october-2010

MAX PATCH: EXPLOREASHEVILLE.COM
says. “You’ll really feel deep in the forest as
the trees, in their fall brilliance, become a
colorful blur.” If you can tear your eyes away
from the enveloping greenery (orangeery?),
you may spot white-tailed deer,
gray foxes or American black bears. Open
through Nov. 28; $85/adults, $75/children;
18 miles from Asheville; navitat.com
FIELD OF DREAMS The grassy
bald on Max Patch Mountain
offers stunning views of
surrounding mountains.
TRAVEL REPORT: NORTH CAROLINA
COLOR
COMMENTARY
The Asheville Convention
and Visitors Bureau posts
weekly color reports and
suggestions for where to
see the leaves at fallinthe
mountains.com, or follow
@FallColorHunter on Twitter
for tips.
Scale a Mountain
You’ll be tempted to scurry up the 100-foot
face of Vista Rock at Chimney Rock Park
as fast as you can just to reach the pay-off:
a dazzling array of vibrant shades below.
“From the vantage point, as the name suggests,
it’s a phenomenal view of Hickory
Nut Gorge and Lake Lure, with the colors
spreading down the mountain,” says Adam
Fox, the owner of Fox Mountain Guides
and a 20-year climber. The park has a partnership
with Fox Mountain Guides, which
offers two-, four- or eight-hour clinics ranging
from beginner to advanced, as well as
15-minute weekend “taster” courses. “What
we offer is very unique in the world of rock
climbing,” Fox says. “Usually you have
to drive and then hike to a remote location;
Chimney Rock is literally right here.”
(Fun fact: The last 17 minutes of The Last
of the Mohicans were filmed in Chimney
Rock Park.) 25 miles from Asheville; chim
neyrockpark.com; foxmountainguides.com
Get Wet ‘n Wild
If those lazy river waterpark rides float your
boat, a guided whitewater rafting tour on
the Nantahala River is the perfect autumn
option. Sit back, relax and enjoy the lush,
Nantahala National Forest views on the
clear, relatively calm, Class I and II waters.
“The boat does a lot of floating, so there
are plenty of chances to sit and just look up
at the mountainside,” says Mark “Pappy”
Hedge, head guide at Wildwater LTD. But
don’t get too comfortable: The ride ends
with a raging Class III rapid. $45/person;
Bryson City, NC (64 miles from Asheville);
wildwaterrafting.com
OCTOBER 2010 GO MAGAZINE
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