2023 Blue Ridge Festival Guide
Cover Photo: Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion. Photo by Sophie Harris. Best of the Fests The hills are alive with the sound of music. Every year the Blue Ridge region boasts a bustling schedule of...
View ArticleMay 2023: The Festival Guide
Departments Field Notes Now is the time to look for Blue Ghosts, unique fireflies found in certain parts of Southern Appalachia. Field Report A new North Carolina downhill bike park is gaining national...
View ArticleSearching for the Blue Ghost Firefly
Now is the time to look for these unique fireflies in Southern Appalachia I was there when the bioluminescent forest awakened, and I’ll never forget it. In May 2019, I was getting into nighttime...
View ArticleOur Favorite Songs in May
Best New Music from the Blue Ridge and Beyond Every month, our editors curate a playlist of new music, mainly focusing on independent artists from the South. In May we’re highlighting new tunes from...
View ArticleThe 2023 Camping and Cabins Guide
Sponsored Content Break out your tents, sleeping bags and campfire necessities, and spend the night under the stars. Camping season has returned, which means unforgettable festival experiences, outdoor...
View ArticleCreature Comforts: Festival Gear
Festival season is here and it’s time to stock up on the gear that will make your time in tent city even groovier. Cotopaxi Vuelta Performance Windbreaker Jacket You don’t want to lug around a big...
View ArticleAn Open Letter to Strava
Dear Strava, I hope you’re doing well. I’m writing this letter to tell you how much I enjoy your social media/fitness tracking platform, which has been a constant companion on my bike rides and runs...
View ArticleNew North Carolina Bike Park Offers Lift Access, Just a Stone’s Throw from...
Ride Rock Creek features seven downhill mountain bike trails for a variety of skill levels. All photos courtesy of Ride Rock Creek Down the Mountain Professional downhill mountain biker Neko Mulally,...
View ArticleThe Path Ahead: Backpacking Gear
The trails are calling. It’s time to gear up and go backpacking in the wilds of the Blue Ridge (and beyond). Here’s the best equipment to make your journey easier and lighter. Osprey Atmos AG LT 65...
View ArticleKeep On Trucking
For one couple, camping in the back of a hand-me-down Chevy is the ultimate bonding experience. Honeymoons are the epitome of sexiness. These postnuptial respites are for bikinis and Mai Tais and...
View ArticleFour Stunning Spots to Camp Under the Stars in the Southeast
Sleep Under the Stars Spring is in full swing, and that means it’s time to sleep under the stars. With perfect, pre-raging-humidity camping weather around the South, we’ve rounded up some of our...
View ArticleThe Blue Ridge Snorkel Trail will change the way you see life
What Lies Beneath Most of our lives, we skim the surface. When hiking and biking in the forest, we stick to the trails—thin ribbons in a larger, deeper, and wilder landscape. Similarly, when we...
View ArticleWoman of the Earth School
North Carolina-based writer Mildred Barya celebrates wonders of nature in latest poetry collection. As a child growing up in Kabale, Uganda, Mildred Kiconco Barya often spent hours alone herding...
View ArticleRetracing the Banjo’s Not-So-Southern Roots
Cover photo: The banjo remained a distinctly Black instrument until the 1830s. Photo courtesy of the American Banjo Museum. Riff in Time When most people think of the banjo, they imagine a bearded,...
View ArticleTurn Camping into Glamping
5 Ways to Make Your Overnight Setup More Comfortable I stuck my head out of our desert fortress and watched the stars glimmer in the sky. My partner and I were in New Mexico on a climbing trip with our...
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