5 Spring Ephemeral Wildflowers in the Appalachians
Trout lily is one of the common spring ephemeral flowers found around Asheville in the Appalachians. by MK Brown, Ecotour Guide and Naturalist As the sun starts to warm the still trees on south facing slopes and black bears rouse from their slumber and the spring peepers commence their evening chorus, the forest begins to…
5 EASY TO IDENTIFY and WILD-LOOKING Mushrooms you Should Know this Hiking Season!
by Eli Adams, Ecotour Guide and Naturalist As a guide for Asheville Hiking Tours, I have been successful in identifying fruiting fungi, otherwise commonly known as mushrooms, especially given their prevalence in our forests! If you are living near the Blue Ridge Mountains, and particularly our lush Pisgah National Forest in North Carolina, then…
What is Happening Outside during your Asheville Winter Hiking
by Jenny Gruhn, PhD, Biologist and Owner of Asheville Hiking Tours A barred owl perched on evergreens in winter. As you are hiking this upcoming winter season in the Blue Ridge Mountains, we hope you take a moment to stop and appreciate the complexity of the cold weather processes happening all around you –…
Fall Color in the North Carolina Mountains: the When, Where and How
by Mike Scow, Naturalist and Ecotour Guide with Asheville Hiking Tours Starting with stark contrast against the dark spruce and fir of the highest peaks around 6000 ft, deciduous trees transform from the lush green of summer to the array of colors in autumn. Elevation plays a crucial role in the display over the next…
Orchids Native to the Blue Ridge Mountains
by Amanda Hastings, former Ecotour Guide for Asheville Hiking Tours Want to observe exquisite orchids in their wild, natural environment, yet not quite ready to book a trip to the tropics or a remote island somewhere? Many may be shocked to learn these enchanting plants live in a variety of environments outside of tropical rainforests…