Fall 2024
Like many locals and visitors, leaf peeping in the mountains of Western North Carolina is one of my favorite autumn activities. In October, you can find me driving along the Blue Ridge Parkway or hiking the Mountains to Sea trail in search of a perfect leaf to preserve as a keepsake. Folks tend to flock to the Appalachians in the fall—catching our region’s fall foliage is an annual pilgrimage that’s always worth the trip. In fact, we’ve got the skinny on this year’s peak foliage times on page 32.
Summer 2024
In the summer, it’s so much cooler in the mountains. I’m not only talking about the temperature differences between points of high and low elevations. The energy, the scene here in Western North Carolina—it’s unmatched during the warmer months. Visitors and locals, groups and solo travelers, artists and mountaineers alike come out to play when the temperature rises. The summer mountain heat beckons adventure and inspiration, making our region the place to be for the season.
Spring 2024
The mountains of Western North Carolina seem to evoke a sense of creativity and ingenuity in its people; whether it’s the scenery or the history, something is inspiring our residents to do amazing things. The fact that there are six national parks here in our region might have something to do with it. Out of the dozen in our state, it’s remarkable that so many historically significant and visually appealing locales can be found in our backyard. Learn more about them in “Charted Wilderness” on page 90.
Winter 2024
The Farmers’ Almanac recently released its weather predictions for this season, and our region is in for an anomalously chilly winter of snow and ice. In the Blue Ridge Mountains, that means our landscapes will be full of picture-perfect snow-capped peaks straight from a Hallmark movie. I’m an Asheville transplant—I was born and raised in a small town a short drive away from coastal Charleston, SC—so I’m fairly nervous to brave this winter’s extra-low temperatures. But even in the freezing weather, there is so much warmth found here in Western North Carolina.