Year of the Trail in North Carolina – Featured Trails in May and a Spotlight on Waterfall Trails

Waterfall in a forest

With 2023 being designated Year of the Trail in North Carolina, we’re shining a spotlight on many of the great trails in the North Carolina mountains. We have some awesome trails to share with you this month to help you get outdoors and explore.

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Our Favorite Things – Seasonal Farmers Markets and Farm Stands

This year, we’ve put together Our Favorite Things: a short list of places near the Inn on Mill Creek B&B where you can find the stuff that brings joy in 2023. This month, we feature the fabulous farm stands and tailgate/farmers markets where you can grab a snack during your trip or an edible souvenir (local honey is always a winner), and you can often also find jewelry and craftwork from local artisans:

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Year of the Trail in North Carolina – Featured Trails in April and a Spotlight on the Old Fort Gateway Trails

All year long during the Year of the Trail in North Carolina, we’re highlighting trails in our neck of the woods. April is a month of seasonal change – read on for some fantastic trails to get your spring nature fix.

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Our Favorite Things – Places to See Spring Blooms

This year, we’ve put together Our Favorite Things: a short list of places near the Inn on Mill Creek B&B where you can find the stuff that brings joy. Springtime around here is all about flowers and we’ve got some local outdoor spaces in our neck of the woods that will boost your mood with beautiful blooms.

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Year of the Trail in North Carolina – Featured Trails in March and a Catawba Falls Trail Update

Hiking trail leading through a forested landscape with sun shining on the path and a square trail marker on one tree to the right of the trail

With 2023 designated the Year of the Trail in North Carolina, it’s the perfect time to check out one of the fabulous trails in western North Carolina. To get you started on your early springtime trail exploration, we’ve put together some featured trails for March.

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Explore Black Mountain’s Foodie Scene with a Food Tour

One thing that sets Black Mountain apart from other small towns in western North Carolina is the depth of fantastic local restaurants. Of course, there’s farm-to-table, but also gastropubs, pizza joints, casual fine dining, several restaurants with international menus, and more. With so many choices, a great way for foodies to expand their horizons is through a guided tour by Creative Mountain Food Tours.

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Blue Ridge Parkway Hike: Graveyard Fields and Its Waterfalls

If you’re looking for a super-scenic day trip hike while staying with us here at Inn on Mill Creek near Asheville, NC, consider a drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway to Graveyard Fields. Is it a graveyard? Nope. Is it a field? You could say that… but it’s so much more. Let’s explore.

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North Carolina Mountain Birds: Swainson’s Thrush

Close up of a medium sized brown bird with speckled chest facing sideways on a branch in the woods

In the spring, we see lots of migratory birds in western North Carolina — some hang around for the spring and summer, while others are just passing through on their way to another destination. One of those “just passing through” birds is our May 2016 pick in our 12 Months of Birding at the Inn blog series: the Swainson’s Thrush.

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