Mountain Trails

Compared to the average person, I spend an awful lot of time hiking on mountain trails. Most people I know never go hiking at all. But I love hiking and backpacking. As the years have passed, I do less overnight backpacks and more and more day hiking. But no matter whether it's a long backpacking trip that takes several days, or just a day hike over a mountain ridge, I get a kick out of seeing new trails, exploring new waterfalls, and conquering peaks I've never seen.

The South is unique, though. There's something about hiking in southern high country. The place is so lush that it's almost without equal as far as the range of flora is concerned. We have literally hundreds of species of trees down here. It's no wonder that places like the Great Smoky Mountains and the related ranges are considered precious biosphere preserves. You don't run into temperate rain forests very often. We have some of those here.

This is one reason why I never get bored when I'm in the southern mountains. You can never tell what kind of forest you're going to enter and what types of trees and micro-environments you're going to encounter.

The trail to a peak called Pickens Nose. Through a classic rhododendron tunnel.

Breaking out to see Mooney Falls near Standing Indian Mountain.

Along the Black Mountain Crest Trail, North Carolina.

Another shot on the Black Mountain Crest Trail. More about this trail tomorrow.