Why don't we post the best places in the South for outdoors related stuff? Like hikes, rafting, downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, camping, rock climbing, nature walks, seaside walks, snowshoeing, beaches, swimmin' holes, mountain biking, road biking, kayaking, places to meditate, whatever. Where do you like to be when doing this stuff?

Maybe it's a national park. Maybe you have a favorite trail, or you really dig a certain place to hike or you love rock climbing at a certain place. Perhaps it's the view from the top of a certain mountain you like best. Or maybe there's an area you like to go in order to do a bunch of things.

Please post your favorites. Should be interesting to see what everyone comes up with! We would like lots of responses, so fire away. [We are not looking for information on campgrounds, B&Bs, resorts, etc...this is for "public" places.]

I'll make this topic stick to the top for reference purposes!

I happen to know an awful lot of places in NC.  Take for example Bryson City or nearby Sylva and Dilsborro.  Sylva is a bit of a college town (Western Carolina).  All these towns pushy up against the Smokey mountains and have their share of tree huggers and river hippies. Asheville is only 45 minutes to an hours drive where you could find a nice selection of gay bars for such a small town.

 In this area there is a great campground on Fontana lake.  The lake is 40 miles long and nearly undeveloped.  One side is the Smokey mountains and the other is Nantahala National forest. Although it is a damned lake the water beyond the coves is crystal clear and can be around 80 degrees in the summer time. 

There are mountain biking and horse back riding trails right by the campground (they alternate the trails so that you don't have both on the same trail).  There are some amazing hikes to remote waterfalls that fall into great plunge pools.

For kayaking you have both whitewater and flatwater.  The lake would offer an amazing flatwater experience.  The Nantahala outdoor center is very close by for some beginner intermedite whitewater kayaking and mellow rafting.  The Tuckaseege is a good beginner river that you could float down.  For the solid intermediate there is the upper Nantahala and for the advance the Nantahala cascades.  The latter two however are not always running.  In the dead of a dry summer you'd have to drive 1 1/2 to the Ocoee or settle for the lower Nanty.

There is also skiing in the area though the best skiing in the southeast (other than Snowshoe in WV) would be in the Boone NC area which could be another favorate spot offering many of the same activities along with cute towns (Boone is a college town and Blowing rock is an upscale tourist town).  There is even a gay campground near this area.  While this area is beautiful it is less earthy and wild than the towns near the Smokey Mountains.

 I LOVE Sylva and Dilsboro – great little towns.  Further away from you but still in the Blueridge are Jefferson and West Jefferson.  The towns don't have quite the same charm, but the nearby New River has some great rec opportunities.  Beautiful area, and very cool in summer compared to Charlotte.  I remember we had absolutely no mosquitoes.

Something I recommend to everyone heading to Charlotte is the U.S. National Whitewater Center – its a multi-sport rec center on the Catawba River, the main feature being rafting and kayaking on the Class 1 through 4 man-made rapids – used for Olympic and whitewater rescue training.  They also have rock walls, zip lines and many miles of single track bike trails.  Even couch potatoes will enjoy watching the activities from the restaurant overlooking the class 3 & 4 rapids.  You don't need any previous experience for rafting.  To kayak the rapids you do, or you need to start with their intro training course which I've done.  It's awesome!

This message was edited by Matt-choo on 6-11-10 @ 9:37 PM

The Pinhoti Trail in AL runs 137.9 miles from Bulls Gap along hwy 148 to the GA border which connects to the GA pinhoti which connects with the AT. I have hiked the whole of Pinhoti in AL and most of the connector trails throughout, some beautiful scenery, especially fall through spring, summer is too hot to be on the trail, winter can be quite hazardous with the ice and snow on the mountain tops. There are about 10 shelters along the trail, never stayed in one, always use the tent, the trail also traverses close to Cheaha State Park, the highest peak in AL, beautiful area, there are lakes along the trails to cool off, or for me, its the cool mt streams.