This richly illustrated field guide serves as an introduction to the wildflowers and plant communities of the southern Appalachians and the rolling hills of the adjoining piedmont. Rather than organizing plants, including trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants, by flower color or family characteristics, as is done in most guidebooks, botanist Tim Spira takes a holistic, ecological approach that enables the reader to identify and learn about plants in their natural communities. This approach, says Spira, better reflects the natural world, as plants, like other organisms, don't live in isolation;...

Joe Miller brings us the first-ever stand-alone guidebook to backpacking in North Carolina, a state long known as a terrific backpacking destination. Covering 43 of the best trips the state has to offer, Backpacking North Carolina provides all the information necessary for beginning and experienced backpackers alike to enjoy hiking destinations from the mountains to the coast. Each trip description offers key maps and navigation information, including water sources and camping spots, as well as trip highlights and special considerations. Miller offers tips for enriching the experience,...

Featuring over 600 wildflowers, flowering shrubs, and vines, this user-friendly field guide is the first to focus on the rare, fragile lands and species of the Sandhills region of the Carolinas and Georgia. Characterized by longleaf pine forests, rolling hills, abundant blackwater streams, several major rivers, and porous sandy soils, the Sandhills region stretches from Fayetteville, North Carolina, southwest to Columbus, Georgia, and represents the farthest advance of the Atlantic Ocean some 2 million years ago.

Wildflowers of the Sandhills Region is arranged by habitat, with...

In the first statewide guidebook of its kind, Farm Fresh North Carolina takes readers on a lively tour of more than 425 farms, produce stands, farmers' markets, wineries, children-friendly pumpkin patches and corn mazes, pick-your-own orchards, restaurants, bed and breakfasts, agricultural festivals, and more, all open to the public and personally vetted by travel writer Diane Daniel.

Daniel's animated, knowledgeable recommendations will give food lovers, families, locals, and travelers the inspiration and resources they need to cut a fresh Christmas tree, pick a peck of...

Have you ever wanted to take up a new outdoor sport but thought, "Not me" or "Where do I begin"? In this unique take-it-with-you guide, outdoors and fitness writer Joe Miller introduces you to sixteen adventure sports in the Carolinas, from water to land and through all four seasons. No matter where you live or what your level of expertise may be, he will lead you to opportunities that range from beginner level to peak experience and equip you with the tools and courage to get outdoors and enjoy nature in new and exciting ways. For each experience, Miller includes location, how to start,...

North Carolina's 1.2 million acres of national forestland are some of our state's most distinctive and botanically diverse areas. Veteran nature writer Johnny Molloy welcomes you to enjoy these beautiful and often surprising wild areas, guiding you safely there and back again. Molloy renders the sometimes primitive trails accessible to both beginner and more intrepid hikers, from families with small children to dedicated wilderness wanderers. Spotlighting the best hikes in all four of North Carolina's national forests--Nantahala, Pisgah, Uwharrie, and Croatan, ranging from the mountains to...

This unique hiking guide to the southern Appalachian mountains leads readers to explore the rich forest ecosystems and other natural communities visitors encounter along the trail. Drawing on years of experience guiding forest walks throughout the region, Steph Jeffries and Tom Wentworth invite hikers and nature lovers to see their surroundings in new ways. Readers will learn to decipher clues from the tree canopies, forest floor, and other natural features to appreciate more fully the environmental factors that make the southern Appalachians home to an amazing biodiversity.

These...