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Head Outdoors

Horseback riding among the gorgeous rhododendron blooms.

Summertime means it’s time to get outside and play. Here are some summertime shots by Pat and Chuck Blackley.

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RIVERSIDE ROCK Housed in a former cotton mill, the Haw River Ballroom is a place that connects you not only to music but to the land itself.

Where the River Meets Revival

From the Haw River Ballroom to Saxapahaw Island Park, charming North Carolina town is a haven of creative expression, community spirit and natural beauty
Classic Preacher Cookies

Classic Preacher Cookies

In a season when we’re opening windows, tidying porches, and welcoming people back into our homes, they feel especially fitting.
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The Top 61 Happiest Mountain Towns in the Blue Ridge

Happiest Towns in the Blue Ridge Mountains contest

2026 Happiest Towns Contest

At Hayfields State Park in Highland County, Virginia, easy-to-moderate trails wind through quiet forests and past historic structures.

Greening the Blue Ridge Region

New Parks, Healthier Creeks, Solar Power, Protected Lands and More.
Spring wildflowers bloom early in the New River Gorge of West Virginia. From the photographer: “Bloodroot is one of the first to blossom, fittingly coming in around the first day of spring. The reddish sap that exudes from all parts of the plant — especially the root — when cut is what gives bloodroot its common name.”

Scenes of Spring: A Photo Essay

Our contributing photographers reveal the fresh sights and subtle joys of the season.
Vernon and Toni Wright turn grains grown on their family farm into freshly distilled spirits.

Virginia Century Farm Home to New Distillery

For nearly 200 years, Vernon and Toni Wright’s family has raised corn, cattle and quarter horses at Hill High.
Chimney Tops Trail in Great Smoky Mountains National Park rewards a steep climb with exceptional mountain views. Inset: Gatlinburg, Tennessee’s Chimneys Picnic Area sits beside the West Prong of the Little Pigeon RIver.

11 Picnics with a View

These bucket-list destinations are perfect spots to kick back, enjoy a delightful meal and take in the great outdoors.
A Virginia Historical Marker stands at the entrance to Green Pastures. Green Pastures’ picnic area was build by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the late 1930s.

Green Pastures Reborn

When it officially opened in 1940 — in the depths of the Jim Crow era — Green Pastures was likely the first U.S. Forest Service recreation area in the nation constructed for African Americans.
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From the Emeritus: Open Note to Kevin Nealon

‘Take a hike,’ indeed!

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