Panthertown is a lovely piece of National Forest land straddling the border of Jackson and Transylvania counties. Called by some “The Yosemite of the East”, it features broad vistas, shining granite cliffs, several waterfalls, and a miles of mountain biking trails. Late winter/early spring in the mountains is a wildly varying time of year with…
High Falls, aka Cullowhee Falls, is one of my absolute favorite waterfalls—and it’s just a five-minute drive from the cabins to the lakeside trail! The West Fork of the Tuckasegee River flows from the dam at Lake Glenville, and the trail leads you to a gorgeous box canyon just downstream. There, soaring granite cliffs surround…
While the NC mountains are colder than most of the south, the weather is still pretty mild in comparison with the rest of the country. So when temps drop to the single digits, we hunker down, let our faucets drip, and dream of summer. But there is one perk to the extreme cold: frozen waterfalls….
The end of fall in the mountains spells an end to the tourist season. But what the average visitor doesn’t realize are the many spectacular secrets that the cooler weather reveals. Crystal clear vistas and hidden views, fall and winter around Lake Glenville are a reward for the off season traveler. Once such stunning cold…
Although the Glenville and Cashiers, NC areas are a tourist destination, some local residents still farm and raise cattle. Today I photographed some of the barns (mostly abandoned) on Cullowhee Mountain Road. This road goes from Lake Glenville down to Speedwell and Cullowhee, home of Western Carolina University. NC barn architecture is quite varied. Some…
After a spate of freezing weather, it finally warmed up for a nice long hike. Mike and I hiked in Panthertown, next to Glenville and Cashiers, NC, for the afternoon. Panthertown is a gorgeous and huge valley full of trails and views very popular with hikers and mountain bikers alike. I have hiked here a…