Five Great East Coast USA Outdoor Adventures
Carolina Hemlock Rec Area in the Pisgah National Forest in North Carolina.
With a recent ascent to the highpoint of North Carolina (Mount Mitchell) in the Pisgah National Forest I was reminded of the jaw dropping beauty and the opportunities to experience outdoor adventures east of the Mississippi River. The several days I spent in North Carolina and Tennessee and driving past spots in Kentucky constantly reminded me of the beauty on the East Coast. In this article I share five great East Coast USA Outdoor Adventures. I would recommend all of them if you haven’t given them a whirl.
The top of Mt Mitchell hinted that very “East Coast” slogan as the summit sign proclaimed “Highest Peak East of the Mississippi.” Afterwards it had me thinking about some of the great spots I have experienced in this region of the Planet. As someone who has spent a majority of their time over the past year on the West Coast. And before that most of my hiking in the mountains of Colorado and Canyons of Utah it’s easy to neglect the East Coast (Hence why Wu-Tang Clan is always reminding us of its greatness!) The West is unbelievable, there’s no doubt.
But there are definitely INCREDIBLE spots to see and witness in the Eastern portion of the United States.
Everglades National Park, Florida.
Whether you are coming from the West Coast, overseas, or reside in the East but typically save your adventures for places like Montana, Alaska, Arizona or other “West Coast Wild Spots” these might just be hidden gems for your next trip!
Cheers to the East with no disrespect in any way to the West!
Looking Glass Rock Trail, Pisgah National Forest.
Pisgah National Forest, North Carolina.
Asheville North Carolina is the “Boulder” of the Mountain West and the “Sedona” of the American Southwest. A place of jaw dropping beauty built by hippies and artists now being somewhat overtaken by massages, retreats, and expensive restaurants. Nevertheless outside of Asheville and its surrounding towns lays this epic National Forest.
You can find it via the Blue Ridge Parkway or via several other entry points. Some must adventures include the summit to the High Point of North Carolina (Mount Mitchell and its 12 mile RT 3,700 foot elevation gain day hike), Looking Glass Rock, Sliding Rock, Catawba Falls, doing a section hike on the Appalachian Trail and a summit of Hump Mountain, or visit the remains of Rattlesnake Lodge. Just to name a few.
Finish your adventure with one of dozens of amazing tent camping spots or grab a lodge in the lesser known but equally epic mountain towns like Hot Springs or Boone North Carolina.
Check out our buds over at Happy People Hike on their “Favorite Waterfall Hikes in Western North Carolina” article HERE. Perfect to combine with a trip to Pisgah!
Photo Cred Below: Dan G, Co-Founder, Happy People Hike.
Everglades National Park, Florida.
One of the largest and most tranquil of the 63 US National Parks you can choose to hike, bicycle, kayak, bird watch, boat, and more in the largest Subtropical Wilderness in the United States. Just keep an eye out for gators and panthers when you venture into this paradise!
The Everglades is a great stop if you are headed to or fro the Miami Area or the Florida Keys. Summer is a good time to avoid this park so consider it for a winter getaway or maybe an outdoor adventure rendition of the old Florida Spring Breaks (You know when the crowds would flood Daytona and Panama City in the 80’s). If you like wildlife, beautiful wide open spaces, and a variety of ways to adventure then the Everglades is for you!
White Mountain National Forest, New Hampshire.
While Acadia in Maine and the Long Trail in Vermont get a lot of chatter amongst hikers and backpackers in the Northeast the coldest, windiest, and most dangerous mountain of them all resides in between the two states. Welcome to Mount Washington and the White Mountains in New Hampshire. Gorgeous for summer backpacking, beautiful to leaf peep and trail run in the autumn foliage, and downright wild to experience on cross country skies or gaiters in the winter the White Mountains has it all. They cover about a quarter of the state and they have huts available for rent. This is a wilderness that makes you grateful for the freedoms of open spaces in the US’s parks and forests that amplifies the state slogan of NH “Live Free or Die.”
The Upper Peninsula, Michigan.
The UP for short is the reason the Pure Michigan commercials exist. From the largest island on Lake Superior and the least visited lower 48 US National Park in Isle Royale to blueberry picking to shoreline cycling to beach bluff sand dune hiking to mountain biking in forests and MUCH MORE. The bottom line is the UP of Michigan will make you be curious about what world you have just accidentally entered.
This magical splice of the US is harder to reach than most realize. From my old space in Columbus Ohio it was a 12 hour drive to the upper reaches of the UP, while Detroit was within a few hours. Its far off on the beaten path and a tranquil area. My time hiking and backpacking on Isle Royale was one of my favorite National Park experiences to date.
I had to give my virtual address residence and former home state pre nomad life some love here didn’t I?! I have written extensively about adventuring in Ohio but one true, and rugged gem, in the state that is very unique is the Buckeye Trail in Ohio. This 1,444 mile long National Scenic Trail circles the state of Ohio. Passing through forests, highways, farmlands, and more it’s a very tough “thru-hike” or “section-hike.” Nowhere near as maintained in parts as the AT or PCT this scenic trail still gives you trail magic, national parks, Ohio’s beautiful cities, and of course your fair share of poison ivy, faulty maps, snakes, and sketchy farm road crossings that the true long distance hiker has come to expect and love!
I have hiked about 20-25 miles of the Buckeye Trail and there’s always something special about setting foot on something that is a part of something bigger than your day hike. Knowing that the trail goes over 1,400 miles in diameter and a team of incredible humans have worked to maintain, protect, and create this trail is mind blowing and epic to me!
Mount Mitchell’s Summit Sign and its May hail was the inspiration for this article and topic but I should have written it a LONG TIME AGO! There are a plethora of amazing adventures on the East Coast of the United States.
Mount Washington, White Mountains, New Hampshire.
In every nook and cranny in the US and in all countries lies Outdoor Adventure. Even in the Eastern portion of the US that gets much less hub than its brothers and sisters out West and in the Mountain Regions in the middle. Nonetheless the charm is there, the adventures await, and if you have an open mind that adventure is everywhere it will allow you to experience “east of the Mississippi” as a special place more than one might have ever imagined!
Thanks for reading, thank you for being here. Share your fave spot in the East of the US in the comments.
Because Adventure Feeds the Soul,
Mike R
The UP of Michigan is pretty far from Florida!