Outdoors

So many trails, so little time! The Discoverer travel website recently named the top hike to take in each of the 50 states. (No surprise here, but a hike in the Smokies got the nod for Tennessee.) Here’s a look at the finishers in the…
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Liz Domingue loves hiking the high elevations of the Smokies. Though there are special spots down low, too. Her favorite hike? “The one I’m on right now,” she says. Domingue is one of the instructors who lead excursions as part of…
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Mt. LeConte's trail tises from the ashes, sprouting new growth and life Difficulty Level: Moderate-Hard Trailhead coordinates: 35.67396, -83.49322 Length: 11.8 miles | Elevation Gain: 3,200 ft | Style: Out…
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Challenging terrain speckled with stories of icy escapes On June 13, 1977, a handful of inmates from Brushy Mountain scaled the wall and melted into the Cumberland Mountains surrounding beautiful Petros. On their heels were every…
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A mystical peak that offers hiking for all levels An hour west of Knoxville rises a place lost in the folds of geographic time. Lightly boot-kissed paths disappear maze-like, labyrinthine, into thinning air. Sandstone spires jut…
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How to stay toasty on the deck and in the elements As the temperatures drop and the need to keep our distance persists, the question on all of our minds is how to stay warm while still enjoying all that East Tennessee has to offer. For…
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Retired architect loves cultural connections he finds in plants Harold Duckett’s love of gardening is rooted in history and culture. That’s why he grows Acanthus spinosa, the plant that inspired the design…
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Safety concerns drive increase in RV sales and rentals From Connecticut to California, RV dealerships are seeing an increase in both sales and rentals as the coronavirus keeps us apart. The same holds true in Tennessee. Leland…
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Meads Quarry stacks one leisure-time activity upon another With trees a vibrant green and temperatures on the rise, it’s evident summer’s nearly here. Many East Tennesseans anxiously await this change of season for all the beauty our…
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With winter’s frosts becoming more and more infrequent, we firmly set our sights on spring. As life blossoms around us, now is the perfect time to exercise that potentially green thumb. The soil in East Tennessee can vary greatly…
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