Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2018 - 44
Christian Murillo Cloudland Canyon State Park, Georgia. viewing the dam. aaa.com/travelinfo/west-virginia// attractions/tygart-river-dam-andlake-514263.html 304-265-1760 Lost World Caverns, Lewisburg Take a walk on the mild side with a self-guided tour of the most accessible parts of this deep cavern...or dial it up with a four-hour guided "wild cave tour" into the farther reaches. Even kids like the wild tour, and protective clothing is supplied. This cavern, discovered only in the 1940s, has yielded fossil remains of big prehistoric beasts. Located close to I-64 near Lewisburg. lostworldcaverns.com/ 304-645-6677 Coopers Rock State Forest, Bruceton Mills There's a sinuous canyon in West Virginia, a 10-mile gorge on the Cheat River where whitewater rafters come for a challenge. But if riding the rapids is not your thing there's a lookout point on Coopers Rock, and trail access to bouldering and rock climbing spots. These natural features illus44 BlueRidgeCountry.com trate an ever-changing landscape that's always subject to the weather's wear and tear. wvstateparks.com/park/coopersrock-state-forest/ 304-594-1561 Monongahela National Forest, Elkins This sprawling national forest encompasses miles of West Virginia wilderness, highlighting special niche ecosystems where plant and animal life has evolved to meet unusually harsh conditions. The forest has a vertical range of nearly 3,800 feet elevation. Among favorite spots for visitors are the Falls of Hills Creek and the Cranberry Glades Botanical Area, a rare upland peat bog. fs.usda.gov/mnf 304-636-1800 TENNESSEE Gray Fossil Site and General Shale Natural History Museum, Gray How cool is this? Starting with the accidental discovery of ancient animal bones during road widening, the Gray Fossil Site has become an active paleontological dig with a fine museum and first-rate fossil lab. A layer of animal skeletons 130 feet deep at the onetime sinkhole awaits gentle excavation for years to come; specimens on display include a super-size bear, saber tooth cat, and alligator. gfsm.handsonmuseum.org/ 423-439-3662 Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Gatlinburg To feel the sweep of time and the power of nature, head to the various stands of old growth trees, those giants that were never harvested despite devastating logging all around. One fifth of the 500,000 acres in this national park-the nation's most visited-consist of such majestic survivors. The astounding biodiversity within the Smokies, coupled with the slow erosion by the elements, makes this a mustvisit destination. nps.gov/grsm/index.htm 865-436-1200 Roan High Knob & Roan Mountain State Park, Roan Mountain Straddling the North Carolina border, Roan Mountain-called The Roan-offers spectacular