Established around 1800, this charming mountain town was named for the mineral springs that bubbled up from the earth between 100 and 104 degrees. By the late 1800s a series of hotels and inns catered to travelers visiting the mountains to take in the curative waters. And that’s still a pretty good reason to spend a day or two in Hot Springs, which also offers just about everything you’d want from a vacation – charming local shops, luxurious spas, a cozy restaurant nestled in a turn-of-the-century hotel, and a stunning spot to rest your no-longer-so-weary head. From the Carolina Living Section.
– Southern Living Magazine
A vacation is often a challenge in the current economy. Some folks opt for the “staycation,” taking a few days off work but staying home either to simply relax or to do projects around the house. Then there’s the traditional vacation: taking the family to the beach for a week, an Alaskan cruise, maybe a trip to Europe. All of those are great, if you have the time and money. But suppose you want something in between? Not quite a staycation and not a long, expensive trip either.
– The Laurel of Asheville
Slack packers, it’s a nickname that is not affectionately bestowed, but it’s one an old friend and I now proudly wear after a long weekend hiking on the Appalachian Trail in western North Carolina. The 22 miles we covered over 2 and 1 half days near Asheville hardly seemed scoff-worthy. With long strenuous climbs through deep woods and sometimes steep, rocky and twisty terrain, in nearly six-hour stretches, stopping only briefly for water or snack breaks, it was exhilarating. We did make one indulgence though, spending both nights in hotel rooms rather than sleeping bags under the stars.
– ABC News
Resting between two ridges in western North Carolina, Hot Springs is a rustic town well-known for playing host to Appalachian Trail hikers. Hot Springs has quietly placed itself on an area smaller than a city block, yet offers travelers more than enough adventure to keep busy, if you can rouse your mind away from the tranquility of the stunning vistas. The center of town holds, in its modest streets, ArtiSun Gallery, where I stop to admire pottery, jewelry and other local art. As I walk down the street, I pass locals selling crafts outside of the Harvest Moon Gallery and Gift Shop. I buy a cup of fresh squeezed lemonade and talk to the owner.
Surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Pisgah National Forest, and the French Broad River, Hot Springs’ terrain has always been pristine. The Appalachian Trail runs straight through town, further proving that you’re in the midst of a Sierra Club dream. Such a place is fitting for a resort destination. Add the mystical waters that come up from the ground and have been known to ease physical ailments, and you’ve got a natural paradise.
What’s in the water around this Madison County town is giving it a chance to grow – but not too much. The town is nestled in and protected by the Pisgah National Forest, about five minutes from the Tennessee border along Highway 25/70. Downtown is home to decades-old storefronts, eateries, a historic Presbyterian church and the Appalachian Trail. To see the full article please go to: Herald-Tribune.
Fall colors paint the mountains starting at the top and moving down. The higher you are, the earlier in the season you can see the leaves. And the show’s about to start at Max Patch. Call it a sneak preview or an opening act. From the parking area, you might even imagine the movies, perhaps a big-budget action-adventure based on the childhood game “King of the Hill.”Or an epic, where warriors of the Appalachian Trail trudge along the mountain’s ridge with the camera’s lens rotating around them.
