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Country Roads

CURRENT Country Roads

Even Closer to Almost Heaven

New Stargazer cabins at Coopers Rock State Forest offer a skyward escape in the mountains of West Virginia.

Skywatch: July/August 2026

How many stars can you see?

A Mountain Tradition Turns 90 

Visitors flock to Galax, Virginia, each summer for the Old Fiddlers’ Convention, a days-long celebration of Appalachian music.

NightFlight Expedition Takes Off at Dollywood

The new coaster is the Tennessee theme park’s largest single attraction investment to date.

Historic Easement Protects SWVA Land, Opens It to the Public

Lovers of wildlife, woodlands, and waters will soon have a vast area to explore in Southwest Virginia.

Current Issue

At Coopers Rock State Forest, new Stargazer cabins invite guests to look up through skylights and telescopes.

Even Closer to Almost Heaven

New Stargazer cabins at Coopers Rock State Forest offer a skyward escape in the mountains of West Virginia.
This is a landscape photograph of the night sky with the Milky Way over rural Bryson City during summer in the Great Smoky Mountains North Carolina.

Skywatch: July/August 2026

How many stars can you see?
©Duncan Seaman

A Mountain Tradition Turns 90 

Visitors flock to Galax, Virginia, each summer for the Old Fiddlers’ Convention, a days-long celebration of Appalachian music.
NightFlight Expedition Takes Off at Dollywood

NightFlight Expedition Takes Off at Dollywood

The new coaster is the Tennessee theme park’s largest single attraction investment to date.
Ron Messina | Courtesy of the Department of Wildlife Resources

Historic Easement Protects SWVA Land, Opens It to the Public

Lovers of wildlife, woodlands, and waters will soon have a vast area to explore in Southwest Virginia.
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Departments

Vibrant Monarch butterfly clings to its translucent dew covered cocoon
Creature Feature

Monarch Mimickers

It’s easy to mistake other orange species for the king of fall butterflies.

August 26, 2026
Synchronous Fireflies
Creature Feature

The Light Fantastic

Fireflies are struggling with the effects of artificial light.

June 29, 2026
Eli severs a smooth chanterelle from the ground.
Gifts of the Land

Summer Mushrooming

A morning spent foraging for fungi turns into a friendly competition between the grandsons. Photo Above: Eli severs a smooth

June 29, 2026

CALENDAR OF EVENTS