Working in the National Park Service has taken Tracy Swartout all around the country. But in many ways, her new role as superintendent of the Blue Ridge Parkway, based at the service’s office in Asheville, is a homecoming. Swartout grew up in Columbia, S.C., and has many fond memories traveling along the park’s 469-mile route […]
“National parks in North Carolina need $459 million for infrastructure repairs. Crumbling historic markers, outdated electrical systems and deteriorating trails and roads are now common.”
Cash came to realize that some of his challenges, such as insomnia, depression and anxiety, could be harnessed to feed his comedy work and to find meaning in confusion and chaos.
Asheville, N.C.
To many Western North Carolina residents, the region’s parks and recreational areas represent a chance to experience our state’s natural beauty and preserve its rich history. But what’s often overlooked is these attractions’ key role in bolstering local economies.
Monday, June 30, is the final day for public comment regarding a pending federal rule change to allow loaded guns in national parks.
It was a hard, cold spring rain. My husband, Lenny, and I had been walking on the Appalachian Trail since 8 that morning. When we finally got to the shelter as it was getting dark, we saw that someone had hung a tarp to prevent rain from getting in. Inside, an old man was sitting […]
The next time you go camping in the Smokies, you might want to think twice about complaining to your noisy neighbor. If proposed federal rule changes are approved, he could be packing heat. Loaded guns—whether concealed or not—have long been a no-no in national parks, but the Department of the Interior and at least 50 […]
