam, or the Shining Rock Wilderness areas of the Pisgah Ranger District to be on the look-out for black bears. The large number of bear sightings and encounters in the past few years has led to required use of bear-proof canisters in these specific areas and a camping closure in Graveyard Fields. Backcountry users must use commercially-made canisters constructed of solid, non-pliable material manufactured for the specific purpose of resisting entry by bears....
read moreThe body of evidence is growing that fracking is not only bad for the global climate, it is also dangerous for local communities. And affected communities are growing in number. A new report details the sheer amount of water contamination, air pollution, climate impacts, and chemical use in fracking in the United States. “For the past decade, fracking has been a nightmare for our drinking water, our open spaces, and our climate,” Rachel Richardson, a co-author of the paper from Environment America said. Fracking, a form of extraction that...
read moreOne favorite way to explore any destination is on foot and during an 18-month road trip around OZ this family on a mission to discover some of the best short walks in Australia. They love walking as a family activity and getting out in nature, even if it means their toddler ends up riding on shoulders – which tends to happen on some of their longer walks. Walking is a great way to stay in shape on your travels and they encourage everyone to walk around as much as you can. So get active and put your hiking sandals on and see things at a slower...
read moreWith the help of human herders, some hungry goats are saving the sensitive balds of Roan Mountain. Sixteen goats have gone missing, lost in one of the hardwood forests lining Roan Mountain’s southern Appalachian balds. Treeless and naturally occurring, the balds straddle two national forests: the Cherokee in Tennessee and the Pisgah in North Carolina. The balds existed long before state lines were drawn, but trees are now threatening to close in on them, and potentially destroy entire ecosystems. “This is one of the least studied, most...
read moreScientists are beginning to find evidence that being in nature has a profound impact on our brains and our behavior, helping us to reduce anxiety, brooding, and stress, and increase our attention capacity, creativity, and our ability to connect with other people. “People have been discussing their profound experiences in nature for the last several 100 years—from Thoreau to John Muir to many other writers,” says researcher David Strayer, of the University of Utah. “Now we are seeing changes in the brain and changes in the body that suggest we...
read moreAccuWeather today announced its launch of the Day By Day 90-Day Forecast now available on AccuWeather.com desktop and mobile websites, providing users with the most advanced notice and detailed information on local weather conditions. AccuWeather’s new tools provide 90 days of daily forecasts, a valuable means for planning further in advance, including activities like vacations, weddings, baseball games, outdoor concerts, and more. The AccuWeather Day By Day 90-Day Forecast will allow users to better plan their days by providing the most...
read moreCrossing the green field and climbing the hill, Lamar Marshall stops and unfolds his topo map from his backpack. This wind-whipped summit overlooking a bend of the Little Tennessee River is not a natural feature, but a mound made by the land’s ancient inhabitants in a town once called Cowee. Standing where the Cherokee council house once held a sacred fire, Marshall can point out the path below, winding beside native canebrakes into a nearly forgotten past of the Cowee Valley. For the last eight years, Marshall has been following in the...
read morePeabody Energy, the world’s largest private-sector coal company, is not in great financial shape. Last month, it casually skipped a $71 million interest payment, and analysts are speculating that it may be edging toward bankruptcy. Standard and Poor’s recently downgraded Peabody’s credit rating to a “D.” The company has $6.3 billion in outstanding long-term debt. If you’re cheering for the death of coal, that might sound like good news. But there’s a nasty catch: Peabody’s financial troubles mean it might not be able to pay to clean up its...
read moreA group of 20 senators and representatives has formed a de facto “anti-parks caucus” in Congress and is waging the most significant legislative and ideological challenge to America’s national parks in decades, says a new report by the Center for American Progress. The analysis finds that this anti-parks caucus is composed of less than five percent of Congress but is responsible for introducing dozens of bills to block the creation of new national parks, end America’s most effective parks program, and sell off public lands. Eight anti-parks...
read moreJoshua McKenzie moved to Ohio near Lake Vesuvius in 2000 and started hiking in the Wayne National Forest 10 years later looking for an area called Balancing Rock. Old postcards dated in 1898, 1901 and 1914 showed the siltstone rocks in an area called Paradise Park. After a strenuous hike, McKenzie finally found it. “The (Balancing Rock Trail) was worthwhile to bring to everyone’s attention,” McKenzie said after the trail was dedicated recently near the Lake Vesuvius spillway. With the help of dozens of people who volunteered...
read moreIn a bid to encourage experiential tourism, the Jordan Trail Association (JTA) has developed a hiking trek that connects Um Qais in the northern tip of the country to the Red Sea resort of Aqaba, passing through areas with distinctive features. Founded by a group of volunteers in July 2015, the association seeks to make the 600-kilometere-long trail a national product that encourages visits to less discovered areas, the association’s president, Muna Haddad, said in a recent interview. The main task of the association is opening up the...
read moreAcross the country, all National Park Service entrance fees will be waived during National Park Week (April 16-24, 2016) and you’ll find special activities, starting with National Junior Ranger Day Saturday, April 16, when parks and monuments host kid-oriented activities, debuting the new Centennial Junior Ranger booklet and badge. Throughout National Parks Week, many parks will also host Every Kid in a Park events, which encourages fourth-grade students to visit national parks and other public lands by offering a free annual pass. This...
read moreHemlock Cliffs might be a small area, but it’s rugged. To get to the clearing on top of the water fall, hikers walk along a narrow path not far from the edge of the cliff. Single-file is a must. To reach the creek bed, hikers descend a collection of large stones that passes for stairs. If the stones are wet or covered with leaves, they’re slick. One misstep could lead to a concussion. Traversing the beginning of the trail near the waterfall and a section farther down the creek near a giant basin carved out of the sandstone from...
read moreDave Page knows a thing or two about boot care. He’s owned a boot repair shop in Seattle for the past 40 years (aptly named Dave Page, Cobbler). Dave and his employees have worked on thousands of hikers. They are also authorized repair agents for 18 outdoor brands. Here are his top five maintenance tips: Break in Leather Boots Slowly Keep Them Clean and Dry Remove Insoles After Use Keep Them Waterproof Avoid Saltwater Get the details here… Here’s more about breaking in your hiking boots...
read moreA group of determined Alaskans hopes to create an 800-mile trail that will trace the state’s famous pipeline from Arctic Sea to Pacific tidewater. Alaska’s wildlands are famous for their lack of official paths — even national parks like Denali and Wrangell-St. Elias remain mostly track-free. Now some Alaskans want to change that in a big way. The just-announced Trans-Alaska Trail would offer ambitious hikers a chance to walk 800 miles across the state from the Pacific coast town of Valdez to Prudhoe Bay on the Arctic Sea. The route would...
read moreThe Western New Mexico University Outdoor Program will have its first gear swap from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 16, 2016 at the Big Ditch Park, in conjunction with the Continental Divide Trail Coalition Trail Days. Silver City is the first Continental Divide Gateway Community, a designation that in-part recognizes the town for its forward thinking in protecting the regions rich natural, cultural and recreational resources. Western New Mexico University is unique among New Mexico universities, with easy access to more than 3 million acres of...
read moreThe national monuments that President Obama has created or expanded are generating more than $156 million in local economic activity annually, according to a study published April 6, 2016. The report, which was conducted by Colorado-based BBC Research and Consulting on behalf of an organization representing small businesses, looked at the economic activity of out-of-town visitors traveling at least 60 miles to their destinations. It found that the impact to the local workforce of such non-local visitor spending is equivalent to supporting...
read moreMade possible with a grant from the Montana Office of Tourism, the Montana Wilderness Association have now launched Montana’s first online, statewide hiking guide, hikewildmontana.org. The website, which has had over 70 MWA volunteers contribute to its development, already features more than 200 trail descriptions with more to come. “Exploring our state’s natural wonders and accessing public lands is part of who we are as Montanans,” says Gov. Steve Bullock. “I am pleased that our state’s Office of Tourism was able to help Montana Wilderness...
read moreRebuilding hiking trails and restoring the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias are among nearly three dozen projects being funded by a $15 million donation to Yosemite National Park from The Yosemite Conservancy. The project to protect the Mariposa Grove will improve natural water flows, re-establish sequoia habitat and create accessible trails. Conservancy donors are also funding work to restore the meadow habitat of pollinators, such as bees, butterflies and hummingbirds, which play an essential role in healthy ecosystems. Several major trails...
read moreHere’s a wine country secret that can help you raise your glass and your heart rate. Along with the Napa Valley’s famous wine-tasting trails, there are miles of scenic trails of the hiking variety, beckoning visitors who want to exercise more than their palates. “There are so many great places up here,” says John Conover, partner and general manager of Odette Estate winery and an avid hiker. From the mellow stroll of the Napa Vine Trail on the valley floor to more rugged hauls into the hills, hiking options have...
read moreBryce Canyon National Park is one of Utah’s — and even the world’s — most stunning and colorful landscapes. Generally speaking Bryce Canyon’s glowing hoodoo amphitheater is viewed from the rim, but as breathtaking as Bryce Canyon is from above, it is mesmerizing from within. And there’s perhaps no better way to experience Bryce Canyon’s landscape than by hiking the Navajo/Queen’s Garden loop. “Why is it called Queen’s Garden?” you may ask. The name actually comes from a popular hoodoo along this section of Bryce Canyon’s...
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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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