North Carolina High Peaks Trail Association & Friends of Mount Mitchell State Park

Fit, experienced hikers are invited to join N.C. High Peaks for a very strenuous hike on the Big Butt Trail on Friday, Aug. 11. The group will cover 5.6-miles from the Walker Knob Overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway to Cane River Gap, a route that includes a few steep climbs but overall descends about 1,500 feet.

An enthusiastic crew of teens from Camp Celo recently volunteered a long, hard day of trail work, joining a Carolina Mountain Club/NC High Peaks crew of adults to do major rehabilitation work on the Colbert Ridge Trail.

The group installed more than 50 water diversions and steps on a badly-eroded stretch of the popular trail, which leads from the South Toe Valley up to Deep Gap and the Black Mountain Crest Trail.

Join High Peaks for a fun but challenging hike on the Mountains-to-Sea Trail from Walker Knob Overlook to Graybeard Overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway on Saturday, July 15. The 4-mile hike will offer cool, high-elevation temperatures and great views at several spots, but includes some rough footing and an 800-foot elevation change.

All are invited to join the High Peaks Birders for a birding stroll at Crabtree Falls on Wednesday, July 12th at 8:30 am.  The outing is open to anyone interested in learning about birds and will be led by experienced birders who will be happy to help any novices that want to give it a try.   A nice diversity of birds occur here and we will be identifying birds by their visual characteristics and their diagnostic songs.

Experienced, fit hikers are invited to join N.C. High Peaks for a challenging hike over Blackstock Knob near Mt. Mitchell on Friday, July 7. This high-elevation jaunt should provide an escape from hot summer temperatures, along with wonderful views.

The 5-mile hike will start at NC 128 and end at Walker Knob Overlook, traveling along the Mountains-to-Sea Trail. It includes a climb and descent of about 1,000 feet over a rough trail with challenging stone steps.

All are invited to join the High Peaks Birders for a birding stroll at Cane River Park on Saturday, June 24.

The outing is open to any interested parties and will be led by experienced birders who will be happy to help any novices that want to give it a try.

Meet at 8 a.m. at the parking lot nearest the softball fields, which is the first entrance off Whittington Road.

Experienced, fit hikers are invited to join the NC High Peaks Trail Association for a rigorous, 9-mile hike on the flanks of the Black Mountains on Saturday, June 17.

The hike will make a loop of the Bald Knob Ridge and Buncombe Horse Range Trails, and will feature a challenging climb of about 1,700 feet in elevation. Hikers will be treated to views of the rich cove hardwood forest near the headwaters of the South Toe River, along with the high-elevation Spruce/Fir habitat that thrives on the upper reaches of the Blacks.

Join the NC High Peaks Trail Association for a strenuous hike over a spectacular section of the Appalachian Trail between Carvers Gap and Yellow Mountain on Friday, June 2.

This 7-mile outing is only for fit, experienced hikers. The route traverses Jane’s Bald near Carver’s Gap, and the group will take a side trip to Grassy Ridge Bald to enjoy the stunning views.

An effort to help save one of the Appalachian high country’s most iconic – and at-risk - tree species kicked off May 17 at Mt. Mitchell State Park when two dozen volunteers joined land-use agency staff to plant 300 red spruce seedlings on a wind-swept slope where the trees once towered and thrived.

Join the High Peaks Birders for a birding stroll on Thursday, May 18th at 8:30 am.  We will hike a portion of Forest Road 472 and the Mountains-to-Seas Trail as we look and listen for birds.  This area is located about 0.5 miles east (before) the Mt. Mitchell Trailhead and the Black Mountain Campground.