SPRING | | SUMMER | | 2015 www.advguides.com Proudly Partnered with Thanks to all our supporters for making 2013 a productive year. Here are some highlights from the year, as we partnered with our 300 collaborating organizations to make the French Broad River Watershed a destination to live, work, and play; now and into the future. 2013 RiverLink Accomplishments: • Was voted “Best Environmental Group” for the 8th year in a row in the Mountain Xpress. Thank you, Western North Carolina! • Continued on-going work at Karen Cragnolin Park using phytoremediation. • Added a new river access point at our • Opened three new French Broad River Performance Plaza and received funding paddle-in campsites, which are free and to add another river access in 2014. open to the public with no reservation. • Partnered with the City of Asheville • Hosted the second year of RiverMusic, and the UNCA Foundation to develop a a free family-friendly summer long greenway along Reed Creek. concert series by the river. • We accepted numerous riparian • In addition to our 1700 amazing conservation easements, including a 13- existing volunteers, we welcomed acre easement along the French Broad 785 new stewards of the river who River in Madison County. contributed 2539 hours of service. • Received $400,000 in funding for the • Participated in the 2013 North Carolina Craven Street (New Belgium Brewing Big Sweep cleaning over 20 miles of the Company) clean water and stormwater French Broad River and its tributaries. improvements. Become a voice of the river. Please call 828-252-8474 or visit www.riverlink.org to make your tax deductible donation. WWW.ADVGUIDES.COM | 3 Thanks to all our supporters for making 2013 a productive year. Here are some highlights from the year, as we partnered with our 300 collaborating FAMILY FUN ACTIVITIES organizations to make the French Broad River Watershed a destination to CONTENTS Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do live, work, and play; now and into the future. eiusmod tempor. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet. 22 RIVER 2013 RiverLink Accomplishments: FLY FISHING Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet. 16 • Was voted “Best Environmental PADDLING Group” for the 8th year in a row in the Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet. 19 Mountain Xpress. Thank you, Western WATERFALLS North Carolina! Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet. 07 • Continued on-going work at Karen PERFECT WEEKEND Cragnolin Park using phytoremediation. ASHEVILLE • Added a new river access point at our Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do • Opened three new French Broad River eiusmod tempor. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet. 26 Performance Plaza and received funding paddle-in campsites, which are free and BOONE to add another river access in 2014. 14 Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do open to the public with no reservation. eiusmod tempor. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet. 27 BREVARD • Partnered with the City of Asheville Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do • Hosted the second year of RiverMusic, THINGS TO DO IN WNC eiusmod tempor. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet. and the UNCA Foundation to develop a 28 a free family-friendly summer long greenway along Reed Creek. BRYSON CITY concert series by the river. BEST OUTDOOR FESTIVALS Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet. 29 eiusmod tempor. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet. • We accepted numerous riparian 5 SALUDA • In addition to our 1700 amazing BEST RACES + EVENTS Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do conservation easements, including a 13- eiusmod tempor. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet. existing volunteers, we welcomed Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do 30 acre easement along the French Broad 6 eiusmod tempor. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet. 785 new stewards of the river who River in Madison County. WILDERNESS GETAWAYS contributed 2539 hours of service. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do 7 eiusmod tempor. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet. • Received $400,000 in funding for the • Participated in the 2013 North Carolina Craven Street (New Belgium Brewing LAND Big Sweep cleaning over 20 miles of the Company) clean water and stormwater CLIMBING French Broad River and its tributaries. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do improvements. 10 eiusmod tempor. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet. BIKING Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do Become a voice of the eiusmod tempor. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet. river. Please call 12 HIKING 828-252-8474 Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do 24 eiusmod tempor. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet. or visit DOG-FRIENDLY Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do www.riverlink.org ? eiusmod tempor. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet. RUNNING 33 to make your tax Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do deductible donation. ? eiusmod tempor. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet. 4 | WNC ADVENTURES elcome to the 2015 Western North Carolina Adventure Guide— your guide to outdoor adventure in W the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. With over 100 hand-picked local adventures for all types of outdoor enthusiasts, we guarantee you will find something that will put a smile on your face. While the adventures found inside this guide are extensive, they’re no match for what you’ll find online at wnc-adventures.com. At our website you’ll find even more detail about these and other great adventrures with turn-by-turn driving directions, photos, articles, videos and much more. Once you’ve conquered the WNC region, take your quest for adventure on the road with our Best Road Trips suggestions. Throughout 44 the guide you’ll see sponsors that made this free resource possible. Please give them some love. BEST ROADTRIPS BEER + GEAR BEER + ADVENTURE CHARLESTON Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet. 33 eiusmod tempor. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet. 30 GEAR MADE HERE CHATTANOOGA Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet. 34 eiusmod tempor. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet. 30 LOCAL POURS CHARLOTTE Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet. 35 31 eiusmod tempor. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet. WILMINGTON SNOW SPORTS Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do 32 eiusmod tempor. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet. SLOPESTYLE 36 Trail, Park, & National Forest Info Local Resources Appalachian Trail: 304-535-6331 / Asheville Adventure Rentals: Second Gear: 828-258-0757 / www.appalachiantrail.org 828-505-7371 / ashevilleadventurerentals.com www.secondgearwnc.com Bent Creek: 828-667-5361 / Climbmax Climbing Center: Smoky Mountain Adventure Center: www.srs.fs.usda.gov/bentcreek 828-252-9996 / www.climbmaxnc.com www.smacasheville.com Blue Ridge Parkway: 828-271-4779 / Headwaters Outfitters: 828-877-3106 / www.nps.gov/blri www.headwatersoutfitters.com DuPont Forest: 828-877-6527 / Jus’ Running: 828-252-7867 / www.dupontforest.com www.jusrunning.com Lake James State Park: 828-584-7728 Kick It Event Management: Montreat Conference Center: 828-669-2911 / www.kickitevents.com www.montreat.org Liberty Bicycles: 828-274-2453 / NC Wildlife Resources Commission: www.libertybikes.com 888-248-6834 / www.ncwildlife.org Mast General Store: 828-232-1883 / Pisgah National Forest: 828-257-4200 / www.mastgeneralstore.com www.cs.unca.edu/nfsnc Oskar Blues Brewery: 828-883-2337 / www.oskarblues.com RiverLink: a local non-profit devoted to protecting the French Broad River and its watershed. 828-252-8474 / www.riverlink.org OUTDOOR FESTIVALS WWW.ADVGUIDES.COM | 5 Mountain Sports Festival: May - Asheville, NC River Music Summer Concert Series: May to www.mountainsportsfestival.com September - Asheville, NC www.riverlink.org Consider Mountain Sports a mini Olympics of Asheville. Five Friday nights of free, live concerts by the French Broad BEST Think you’re hot stuff on the disc golf course? Take on River in the River Arts District of Asheville, NC-what could the Wake up. Climb. Paddle. Bike. Sit in the sun and listen be better than that! RiverLink, a local non-profit, launched to music. Sip a cold pilsner. Sound like your perfect day? this outdoor summer music series in 2012. The 2014 line- Wake up. Climb. Paddle. Bike. Sit in the sun and listen to There are more than a few festivals across the southeast to up includes Orgone, Treetop Flyers, The Billy Sea, Soldier’s music. Sip a cold pilsner. Sound like your perfect day? There keep your weekends booked, especially when the weather Heart, The Artimus Pyle Band, and Fruition. Bike, paddle, are more4)6*)' than 8a few festivals across the southeast to keep warms. here, along with contests in paddling, mountain run, walk to the RiverLink Sculpture & Performance Plaza ;))/)2( your weekends booked, especially when the weather warms. biking, BMX, climbing, ultimate Frisbee, and skateboarding. and get your groove on! The evenings offer a respectable lineup of local musicians, The Opossum Drop: New Year’s Eve - Brasstown, September - Summersville, WV playing to early summer revelers worn out from a day of Gauley Fest: NC www.clayscorner.com www.americanwhitewater.org 6*)' 6*)' ) 8 About a )decade8 ago, a convenience station owner in a tiny sport.