Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - 11

At W.Va.'s New River Gorge Wildflower Festival, dutchman's breeches may be seen.
for 2015's location.)
The gathering was started, in
part, for those dreaming about hiking
the Appalachian Trail to learn
from those who have done it.
There's a session in which thru-hikers
who have just completed the AT
supply the most up-to-date trail
information. Having the chance to
talk with hikers who have walked
thousands of miles with less than
15-pound packs is reason enough
to attend. There are always a number
of thru-hike slide shows and
information on journeys throughout
America and the world, such as the
Pacific Crest and Continental Divide
trails and treks in New Zealand,
Canada, England, Europe, Africa
and Asia. It's not all seriousness,
though. Frisbee games, a used
equipment flea market, impromptu
storytelling and concerts by hiking
singer/songwriters provide entertaining
diversions. A favorite is the
Saturday-night square dance.
While most wildflower and birding
events occur in the spring, the
Margaret Dennison Fall Nature
Walks in Kanawha State Forest
(kanawhastateforest.com) near
Charleston, West Virginia, take place
in September, letting you learn
about nature's late summer/early
autumn look. It's not just wildflowers
and birds that are studied and
observed. Noted botanists, biologists,
and master naturalists also take
participants on walks examining
trees, pond and aquatic life and colorful
fungi. There's even a tour by
automobile for those who are unable
to take part in the hikes. The registration
fee is all of $5 for adults and
$2 for children under 16.
Although there is some evening
entertainment and historical perspective
provided, the primary focus of the
Fontana Village Fall Hike Week
(fontanavillage.com; early October) on
the eastern side of the Great Smoky
Mountains in North Carolina is, as the
name says, hiking. With only one hike
each day, you will get to know the
other participants and experience the
camaraderie that comes from sharing
trail experiences. The outings are usually
only 3-5 miles in length, with the
option to extend each one to 6-10
miles. Past year's events have also
included s'mores-making parties and
boat rides on Fontana Lake. The hikes
are open to the public, but if you take
advantage of the resort's special lodging
rates for the event, you will also
have free access to badminton, shuffleboard,
basketball, horseshoes, pingpong,
bocce ball and volleyball and
tennis courts.
The Wilderness Wildlife Week
(mypigeonforge.com), based in
Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, is the one
to attend if you have time to go to
only one of these events. It is the
longest and most event-filled celebration
of the outdoors that I know
of within the Blue Ridge region. For
a full week (January 24-31, 2015),
more than100 experts in their fields
take participants on guided hikes
into the Great Smoky Mountains
(for all levels of fitness) and lead
close to 40 seminars a day. Sample
classes include nature photography,
fly fishing, wildflower identification
and folklore, backpacking gear and
fundamentals, orienteering,
weather observation, birding, leave
no trace and outdoors ethics and
Blue Ridge waterfalls. If that's not
enough, you might find out about
serpent handlers of the area, listen
to a thru-hiker describe his or her
Appalachian Trail experience, or
hear true stories of the Civil War in
the Southern Appalachians. The culture
of the mountains is explored in
laptop dulcimer and autoharp lessons
and classes in dream catcher
and handcrafted toy making. There
are also evening music concerts and
multimedia travelogues. 
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 | 11
http://www.mypigeonforge.com http://www.fontanavillage.com http://www.kanawhastateforest.com
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015

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