Good day and welcome to DKos Asheville. This is the weekly DKos Asheville Open Thread for Saturday, February 2nd, 2018.
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The 500,000+ acres of the Pisgah National Forest surrounding Asheville feature some of the most beautiful and rugged mountain scenery, and the best recreational opportunities in eastern North America. The Pisgah National Forest covers much of the north and central western mountains of North Carolina - with whitewater rivers, waterfalls and hundreds of miles of trails. It was established on October 7, 1916 with the first tract of land purchased under the Weeks Act, which led to the creation of the national forests in the eastern United States. It is also home of the first school of forestry in the United States, now preserved at the Cradle of Forestry in America Historic Site, and boasts two of the first designated wilderness areas in the east. All of this land was originally part of the Biltmore Estate!
As part of its national Treasured Landscapes, Unforgettable Experiences conservation program, the National Forest Foundation (NFF) designated the Pisgah National Forest as a Treasured Landscape in 2017.
Pisgah is broken up into three Ranger Districts - here are 50 things to do:
The Pisgah Ranger District is dominated by Mt. Pisgah on the Blue Ridge Parkway and extends on both sides of the Parkway. It is located roughly between the towns of Brevard, Waynesville and Asheville. This area is especially noted for easy access to many beautiful waterfalls, including Sliding Rock, as well as wonderful hiking and camping opportunities, the Cradle of Forestry and more. Mountain bike at Bent Creek. The district also includes the Shining Rock and Middle Prong Wilderness areas. Drive the Forest Heritage Scenic Byway. See hikes for Looking Glass Rock, John Rock, Black Balsam Knob, Sam Knob, Graveyard Fields, Skinny Dips Falls, Daniel Ridge Falls, Log Hollow Falls, Cove Creek Falls, Twin Falls, Slick Rock Falls, Pink Beds Hike, Mt. Pisgah, Courthouse Falls, Wildcat Falls, Devil's Courthouse, Turtleback Falls and the NC Arboretum. It's home at the impressive Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute (PARI).
Pisgah Ranger District Office / Visitor Center
1001 Pisgah Highway, Pisgah Forest, NC 28768
(828) 877-3265
The Appalachian Ranger District covers a large area along the North Carolina/Tennessee border, northeast of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Among the highlights of this region are the Harmon Den mecca for horseback riders, Max Patch mountain (pic) offering stunning panoramic views, the French Broad River, Lover's Leap and the Appalachian Trail. This area contains some of the most beautiful mountain scenery in the east including important wildflower habitats at Craggy Gardens and Roan Mountain. Also included in this district are Mt. Mitchell and Grandfather Mountain. Waterfalls include Douglas Falls and Walker Falls.
Appalachian Ranger District
632 Manor Road, Mars Hill, NC 28754
(828) 689-9694
The Grandfather Ranger District lies southeast of the Blue Ridge Parkway, from north of Asheville to Blowing Rock. Linville Gorge (pic) is the predominant feature of the area, with its very rugged terrain to challenge even experienced hikers. There are also easier trails in this area. Other significant features include the Wilson Creek area, which is highly favored among kayakers, and the Brown Mountain Off-Road Vehicle area. The Point Lookout Trail opened in 2008 for bikers. Nearby is Catawba Falls. Great trails near Linville Falls include Beacon Heights, Rough Ridge and Chestoa View. Also see Roaring Fork Falls, Setrock Creek Falls, Tom's Creek Falls and Upper Creek Falls.
Grandfather Ranger District
109 Lawing Drive, Nebo, NC 28761
(828) 652-2144
The Pisgah National Forest is home to mile-high peaks, countless waterfalls, rushing rivers, endless trails and rich forests covering a mind-boggling half million acres. This vast preserve reaches north and west of Asheville and includes the first tract of land purchased under the Weeks Act of 1911 that led to the creation of national forests in the eastern United States.
You would need weeks to explore Pisgah properly. But if you have just a day, find the best of Pisgah along a 12-mile stretch of U.S. Highway 276 starting from Brevard (an easy 30-minute drive from Asheville). Your first stop should be the Pisgah Ranger Station on the right for the latest info on fun for all interests, including best hiking trails, mountain biking and horseback rides, along with informative exhibits about the forest.
Drive a few more miles for a short detour to the Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education. Walk the hatchery raceways to watch thousands of trout that will stock many mountain rivers. Inside, see exhibits and watch an award-winning documentary on the area’s fascinating natural history. Find numerous trails at the center for either a short stroll or challenging hike. Walk the Cat Gap Loop trail for a mile to Cedar Rock Falls or stroll along the river.
The Pisgah National Forest covers over 500,000 acres of forest land across the central mountains of Western North Carolina. This large forest includes lands surrounding the town of Asheville and the French Broad River Valley, and extending into the higher mountains all around.
Pisgah National Forest encompasses some of the highest mountains in the Southern Appalachians, and all of the Eastern U.S. Tremendous recreational opportunities, including hundreds of miles of trails for hiking and backpacking, abound within its boundaries.
Since this National Forest is so large, we divide the information up into pages for each of the official Ranger Districts on the forest. Then, we subdivide the Ranger Districts into even smaller areas within those (our Trailheads) - watersheds, hubs, or other parts of the forest with a network of trails convenient to one another.
The Pisgah National Forest was established in 1916, one of the first national forests in the eastern United States. The new preserve included approximately 86,700 acres that had been part of the Biltmore Estate, but were sold to the federal government in 1914 by Edith Vanderbilt. Some of the forest tracts were among the first purchases by the Forest Service under the Weeks Act of 1911. While national forests had already been created in the western United States, the Weeks Act provided the authority required to create national forests in the east as well.[3]Although tracts in the future Pisgah National Forest were among the first purchased under the Weeks Act, the very first to receive formal approval was the 31,000-acre (130 km2) Gennett Purchase in northern Georgia.[4] On March 25, 1921 Boone National Forest was added to Pisgah, and on July 10, 1936, most of Unaka National Forest was added. In 1954 the Pisgah National Forest was administratively combined with the Croatan and Nantahala national forests, collectively known as the National Forests of North Carolina.[5]
American forestry has roots in what is now the Pisgah National Forest. The Cradle of Forestry, (Biltmore Forest School), located in the southern part of the forest, was the site of the first school of forestry in the United States. It operated during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The school was opened and operated at the direction of George Washington Vanderbilt II, builder of the Biltmore Estate in Asheville. The Forestry Education offered at Biltmore was taught by Carl Schenk. A native German, Schenk was referred to Vanderbilt when Gifford Pinchot resigned to operate the newly formed Division of Forestry. The Cradle of Forestry and the Biltmore Estate played a major role in the birth of the U.S. Forest Service. Today these lands are part of an educational and recreational area in Pisgah National Forest.[6]
Located on the forest property is the Bent Creek Campus of the Appalachian Forest Experiment Station, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1993.[7]
Convicted murderer Eric Rudolph was a fugitive in the Pisgah National Forest for several years.
Thanks for reading. I hope this diary inspires you to start thinking about your hiking boots, tents and and outdoor adventure. Have a great week!