ASHEVILLE, N.C. (June 2, 2006) — Tucked away in remote locations and sometimes hidden from the ordinary world, swimming holes and lazy rivers are the original water parks of summer.
Modern day Huck Finn’s are still drawn to the freedom of nature’s bathing spots, preferring them to the manmade, concrete alternative. And, nowhere are they more prevalent than the Southern Appalachians where mountain streams meander among the highest peaks in the Eastern U.S., spilling over ledges to create storybook settings for a summertime swim or a memorable end to an outdoor adventure.
According to American Express Travel, that is increasingly what travelers are looking for when they get away from home. A recent study found that families are increasingly drawn to active and experience-driven travel opportunities. Nationwide, 62 percent of agents are now booking more outdoor adventure family trips this year. And, as baby boomers seek to reclaim their youth, grabbing hold of a rope to swing out over a mountain pool or tubing down a rollicking stream is more reality than imagination.
Terry Seyden, with the U.S. National Forest Service in North Carolina sees it all the time when both the young and old, take the plunge at Sliding Rock, a natural water slide in the Pisgah National Forest near Asheville, North Carolina.
Fueled by 11,000 gallons of water pumped down the rock each minute, this natural water slide, located south on U.S. 276 off the Blue Ridge Parkway, is just one of a hundred or so waterfalls and swimming spots that grace the mountains around Asheville. The 60-foot slab of gently sloping rock is wildly popular with those who want to master the slide into the pool of chilly mountain water below.
“Forget the beach, water play in the mountains is much more invigorating and memorable,” Seyden said, adding that the unique combination of weather, topography and time have created a tremendous diversity of water-based activities throughout the Asheville area and the broader Blue Ridge region. Some of the more popular spots for cooling off include:
- Looking Glass FallsJust down the road from Sliding Rock off U.S. 276 heading south off the Blue Ridge Parkway, the base of this 80-foot falls is popular for cooling off and wading. Caution is advised around the falls.
- Graveyard FieldsA short hike through native rhododendron takes visitors to the falls where large slabs of rock become choice spots for sunbathing or picnicking. A short distance further, the Yellowstone Prong of the Pigeon River becomes shallow, slow and lazy, dotted with small gravel islands that make it a cooling off spot for even the youngest family members. The trailhead is located at mile marker 296.4 on the Blue Ridge Parkway, about 40 minutes from Asheville.
- Carolina HemlockAt the Carolina Hemlock campground along the South Toe River, adults and children can cool off in the chilly water that comes off Mt. Mitchell, the highest peak in the Eastern U.S. Large slabs of rocks are ideal for sunbathing or jumping, as the deepest part drops to 14 feet. The river runs along NC 80 North off of the Blue Ridge Parkway.
- Davidson RiverHead into the Pisgah National Forest for the best site for tubing. Visitors can rent tubes for $4 dollars a day.
Each summer, the experts from Blue Ridge Outdoors magazine also identify favorite swimming holes throughout the Southern Appalachians. A selection of those sites and a link to the magazines list can be found here.
If swimming holes are the insider secret of the Southeast mountains, whitewater rafting is the gospel preached by its outdoor water enthusiasts. With some of the most exhilarating wilderness rivers in the eastern U.S., Western North Carolina is considered the whitewater capital.
River rafting trips are among the most popular choices for families, says David Brown, executive director of the Adventure Travel Trade Association (www.adventuretravel.biz), a Knoxville, Tennessee-based international association representing active travel outfitters, tour companies and outdoor educators.“Parents seek the bonding and communication that naturally occurs with an outdoor/adventure vacation,” Brown said.
The French Broad River, which runs through Asheville, N.C., has long, peaceful stretches that can accommodate family raft rides, and whitewater rapids perfect for kayaks and canoe enthusiasts. The wide river winds among the mountains of the Pisgah National Forest, offering eight miles of numerous small rapids and several larger ones with placid pools that are perfect for swimming.
Other challenging trips are offered along the Nantahala, Pigeon and Nolichucky Rivers, not far Asheville.
For more information and a list of outdoor adventure outfitters in the Asheville area, call (800) 280-0005, or visit www.exploreasheville.com.
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