January 2025

The sugar camp houses the processes that advance sap water to maple syrup.

Maple Syrup Magic

This Swiss-German family has been making the golden syrup in West Virginia for three generations.
Michael Smith: “It’s like being an elementary school teacher. I know a little bit about a lot of things in the park, but I don’t dive deep into any of those.”

Sharing the Smokies

Interpretive park ranger Michael Smith loves chatting up the mountains he calls home.
Elizabeth Hunter’s love for and dedication to the land was a hallmark of her life.

Intimacy with the Land: A Small Bouquet to Helene Victims

May we all come to reach Elizabeth Hunter's level of appreciation of where we live, whether climbing up from the rubble or lucky enough to have escaped that terrible challenge.
Sitting across from the Harvester, Rocky Mount’s LOVE sign tells the region’s story simply and beautifully.

Rocky Mount, Virginia: ‘You May Think You Know Us, But We’re Something Else’

Nestled between the Blue Ridge and the Piedmont and sitting halfway between Roanoke and Martinsville, Rocky Mount claims its unique dual identities beautifully.
About 2,000 Southern bog turtles remain.

Help for Hellbender? Tiny Bog Turtle Imperiled Too

Biologists look for help to protect several mountain species.

Departments

Behind Blue Ridge Country

Even More Sweet Virginia Breezes

Casually cruising to Claytor Lake in southwest Virginia, I felt like I had come home – back to where it

CALENDAR OF EVENTS