Since the 1920s, Reader's Digest has specialized in publishing the “short and sweet” in its monthly magazine and, more recently, specialty books.
Its “Off the Beaten Path” travel book was updated this year, with more than 1,000 write-ups of places to go in the United States. On page 2 is a choice selection of what the guide recommends seeing and doing in North and South Carolina.
Nantahala Gorge
12 miles southwest of Bryson City
Carved by the Nantahala River, this eight-mile gorge takes its name from a Cherokee word meaning “land of the noonday sun.” Indeed, the canyon here is so deep and narrow that only when the sun is directly overhead can its rays reach the bottom of the gorge.
The gorge burrows down about 1,800 feet at its deepest and is less than 100 yards wide at its narrowest. It's the centerpiece of the Nantahala National Forest, with easy access to the Appalachian Trail, which crosses the eastern end of the gorge.
The river offers a variety of recreational opportunities. Water released from the Duke Energy dam several miles upriver rushes down the gorge for about 12 hours most days, creating an ideal run for whitewater rafting.
Rafts, canoes and kayaks may be rented in the area, and the trip, while exhilarating, is not overly challenging for novices. Picnic areas are maintained, and the river is stocked with trout; fishing is better in the calm evening waters than in the daytime torrents. Open year-round.
Details: 800-867-9246; www.greatsmokies.com.
Stone Mountain State Park
3042 Frank Parkway, Roaring Gap
Plunging waterfalls, granite outcroppings, narrow dirt roads and trails twisting through Catawba rhododendrons and mountain laurel populate this park's more than 14,100 acres.
Creeks stocked with trout – rainbows, browns and “brookies” – make this a fisherman's paradise. In Bullhead Creek (a “fish for fun” stream where fly-fishermen may practice their techniques but must toss back their catch), rainbows as long as 26 inches have been hooked.
Trails lead to the 2,300-foot summit of rugged Stone Mountain, and you'll also find paths to Stone Mountain Falls, Cedar Rock and Wolf Rock. Mountain climbers can choose from 13 different ascent routes, many of which are difficult and not recommended for beginners.
Throughout this densely forested area, lady's slippers, trilliums, bluets and other wildflowers and ferns are often seen in settings that also frequently include feathered populations of red-tailed hawks, ruffed grouse, black vultures, wild turkeys and owls. White-tailed deer, beavers, otters, minks and foxes are occasionally glimpsed. Bears have also been reported but are extremely rare.
Open year-round except Christmas. No entry fee; fee for fishing.
Details: 336-957-8185; www.ncparks.gov.
Mount Airy
(aka Mayberry)
Mount Airy, birthplace of actor Andy Griffith and the likely inspiration for “The Andy Griffith Show,” is a trip down memory lane for fans of the 1960s TV series. You can head over to Wally's Fillin Station and tour Main Street in the sheriff's squad car. Savor a pork chop sandwich at The Snappy Lunch, which, like Floyd's barbershop, predates the show. See the bronze statue of Andy and Opie at the Andy Griffith Playhouse (site of the annual Old Time Fiddlers' Convention) and generally enjoy reminders of the popular series throughout the town.
Mount Airy and its environs have other claims to fame: The area was once inhabited by the mysterious Saura tribe of Native Americans and later was home to the original Siamese twins, Chang and Eng Bunker. These conjoined twins settled in nearby White Plains after retiring from P.T. Barnum's circus. Check out the local history at the Mount Airy Museum of Regional History. The town – officially a city since 1976 – has much to enjoy year round, including its picturesque setting in the Blue Ridge. Stop by the welcome center on East Main Street for information, ideas of what to do and maps.
Details: 800-948-0949; www.visitmayberry.com.
Clyde Jones Haw River Critter Crossing
Bynum Hill Road, Bynum
Once a mill town but now mostly residential, Bynum is home to folk artist Clyde Jones and his amazing critters, carved from local wood with a chainsaw, decorated with found objects and often painted in vibrant, rainbow colors. You'll see examples of Jones' work throughout the village, but the real treat is his Critter Crossing near the Haw River. His small house, painted top to bottom with colorful murals, is surrounded by hundreds of whimsical critters.
Jones began sculpting in the early 1980s while recovering from a sawmill injury and took up painting a few years later. His pieces have been featured in galleries and museums nationally and internationally. He is known for giving away, rather than selling, his art, and at the Critter Crossing his menagerie is free for the looking.
Details: Chatham County Arts Council, 919-542-0394.
Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge
10 miles south of Nags Head
Each spring and fall, geese, ducks and other migratory birds use the Atlantic Flyway to get where they're going.
This sliver of an island – almost 13 miles long and no more than a mile across at its widest – is one of the Eastern Seaboard's finest vantage points to observe the migration. And beach lovers, fishermen, hikers and photographers will also find much to enjoy here.
This complex of salt marshes and freshwater ponds supports otters, muskrats, nutrias, diamondback terrapins and loggerhead, sea and snapping turtles. Ring-necked pheasants abound, while egrets, herons and ibises are among the waterfowl and shorebirds that nest there. Peregrine falcons are often seen during spring and fall migrations, and more than 250 other bird species are occasionally observed.
A number of observation platforms facilitate sightings of all varieties. Ponds supporting ducks, geese and swans are easily observed from the car.
Five access points to Atlantic beaches and one to Pamlico Sound along the western shore attract bathers. Anglers can cast for sea trout, channel bass, pompano and bluefish. Open year-round. No admission fee.
Details: 252-473-1131; www.fws.gov/peaisland.
Fort Fisher State Historic Site
1610 S. Fort Fisher Blvd., Kure Beach
Late in the Civil War, the Union blockade of Southern ports prevented the South from receiving war supplies. In order to counter this, Confederate blockade runners made daring trips through fog and moonless nights to get precious cargoes.
Fort Fisher was built to provide cover for the Confederate seamen entering Cape Fear River on their way to the Confederacy's major port in Wilmington. Extending for one mile along the Atlantic Coast and across a sand peninsula, this series of redoubts was the South's largest earthen seacoast fort. With a complement of 47 guns, it provided a mile of defense seaward as well as one-third mile inland.
Only a few mounds remain, preserved from the actions of erosion. Exhibits in a small museum detail events that took place there from December 1864 to January 1865, when the fort finally fell to a determined Union action that employed about 58 warships and 8,000 infantrymen.
A quarter-mile tour trail surrounds what remains of the fort today. Features along the route include wayside exhibits, a reconstructed palisade fence and a partially restored gun emplacement.
The visitors center offers audio-visual programs and a permanent exhibit hall that displays an extensive collection of artifacts from the blockaders and the blockade runners. There's also a large and impressive fiber optic-powered map that shows the final battle for the fort in 1865.
The fort is open daily April-September; open Tuesday-Saturday, October-March. No admission fee.
An aquarium is open year-round except holidays. Admission: $8; $6 for ages 6-17; 5 and younger, free. Details: www.nchistoricsites.org; 910-458-5538 (fort); 910-458-8257 (aquarium).
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