January 2026

The present-day cakewalk at Fries, Virginia, involves live music, a small donation and gleeful participants.

Curios: The Cakewalk – Sad Past, Glorious Present

A storied American custom built of pain lives on with joy.
University of Georgia doctoral student Santiago Perea deploys an acoustic bat detector in a forest research area.

Cold Call

Researchers are gauging the health of Blue Ridge bats in winter.
skywatch

January/February Skywatch: Is the Brightest Star the Closest?

Stars are without a doubt far, even the closest ones.
Mountain Lake Lodge with Salt Pond Pub

Virginia’s Mountain Lake Lodge Earns Historic Hotels of America Induction

Mountain Lake Lodge, which debuted in 1851 as Salt Pond, has been inducted into Historic Hotels of America.
The Ecusta Trail’s first section connects Hendersonville with Horse Shoe, North Carolina.

New North Carolina Rail Trail: Ecusta’s First Six Miles are Open

The trail will eventually connect Hendersonville and Brevard.

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