Surviving the season: From migration to hibernation, the animal kingdom has many ways of making it through winter. Also,  harrowing, historical tales of snowstorm survival, and the preservation story of the hellbender—the world's largest salamander.

Plus: the Blue Ridge Heritage Music Trail; Tennessee author Denton Loving on life's greatest questions; cheese, collards, and sweet potatoes; and Georgia's Cabbage Patch Kids get back to their roots.

Big South Fork country is a landscape of sedimentary canyons, gorges, rivers, side streams, rock spires, natural bridges and arches. Front and center in this impressive plateau landscape is a 125,000-acre Federal preserve called the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area.

Also: Haunted Abingdon, Virginia; three generations in one orchard; see West Virginia on two wheels; taking a break in Traveler's Rest, South Carolina; and a bittersweet goodbye to Grandad Ernie’s Crow Tree.

The 44th annual Mountain Heritage Day is a community event at Western Carolina University that showcases traditional Southern Appalachian culture through music, dance, skills and crafts. Also: ‘Grow Appalachia’ helps people in regional communities grow their own healthy gardens.

Plus: You may not be familiar with the name, but legendary producer Jim Rooney is a behind-the-scenes guy who has truly made big things happen. Ronni Lundy’s kale-potato cakes with tomato gravy hit the spot on an Appalachian table. Join two groups working to save bees and butterflies. Words like comfortable, interesting and enjoyable come to mind to enjoy the Waynesville, North Carolina, experience.

Dale Chihuly’s large-scale glass sculptures will be on display throughout the Biltmore Estate in Asheville this summer. Plus, thousands are expected at the World Equestrian Games at the Tryon International Equestrian Center. Competitors who make it to Tryon in September will feature the world’s best equestrian athletes and horses from more than 70 countries.

Also: You can find Korean seafood pancakes in Appalachia, but where is the food to match our mountains? A firefly talk with the Smokies bugmaster. Hiking to one of the park’s most inviting destinations. A trip to Helen, with bratwurst on our mind. A private showing of one of the region’s most ruggedly beautiful scenes.

Acclaimed author Wiley Cash talks about the muse of mountain beauty. Mary Casey-Sturk looks at the fabulous phenomenon of flapjacks in eastern Tennessee. And with wildflowers everywhere in the Smokies, Jim Parham talks about how his latest book combines popular hikes with flowery points of interest.

Also: Cherokee Little People in Hickory Nut Gap; touring around Townsend, Tennessee; Texas singer Rodney Crowell talks music and life; red spruce revival; new happenings in Lexington, Kentucky; and wanderliciousness in northern Georgia.

Equipped with paint, chalk, brushes, ropes and two helpers, Rock CIty's Clark Byers drove the highways and byways of Appalachia looking for barns and willing barn owners. One hundred years ago, the prime mode of transportation from the Great Smoky Mountains to the big cities was a steam locomotive. Today, riding historical and tourist lines in the area is a connection to that past.

Also: take a journey to see the elk in the Cataloochee Valley; read about truffles and coffee in the Smokies; stroll through an espaliered garden; and learn about the Natchez, regarded by the Cherokee as “a race of wizards and conjurers.”

Time-honored traditions exemplify the work of the Southern Highland Craft Guild. Our 12 Crafters for Christmas collection offers a variety of Christmas gifts that represent the legacy of handcraft. Plus: Gatlinburg, Tenn., reflects on the forest fires one year later; and Pigeon Forge gears up for year-round snow tubing.

Also: Shine made in Maggie Valley, North Carolina, hits the spot, yet homemade caramelized apple cider punch might punch the ticket for the rest of us. Syrup shines in Ashe County, North Carolina, and Georgia's Dillard House keeps family-style in style.

For Appalachian settlers, necessity was the mother of invention. Today, crafters and innovators have innumerable resources from which to draw, yet the goal is the same—to make something useful with one’s hands. From pickles to kayaks, Smoky Mountain Living takes a peek at some of what mountain dwellers are making.

Also: Cideries and cider celebrations are booming in Henderson County, North Carolina; four hikes that offer a variety of autumnal perspectives of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park; Books writer Jeff Minick offers help with holiday shopping, and Jim Casada takes a look at a sportsman for the ages.

Tennessee boasts more cave systems than any other state. We've got your guide to what is known about the state’s show caves, and some insight into what is still unknown.

Also: our occasional series AT Weekends divvies up southern sections into short trips with suggested itineraries for trail towns; "Rocky Top" turns 50; exploring the outdoor side of the Biltmore estate; a dispatch from the southwestern Virginia Hot Dog Trail; making sweet cheeses at Sweetwater Valley Farm; and Wilma Dykeman’s forgotten memoir illuminates the path which the writer would later travel.

A once-in-a-lifetime total solar eclipse is coming to the Great Smoky Mountains on August 21. We’ve got a complete guide to the eclipse from the science to a look at what you can expect. 

Plus: WDVX’s “Blue Plate Special” takes you to a melodic crossroads in Southern Appalachia; the MoonPie’s proud history as a working man’s snack shines on its 100th birthday; a mountain swamp; rafting the Pigeon River; and hitting the high points in Black Mountain, N.C.

Forest ﬁres burned tens of thousands of acres in the Smokies last fall fueled by extreme drought and high winds. Was it the perfect storm or the new norm? 

Also: our occasional series AT Weekends divvies up southern sections into short trips with suggested itineraries for trail towns; breweries band together with historic preservation; fried pies offer a bite of "heaven on a plate"; and pickled eggs bring back road trip memories.

Change up your perspective: Eleven high-flying adventures to give you a new perspective on the beauty and excitement of the mountains.

Also: 'Serafina' daughters mill metal into robots; mountain businesses give back to the community; meet the Angel of Brasstown; and get acquainted with storyteller/writer John Parris.

A dozen of our favorite holiday destinations around Southern Appalachia offer mountain merry-makers a bit of everything—from homespun traditions such as open-hearth cooking and Yule log burning to festive glamour and glitz.

Also: down-home cooking and lofty aspirations for the new year; winter adventure destination for the outdoors and good reading for those fireside nights.

From banjos to bamboo fly rods, mountain crafts endure and take on new heights in the hands of these top notch artisans.

Also: Rudolphe Ingerle, the underappreciated painter of the Smokies; the hip new scene in Knoxville, Tenn.; a country store carries on; plus, planting for pollinators.

The mountains drive these women to extremes—climbing the steepest rock faces, paddling the fastest rapids, biking the most gnarled trails. But what really motivates them is sharing their gifts with outdoors enthusiasts looking for a new challenge.

Also: iconic Appalachian folk singer Ola Belle Reed; cornbread and chow-chow; shape note singing; and, a scenic byway in the South Carolina foothills.

Enjoy the view, all to yourself — Hikers, outdoorsmen, photographers, and locals reveal their favorite treasures of “the back of beyond”—from secluded trails and fishing streams to quiet overlooks and picnic spots.

Also: atomic secrets in Oak Ridge, Tennessee; pickle relish and Decoration Day; preserving garden bounty for the winter; and a writer rediscovers his ancestral roots in Henderson County, North Carolina. 

Master craftsman Hobey Ford has built a life as one of a kind as the puppets he creates in the mountains of Western North Carolina. Also, an ode to the 20th-century renaissance man Felix E. Alley, a judge and the author of the banjo ballad “Kidder Cole.”

Plus: spring ephemerals and Appalachian Trail thru-hikers; a bird sanctuary in Tennessee and nirvana in West Virginia; sweet potato gardening tips; and new ways to eat collard greens and ramps.

Chefs, brewers, distillers, bakers, farmers, and country cooks are preserving traditions and redefining the flavor of Southern Appalachia, from A to Z. Also, a handful of organizations are seeking to lift the spirits of horses that have fallen upon hard times, and use recovery to the benefit of horse and human alike.

Plus: a fiery cold remedy; making the most of moss; indoor climbing adventures; Big Easy cuisine in Brevard, N.C.; and an Appalachian mill town finds rebirth in bluegrass.

This time of year, folks come together anywhere there’s a hearth to gather around, whether tiny houses on wheels or historic mansions flickering with candlelight. Plus: Four writers muse on the season as they reflect on family memories.

Also: The forgotten postcards of photographer Louis E. Jones offer a glimpse into 1920s life in Gatlinburg, Tennessee; a wassail recipe; cakes to bake for company; a carousel is born in Kingsport, Tennessee; and families flock for Fraser firs.

From baskets to blue jeans, guitars and kayaks to hot sauce—our picks for the region’s best artisanal goods put fresh spins on time-honored craftsmanship. Also, historic Rugby, Tennessee—the most haunted town in America, according to some—summons creative forces as well as the enduring legacies of its 19th-century founders.

Plus: the Virginia Creeper trail; Native American petroglyphs in South Carolina; metalwork on display in Tennessee; and our folklore columnist sizes up the woolly worm and its place in fall forecasting and festivities.

From craft schools to local workshops, hands-on learning opportunities abound in these mountains. Learn to weave a basket, cast a fly line, brew beer, take better photos, and more. Also: follow in the footsteps of Emma Gatewood, the 67-year-old who became the first woman to walk all five million steps of the Appalachian Trail by herself.

Plus: pecan pie and lemonade; a review of Ron Rash's latest novel; albums by regional talents including the Steep Canyon Rangers; and reflections on the Chattanooga-made MoonPie.

50 events that put us on the map: Mountains form the backbone of Southern Appalachia—and tourism is our bedrock. From the national parks movement to the opening of Dollywood, these 50 events raised our profile.

Also: hitting the high notes of folklorist Joe Wilson's life and career; Plott hounds and the character of the Smokies; life lessons from peaches; synchronous fireflies, regional authors, and the ubiquitous dream catcher.

A breath of fresh mountain air is like a drink from the fountain of youth in Asheville, Boone and Blowing Rock, and the Tri-Cities. Also: Goats and cows and farmers, oh my—see the faces of the Western North Carolina Cheese Trail.

Plus: hiking 911 and birding 101; the salt and pepper shaker museum; biscuits and gravy; garden tips and tonics; and exploring the roots of blue bottle trees.

Appalachian Trail hikers celebrate their journey at annual festivals held in trailside communities. Also, get out and get down with Knoxville, Tenn.’s, high-concept Big Ears music and arts festival.

Plus: Burnsville's storied Nu Wray Inn; a chat with author Ron Rash, listening rooms for all tastes; and a short story collection that celebrates the South.

Leave the lights on: animals and plants that lurk in the woods, Appalachian folklore and superstition, ghostly figures, and the difficult histories of some persecuted peoples. Also, moonshine smugglers take their skills to the track—and a sport is born.

Also: Shovels and Rope's dirge songs and murder ballads; medicinal plants; fried bologna sandwiches; and Bob Timberlake's conservation commitment.

The lay of the land: map traditions meet new tech; Japanese immigrant George Masa's images captured a future National Park; splendor specialists make art en plein air; and the Cradle of Forestry celebrates America's timber harvest and conservation.

Also: stamp collecting; lodging with flair at Primland; the American Chestnut's comeback; and musings on a life spent landscaping.

Summer is made for exploration: soar across the mountains in a hot air balloon; read along as two universities let students explore nature's thrills; turn trash to treasure; and learn what adventure companies are doing to bring the excitement.

Also: Asheville, N.C.'s Caleb Johnson enters the American Idol spotlight; and textile artists turn quilting into fine works in East Tennessee.

A taste of Appalachia: a community helps farmers connect to chefs; cookbooks mark a moment in time; servers provide the final link in farm-to-table; and writer Paul Clark looks at how Native Americans and the Scots-Irish influenced regional cuisine.

Also: hankering for hog; hip-hop dance in East Tennessee; tiny songstress sings it louder; and taking a ride on the great gravy boat to the sky.

Meet the neighbors: revitalized Asheville neighborhood attracts hip new residents; model railroad club lays tracks for a community; communities build social capital through block parties; and wild neighbors play integral roles in the ecosystem.

Also: the Legend of Tom Dooley lives on; museum celebrates all things Earl Scruggs; a closer look at Haywood County, N.C.'s Harmon's Den; and blissful brussels sprouts and deviled eggs hold a secret.

Community fibers: Unraveling mountain myths, and knitting's resurgence. Also, original stories by Donald Davis, Dawn Gilchrist, and Tommy Hays.

Plus: White Duck tacos; a word with Woody Platt of the Steep Canyon Rangers; getting a thrill on Mystery Hill; and the many faces of Chimney Rock.

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Celebrating the Southern Appalachians. Smoky Mountain Living magazine celebrates the Southern Appalachians’ food, culture, music, art, and special places in six issues each year. From the Blue Ridge Parkway’s scenic curves to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park’s wild backcountry, from small town treasures to the urban centers of Asheville and Knoxville, Smoky Mountain Living is dedicated to the region. 

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Smoky Mountain Living - December/January 2015

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