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25 Years of Rhythm and Roots at the Birthplace of Country Music
Twenty-five years ago, a small festival dedicated to the music forged from the hills of the Blue Ridge Mountains took
September 14, 2026
Kurt’s Hikes
CURRENT Kurt’s Hikes
Apple Orchard Falls-AT-Cornelius Creek trails loop. 7.2; Cornelius Creek Trail to Forest Road and back. 4.6
Appalachian Trail to McAfee Knob and back (FR on the way down) 7.8 miles
Sharp Top Mountain ascent and descent; Harkening Hill partial ascent and descent. About 5 miles
The catch-at-the-end-of-the-weekend was the nearby, convenient, easy, pretty Mill Mountain Star Trail, which we can reach in 10 minutes and climb in about 45.
Apple Orchard Falls-AT-Cornelius Creek trails loop. 7.2; Cornelius Creek Trail to Forest Road and back. 4.6
Appalachian Trail to McAfee Knob and back (FR on the way down) 7.8 miles
Sharp Top Mountain ascent and descent; Harkening Hill partial ascent and descent. About 5 miles
The catch-at-the-end-of-the-weekend was the nearby, convenient, easy, pretty Mill Mountain Star Trail, which we can reach in 10 minutes and climb in about 45.
Departments
Singing in the Garden
Singing in the Garden: The Practically Perfect Pear
“There are only 10 minutes in the life of [the average] pear when it is perfect to eat.” —Abraham Lincoln,
September 1, 2026
The Mountain Q&A
Vic Isley: President & CEO of Explore Asheville
“At my core, I’m a proud Carolina girl, foodie, travel and music lover, and farmer’s daughter.”
September 1, 2026
