River

Waynesboro, Va

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I carry my childhood close to my heart. I didn’t really realize what effect it had on me until later in life, when I started having kids and after my mom’s passing. Several times I find myself wondering what I was like at ages that correspond to my kids’ ages. I love re-visiting special places from when I was young so I can pass those fun memories onto my kids and, also, selfishly so I can feel the spirit of my childhood.

As I’ve written about in the past, my mom was big on taking us to local parks and libraries. My dad, who worked all day at IBM, always spent late evenings and long Saturdays with us on the soccer field or in the backyard. My parents were also really big on introducing us to different experiences, mostly outdoorsy ones like skiing, water sports, and animal husbandry (turkeys, ducks, dogs… you name it and we had it). Though my aunt lived 90 minutes away in Charlottesville, she also played a big part in my childhood. My parents often met her halfway at a car dealership on Route 29 and she’d whisk us away for some type of crazy adventure that usually involved hiking, camping and swimming!

My aunt’s old farmhouse

One of the favorite places my aunt used to take us was to Mint Springs Valley Park in Crozet, Va. So, when we planned out our 2018 summer trips (not a typo, that’s how far behind in writing I am), I suggested camping in Central Virginia so I could get back to Mint Springs.

Mint Springs Valley Park

Mint Springs Valley Park is nestled in the mountains of Albemarle County sitting at 1,000ft in elevation. As soon as we drove up, the tree-lined entrance took me back to being 10 years old again. The park seemed just as I remembered, though so much time had passed. We drove past the stocked fishing pond and to the main parking lot outside the swimming lake.

The swimming lake sits between the mountains and features a large sandy beach with designated swimming area. It’s a great place to bring noodles, floats and small inner tubes. The swimming area has at least two lifeguards on duty – one on the sandy beach and one on the wooden dock. The wooden dock sits about 25 yards from shore, and makes for a great spot to sun and jump into the deep water. As a tribute to my childhood, I swam the 25 yards to the dock and sat with my feet dangling over the water and waving to my family back on shore. I thought about old trips with my aunt and siblings where we jumped over and over from the dock into the colder, deeper water. And then, without hesitation, I plunged into the water and swam back to shore.

After swimming and picnicking on shore, we drove to the fishing pond, where we tried to catch some fish. Without any live bait we didn’t have much luck fishing. But, we did enjoy the peacefulness of the pond, casting from the dock, and using our nets to catch and release minnows.

Camping

We stayed for three nights over Fourth of July weekend at North 340 Campground. Overall, it’s a great campground with all the amenities – swimming pool, full hook-ups, camp store, and playground. The campground even hosted a Patsy Cline tribute singer one night, who was really fabulous! The girls loved biking around the campground and per usual, met friends to swing with at the playground and shared sparklers with neighbors. However, we felt the campsites were very closely packed next to each other. We could definitely hear the comings and goings of our neighbors who had a large group of people and dogs.

Exploring Waynesboro

When we weren’t swimming at the campground or at Mint Springs we explored all over the Waynesboro area. From caves to breweries, farms, and downtown parks, we did it all!

Grand Caverns

The morning after exploring Mint Springs, we headed to Grand Caverns in Grottoes, Va to explore the caves. Bernard Weyer (not the landowner) discovered the caves in 1804 when he was looking for his lost raccoon trap. Grand Caverns opened in 1806 to the public, and has hosted many tourists since then, including several Confederate and Union soldiers during the Civil War. Grand Caverns is an enormous space with many rooms to explore. Rivers once flowed through the rooms, and the cave is mostly formed into the hill so there’s not much cave space underground.

Grand Caverns conducts walking group tours that last about an hour. Our tour guide was super knowledgeable about the caverns and kept our group moving. He told us interesting facts about special events and church services held inside the caves in the 1800s, and pointed out unique stalagmites that seemed to take the shape of old presidential faces. Despite the lengthy tour, there was so much to admire that it held our kids’ attention.

After finishing the tour we enjoyed a picnic lunch at the large covered pavilion. The park also features hiking trails, fitness trail, swimming pool, playground and mini-golf. After lunch, we headed out to the Blue Ridge Parkway for a quick hike before storms came through.

The Slacks Overlook

Despite the name of this stop on the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Slacks Overlook (near milepost 20) does not have an overlook. We hoped to find the nearby White Rock Falls so we headed off on an unmarked trail behind the picnic tables hoping it was the White Rock Falls trail. The pull-off area did not have a map and our cell reception was not working, but we pushed on.

After hiking awhile we found a sign showing we were on the Slacks Trail. At the directional sign we continued towards the White Rock Gap Trail. After hiking a bit longer we never found the falls. We noticed stormy weather coming and with little things of interest on the hike, we decided to turn around. The girls also became super frustrated on this hike, which started the idea of bravery stones. They found stones on our hike to hold that helped them refocus and get back to the car with less crying. Since this hike, we’ve found many bravery stones on future trails.

Though our hike was a bust, we made it back to the car right before the heavens opened up on us. After further research I found a similar website highlighting more information about how to find the White Rock Falls waterfall. And, I feel better knowing he, too, had difficulty finding the falls at first.

Breweries

During our trip we explored Basic City Beer Co and Stable Craft Brewing. Even though both places are breweries, that’s where the similarities stop. Basic City Beer Co is located near the intersection of 340/250 at 1010 E. Main St in a renovated warehouse in the older downtown part of the city. The brewery’s name is a tribute to the history of the Waynesboro area, and features a cool steel structure outside. Basic City Beer Co is the first brewery I’ve been to that features an area in the back for food trucks to pull-up to and operate a mini storefront, complete with a counter – genius!! We enjoyed delicious food, played kid-friendly games, sampled beers, and can’t wait to return some day!

We visited Stable Craft Brewing after our big hike fail from above. Stable Craft Brewing is located in the western part of the city among the beautiful rolling countryside. We first visited this brewery in 2015 when it hadn’t quite opened yet, and was the setting for a friend’s wedding. I remember falling in love with this space then, and couldn’t believe the beauty of it the second time around.

Stable Craft Brewing is a working horse farm, special events venue, restaurant, and brewery all wrapped into one. We enjoyed some yummy dinner and beers inside, and then took the liberty to explore the farm before having a final beer overlooking the countryside. The girls loved climbing the spiral staircase out front to look over the barn, seeing inside the horse stalls, and waving to the horses from afar. If you are craving country hills and yummy beers, this is the place. Dare I say it rivals Rising Silo Brewery in Blacksburg??

Ridgeview Park

On a different day we explored Ridgeview Park located adjacent to the South River at 700 S. Magnolia Ave. With its huge open space, rolling hills, established trees and easy river access we all immediately fell in love with this park! Situated on 85 acres along the South River, this park also features a large outdoor swimming pool, ball fields, amphitheater, Serenity Garden, shelters, tennis courts, and soccer fields.

The girls played on the playground for awhile and then cooled off in the river. The South River is very shallow for a good stretch, making it pretty kid-friendly. We walked up and down the banks of the river and even rented kayaks from the nearby swimming pool for some extra activity. This park also features a pedestrian bridge that connects to a large neighborhood on the other side. Bill and I seriously checked Zillow for surrounding houses for sale – the proximity to the park and river would be amazing for any family!

Dining Out

We made most of our food at the campground, but did make it out for food a few times. After our big hike we made our way to Kline’s Dairy Bar for delicious ice cream. They’ve been around for 75 years, so it felt great to support such a historic spot.

For lunch one day we enjoyed coffees and light food at Farmhaus Coffee Co at 908 W. Main St. The weather was perfect for sitting outside on the patio, though they also have beautiful sitting areas inside, too. I loved the farmhouse decor, bookcases of books everywhere, and oh yeah – the food and coffee were delicious too!

Waynesboro, you exceeded all our expectations! We packed in so many adventures, but with the rural settings our trip still felt very peaceful and relaxing. We can’t wait to come back one day!

Thumbs up: Ridgeview Park, South River kayaking and access, breweries, peaceful rural settings, campground amenities, proximity to dining/hiking/adventure

Thumbs down: squished feeling at North 340 Campground, hiking trail signage at Slacks Overlook

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North Landing Beach RV Resort, Va

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Last summer we met up with Virginia friends at a convenient campground with easy beach access. We needed a place with rental cottages and RV spots, and after researching places we decided on North Landing Beach RV Resort. If you haven’t been to North Landing Beach (aka the NLB), it’s a little slice of heaven you have to experience. With its family-friendly beach, mix of camping and cabin rentals, super fun on-site events and secluded location, this place has it all!

Getting There

North Landing Beach RV Resort is located about 20 miles south of Virginia Beach at 161 Princess Anne Rd just north of the VA/NC border. It’s part of a peninsula that stretches across the NC/VA border and sits between the North Landing River and a few bays that dump into the Currituck Sound. Usually when you hear Currituck Sound you think of the Duck/Carova areas of NC. However, this place is in VA, close to the remote coastal community of Knotts Island and a ferry ride from the Outer Banks.

Driving from Raleigh, it took about 3 hours to reach North Landing Beach. Because of the campground’s unique location we drove through small towns of Elizabeth City and Moyock, both we hadn’t previously seen. We felt perplexed seeing newer neighborhoods scattered among all the farmlands. After talking to locals in the area, we learned that many families live out this way and commute up to the VA Beach/Newport News area for work.

The Campground

After check-in, we meandered through the gravel roads underneath the pine trees to our campsite. Our campsite (spot #625) was by far one of the best spots in the park. Located next to a canal, we enjoyed lots of waterfront space so we had plenty of room to spread out for fishing and being loud exploring. We could also easily holler to our friends staying in a rental cottage across the canal.

Speaking of rental cottages, our friends raved about the 2 bedroom cottage they stayed in for the weekend. It featured a full kitchen, small living area, full bathroom, two bedrooms, and deck overlooking the canal. Their location was convenient for using their kayak, being close to us, and having easy access to the beach.

After setting up our campsite, we explored the recreational amenities, community gathering spots, and beach areas. This campground features a large pool, a variety of sports courts, bounce house, putt-putt golf, kayak rentals, easy river beach access, and organized events/activities. We participated in the watermelon-eating contest, which was hilarious and brought out a competitive streak I hadn’t previously seen in my kids. We also rode on the super soaker float where we squirted campground guests with water guns! Watch out – some campers hid behind their RVs and soaked us with hoses!

On Saturday night we attended the low country boil and live music concert at the pavilion. The event was crowded, but the food line moved fairly quickly and the live music was greatly entertaining. The staff worked tirelessly to keep the food fresh, hot and delicious! We listened to the band play great cover music for at least an hour while our kids played independently nearby – win, win! Another night, we watched the private fireworks display set off by the campsite and it was unbelievable!

Play & Hike Outside

When we weren’t enjoying planned activities at the campground we spent most of our time at the beach. From our campsite, we walked less than five minutes to the beach. Being on a large river, the water was much calmer than the ocean, making it great for young families. The water was also pretty shallow, so the kids could swim out pretty far before needing to come in closer.

Since we visited over Father’s Day weekend, the dads enjoyed lots of fishing, though they didn’t catch much. The kids had recently started using nets to dredge up murk and look for tadpoles in bodies of fresh water. They brought their nets and buckets on this trip and although they didn’t find many tadpoles, they loved the hunt, especially with friends.

On Sunday morning we explored the nearby Charles Kurwalt trail on Mackay Island National Wildlife Refuge. The National Wildlife Refuge System manages lands and waters set aside to conserve America’s fish, wildlife, and plants. The Mackay Island refuge and surrounding waters support many species of resident and migratory fish and wildlife. We first stopped at the Charles Kuralt Overlook on the left-hand side of Marsh Causeway. The overlook provides beautiful views of the nearby marshes and that’s about all. Feeling disappointed, we continued south about 200 yards and found a roadside pull-off spot for the Great Marsh Trail.

The Great Marsh Trail is an easy 0.3 loop trail around a marsh. Despite some whining from the kids, it was a beautiful hike. We heard lots of wildlife and spotted several turtles in the water. We saw berry bushes, cattails, and flowering trumpet vines. Mackay Island refuge features more hiking trails, a visitor center and a sure way to escape in nature.

During our campground stay we met several families who live nearby, which we thought was unusual. They mentioned they love staying at NLB on the weekends, a real tribute to the daydreaming and fun anyone can have here.

Thumbs Up:

  • variety and uniqueness of fun activities and amenities
  • mix of rental cottages and rv spots
  • beautiful and calm river beach
  • sunset views

Thumbs Down:

  • nothing to report
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New Bern, NC

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If you’re looking to get out of Raleigh for the weekend, but don’t want to drive to the beach or mountains, head to the river instead! Last fall we took a quick weekend Winnie trip to New Bern, NC. We camped, hiked, explored museums and historical homes and walked around downtown. And, we took our time leaving on Sunday because it’s such an easy drive home!

Camping in New Bern

New Bern is located along the Neuse River about 2 hours east of Raleigh. The Neuse River near New Bern is much wider than near Raleigh and eventually dumps into the Pamlico Sound. We stayed at a fantastic KOA campground on a campsite adjacent to the playground. Though it was a super cold weekend with lows in the lower 40s, the Winnie’s heating system kept up and we slept very comfortably. 

This was our first KOA camping experience and it was crawling with kids and activities. The campground features a big pirate ship playground, miniature golf, a huge jumping pillow, a catch and release pond, and breathtaking waterfront views of the Neuse River. Both evenings we followed the short path to the waterfront and sat on the swings to catch views of the sunsets.

The campground is less than 10 minutes from downtown New Bern so it was super convenient for the price. Other than RV rental sites, they also offer rental cabins and tent sites, which all looked very nice. When we come back to New Bern, we’ll definitely stay at this KOA campground again.

Exploring Downtown New Bern

The first night we headed into downtown New Bern for dinner and to explore the shops during the Art Walk. We enjoyed a delicious seafood dinner of steamed crab legs, oysters, and clams and the girls tried their first alligator bites at MJs Raw Bar & Grille. Then, we walked through some of the nearby shops, which all seemed to be super dog friendly.

As we walked around we noticed the frequency of large life-size fiberglass bears everywhere. The girls loved taking pictures with them, and after a quick Google search we learned the founder of New Bern named the city after his native city of Berne, Switzerland. Bern means “bear” so the bear symbol is shown on the city flag and local artists painted the fiberglass bears in honor of the city’s 300th anniversary in 2010. 

Downtown New Bern is surrounded by the Trent River to the south and the Neuse River to the east. Though we didn’t make it down to the waterfront, we drove by a large waterfront park and several waterfront restaurants that looked fun for a future trip. 

Hiking in Croatan National Forest

The next morning we headed out to Croatan National Forest for a quick hike along the river. We drove about 20 minutes south of New Bern along US-70 to the Flanners Beach/Neuse River Recreation Area located at the end of Flanners Beach Rd. This area features picnic areas, restrooms, ample parking, hiking, biking, and a nearby campground. The campground has about 40 wooded sites (some with electric hook-ups) that accommodate RVs and tents.

The trailhead for Flanners Beach/Neuse River Loop Trail begins near the campground area. The path starts out paved and then transitioned to unpaved dirt and gravel after we hiked further into the forest. Ash and Claire weren’t in a prime hiking mood, so we quickly made a scavenger hunt game with scrap paper in Ash’s hiking backpack. Searching for natural items of different colors definitely cheered them up! 

This 2-mile loop trail features dense hardwoods, pines and ferns. The girls enjoyed picking up downed pieces of pine limbs and using them as sweepers to clear the pathways. The trail signage wasn’t very helpful, but having GPS on our phones helped us stay on the right loop. At one point we crossed a narrow wooden boardwalk over a marshy area before coming to beautiful views of the Neuse River. At the end we arrived back at the open recreation area and walked down the steps to explore the river’s shoreline. Being a cold morning, there weren’t many people out hiking and we had the beach to ourselves. The views from the shoreline were amazing; it’d be fun to explore this beach during the summer months.

Exploring Tryon Palace

Later in the afternoon we headed back to downtown New Bern to explore Tryon Palace. Tryon Palace is a Georgian-style mansion built between 1767 and 1770. It served as the first capitol building of North Carolina and home to Royal Governor Tryon and his family. Tryon moved to New York a year later and a new Royal Governor moved in until the start of the Revolutionary War. Patriots made the palace their capitol and the General Assembly met there to draft North Carolina as a new state. Subsequent NC governors used the palace and even George Washington visited the palace in 1791.

After Raleigh became the capitol in 1794, the palace served as a boarding house, school and for other purposes. A fire broke out in 1798 causing major devastation to the main house. The house stood in disrepair until local residents started a movement in the 1930s to raise money and awareness about potential renovation. In 1959, the palace opened to the public.

We attended a guided tour of the main house, which are held hourly on a first-come, first-serve basis. A lot of the furnishings in the palace are English. The guided tour lasts about 45 minutes and the tour guides wear period dress. After the main house tour, we walked through the kitchen and stables, which showed cooking and stable demonstrations, respectively. Finally, we walked through the English-style gardens behind the main house. The guided tour was the perfect amount of time for our kids (ages 4 and 6 at the time). They really enjoyed seeing the cooking demonstrations and playing old-time games on the front lawn.

After Tryon Palace, we headed over to the Pepsi Family Center to virtually travel back in time to 1835. We learned about New Bern’s history through hands-on activities with sailing a ship, making foods, and sewing a quilt. The girls chose interesting patterns for their quilt squares and the computer “sewed” them together. Their favorite activity involved playing unique roles on the ship to help guide it to its destination. 

Overall, we had such a fun weekend exploring New Bern, but I know we’ve just broken the ice with what the area has to offer. I was impressed with how family-friendly the historical places were and look forward to future excursions at New Bern. Next time, I’d love to explore the waterfront area and generally spend time on the water.

Additional Info:

Thumbs up: unique history center, beautiful river views, great campground amenities and convenience to New Bern, hands-on activities at history center, bustling downtown New Bern, variety of family-friendly places/activities

Thumbs down: poor signage on the hike

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Great Smoky Mountains, NC

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Like so many people at the end of last summer, we too, jumped on the total eclipse bandwagon and drove out to a remote part of NC to watch the phenomenon. It was a lot of firsts for our family – tailgating for science, visiting the Great Smoky Mountains, and exploring parts of NC west of Asheville. I’m not usually a follow-the-crowd type of gal, but my science lovin’ family wanted to be a part of it, so I was game too! 

Timberlake Campground

We wanted to stay within an easy drive to Andrews, NC (total eclipse central) and be close to the Smoky Mountains for hiking and exploring. So, we booked three nights at Timberlake Campground in Whittier, NC about 3 months ahead of time.  Timberlake Campground is located at 3270 Conleys Creek Rd between Sylva and Bryson City. A sweet couple owns and lives on the campground property, which features 50 sites. We stayed in one of the water/electric sites across from the playground on the stream side. The site was perfect for us – lots of shade and next to a creek where the girls “tubed up” and down for hours! With my birthday being so close to our trip, I brought my new birthday ENO hammock, which was ah-mazing! We felt comfortable letting the girls ride their bikes up and around the loop near our campsite.

When the campground owners aren’t in the camp store they rely on the honest system for people to pay. They even gave us a tour of their farm and let us collect their blue chicken eggs. Bill enjoyed taking the girls fishing in the pond

Oconaluftee Museum

The first day we drove into Great Smoky National Park and visited the super popular Oconaluftee Visitor Center and Museum. The museum is located at the southern end of the Blue Ridge Parkway just past Cherokee, NC at 1194 Newfound Gap Rd.

The Smoky Mountains get its name from the smoke-like mist coming off the mountains. The water vapor from the conifers mixes with the trees’ natural terpenes to give off the mist. It’s a beautiful site to see, especially early in the morning. We explored the indoor exhibits, which give some history and information about the history and early living conditions in the Smoky Mountains. Then, we spent most of our time exploring the outdoor exhibits. The outdoor exhibits give a glimpse into life on a mountain farm in the 19th century. They feature an old log cabin, spring house, barns, apple house and smoke house. The girls enjoyed walking through the different houses and pondering life before there was live streaming TV, air conditioning, and electricity.

We also walked through the short walking trails down to the river, where we saw people fishing and tubing. The gentle river banks and shallow water allowed the girls to easily wade in and cool off. 

Juney Whank Falls

After leaving Oconaluftee Museum we headed south towards Bryson City to catch some waterfalls in a different section of the Smoky Mountains. As we drove to the park near Deep Creek we passed several tube rental companies. When we arrived at the park we were amazed to learn this park is a tubing mecca for the whole family! Deep Creek feeds from the Tuckasegee River, which runs through Bryson City. Had we realized the tubing option we would’ve planned better with bathing suits and towels. Though the park doesn’t offer tube rentals, there are plenty of places like Deep Creek Tube Center & Campground that rents tubes for $6/day and features camping and other outdoor activities.

Trying to divert our kids’ attention (and ours) away from tubing and back to hiking was no easy feat! But, we promised them a future trip, which we can’t wait to plan! The trailhead for Juney Whank Falls is located towards the back of the park. The trail was a short loop less than a mile long. When we arrived at the falls we were a little disappointed we couldn’t get into the water. We walked over a small footbridge to reach over and touch the falls as they cascaded down. The trail was a bit busy especially near the falls, so we quickly continued on the loop. We hiked the rest of the trail fairly easily except for the downhill ditch-like spot that we tip-toed over.

After the hike we longingly watched the tubers on repeat: float down the creek and walk back. Then, we drove back through Bryson City and stopped at Nantahala Brewery for some much deserved beers. As Bill ordered our beers, I took the girls to the nearby ice cream shop for their dessert. In all my time in NC, I’ve only ever heard Bryson City referred to as the place to go around Christmastime. Though it’d be cool to come back for the train ride, I’m dying to come back and take my kids tubing in summer!

Andrews, NC Total Solar Eclipse

The next day being the big total eclipse day, we awoke early and headed west on 74 through the Nantahala National Forest for Andrews, NC. The drive along 74 was beautiful – the road parallels the Nantahala River and is busting to the seams with outdoor adventure. We passed several ziplining/ropes courses, kayakers, white water rafters, paddleboarders and more. Again, I made a mental note of a family adventure place!

After driving about 1.5 hours we arrived mid-morning in Andrews, NC. For a very small town, this place was bustling on such a big day. We parked in a large farm field designated for the Total Eclipse Festival. Though the total eclipse wasn’t happening for several more hours, we lucked out with one of the last parking spots. Several folks set up their telescopes in the field in preparation – it was like tailgating with science nerds! 

Then we walked to downtown Andrews to explore the pop-up art, food and live music. The girls made some cute candles and snacked on huge italian ices, while Bill and I enjoyed local BBQ. Around 1pm we grabbed some local beers and headed to the big open “eclipse watching” field. We set up our chairs and blankets while the girls ran around with several kids.

Around 1:00pm, the partial eclipse slowly began where we could see small chunks of the sun being eclipsed by the moon. Several people set up cameras with tripods and telescopes in the open field and hopped between taking shelter in the shade and grabbing a quick shot in the sky. Thanks to Bill we came prepared with a special solar filter for my camera. The girls loved wearing their special eclipse glasses and seeing the progression of the sun’s eclipse.

Around 2:30pm when the sun was just a small sliver, everyone descended into the middle of the field. The temperature dropped rapidly and the sky darkened. Suddenly all you could see was the sun’s corona creeping from behind the moon. It was quite a site to see, and it lasted more than 2 minutes! Then, just like that, everything went back to normal and the sun got bigger and bigger. We didn’t stick around to watch the sun’s complete return to normal so we could beat the traffic out of Andrews.

Watching the total solar eclipse was a really cool thing that I hope our kids remember. Planning the trip around the event motivated us to explore the very western parts of NC, for which I’m so thankful. I can’t wait to return to the Great Smoky Mountains and the Nantahala River for fun family outdoor water adventures!

Thumbs up: outdoor recreation activities, friendly campground owners, watching a total solar eclipse, 

Thumbs down: busy and poor signage at Juney Whank Falls, lack of sufficient parking at Oconaluftee Museum

Juney Whank Falls

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Oconaluftee Museum

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Timberlake Campground

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Total Solar Eclipse in Andrews, NC

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South Holston Dam (Bristol, TN)

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Last fall, Bill and I headed to Bristol, TN to watch the highly-anticipated Virginia Tech vs. Tennessee football game. Wanting to make a big weekend out of it, we arranged a mini kid-free (thanks grandparents) college reunion with old Tech buds where we rented 3 RVs between 18 of us. The weekend was amazing to say the least, and the perfect kick-off to an amazing Hokie football season.

South Holston DamDam, Plant & Reservoir

Before everyone arrived to town on Friday, Bill and I explored the nearby South Holston Dam (918 South View Dam Dr), which consists of a reservoir, dam, hydroelectric plant, and weir. The TVA began construction of the South Holston Dam in 1942 as part of the Unified Development of the Tennessee River System plan, which set out to improve the poverty-stricken, often-flooded parts of the Tennessee Valley. Construction halted during World War II and the dam began operation in 1951. The dam is unique in that it’s an earth and rock-filled dam built in 30ft sections called berms to hold the massive potential energy of South Holston Reservoir. The dam is about 1600 ft across and 285 ft high with paved roads leading to an information center and parking lots at the top. The reservoir is huge – it has 168 miles of shoreline across two states and is a very popular recreational lake.

We parked at the top of the dam and walked across the paved section to catch the amazing views of the lake on one side and the downstream river on the other. As mentioned above, the dam helps with flood control, but also serves to generate hydroelectric power for the region. The dam regularly releases water –  a loud siren blares about five minutes before alerting folks downstream and then the large turbine and generator crank. 

DSC_0144Osceola Island

When water comes out of the dam it flows through weir dams and forks around Osecola Island before merging near the intersection of Holston Dam View Rd. In 1991 the TVA built weir dams south of the dam to increase oxygen in the water when the hydroelectric plant isn’t running. The extra oxygen improves the habitat for fish and vegetation. When we arrived early, the morning fog provided a beautiful backdrop for the fisherman wading in the river. We crossed the footbridge and walked the easy one-mile loop trail on Osceola Island where we saw beautiful herons, ducks, fish and more fisherman. The water level around Osecola Island is shallow, providing great spots for fly fishing.

We felt so grateful to spend quality time with old college buds in a beautiful part of the country. Being my first visit to Tennessee, I look forward to coming back and exploring more of the mountains and lakes.

Thumbs up: beautiful views, massiveness of earth and rock-filled dam, interesting information center at top of the dam, unique weir dams, convenient parking areas at top of dam and near Osceola Island

Thumbs down: nothing to report

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Neuse River Trail Beach – MP 4.5

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IMG_6510Last summer Bill and I biked by this “beachy” section of the Neuse River Trail and vowed we’d make it back with the kids on a bike ride someday.  That someday was this summer, with Ashley leading the pack on her big girl bike and Claire chomping on snacks in the bike trailer.    The Neuse River Trail is our favorite spot for family bike rides with young kids because the trail is relatively flat and wide with several parking spots along the way making it easy to break your ride into small chunks.

For this bike ride we parked at the trail parking lot in the Bedford neighborhood at 10888 Bedfordtown Dr, biked down the access path and turned right onto the Neuse River Trail heading south.  We followed the greenway for about 2 miles before coming to milepost 4.5 where there’s an oxbow in the river that has created a wider sandy spot along the river bank.  Note: if you don’t want to bike/run the 2 miles, you can park closer to the oxbow at 6100 Thornton Rd and bike/run 1/2 mile. We parked and locked our bikes in a grassy spot off the greenway and walked down to the beachy area with our picnic supplies and towels (everyone already had
bathing suits on).
splashing in the neuse river beachIt hadn’t rained recently so the beachy area was actually wider and longer than I’ve seen it at other times and the river flowed slowly.  The water was pretty warm except in the middle of the river, which was over our heads in several spots.  We didn’t bring life jackets with us and the water wasn’t very clear so the girls mostly played near the shore line looking for tadpoles, playing in the sand/mud, or splashing in the water with the other young family that was there.  While we were there a few paddle boarders passed by including a father and young daughter out for a ride (next summer’s bucket list goal).

After playing in the water for awhile we enjoyed our picnic lunch on the beach before heading back to the car.  The bike ride north was a bit more uphill than the ride out, but the girls kept their cool and did great.  I look forward to returning to this secret spot again next summer!

Helpful Hints:

  • Wear shoes good for getting wet in the river
  • Bring life jackets for little ones
  • Be conscious of recent rains before coming out; river levels may be too high to safely play
  • Bring towels and small sand buckets
  • Parking options: 10888 Bedfordtown Dr (2 miles away) or 6100 Thornton Rd (1/2 mile away)

Thumbs up: fun bike ride/swimming activity, exploring the shore line for tadpoles and fish, lots of shady spots, very private area where you can’t see the beach from the greenway

Thumbs down: water was murky so be careful when swimming

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Canoeing the New River in NC

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New RiverLast month good friends invited our family to their mountain cabin along the South Fork of the New River near West Jefferson, NC.  Though this was my first time on this river in NC, being back on the New River reminded me of past trips whitewater rafting through West Virginia or lazily tubing the New River Junction near Blacksburg, VA.  We made those trips before we had kids so it was fun to share this trip with our kids and new friends we’ve met since having kids.

The New River is unique in that it flows south to north and is believed to be one of the oldest rivers in North America, and maybe the world.  This ancient river begins in the mountains near the TN-NC border, flows north through NC, VA and WV where it joins with the Gauley River (I’ve always wanted to raft during the fall release dates) to become the Kanawha River and eventually flows to the Gulf of Mexico via the Ohio & Mississippi Rivers. Portions of the New River in NC flow through different access points to the New River State Park where you can camp, hike, canoe, kayak, fish, or any combination of those.  While we spent a lot of our weekend exploring the private area around the cabin, wading in the family-friendly river, or teaching the kids to kayak, my friend Annie and I got out for a few hours on Saturday afternoon for a relaxing canoe trip.

IMG_5566After an exhilarating drive down one-lane gravel roads in an old Chevy truck with a canoe in tow we arrived at a small put-in near the intersection of Dog Creek Rd and Joe Little Rd.  The bank is steep and the pathway to the water is narrow and overgrown on the sides, but it made for a quick water entrance.  Joe Little Rd is a narrow one-wayish road, so use caution when driving.  It was a beautiful day to be on the river so we passed quite a few tubers, kayakers, and fishermen.  The water was pretty brisk, so it felt good to be dry in the canoe.  Along our way we passed Wootens Mill on Dog Creek Rd, which is no longer in service but dates back to the 1770s.  We also passed the Wagoner Access portion of the New River State Park on the south side of the river.  We saw lots of tents set up for weekend camping and canoe put-in areas.

We made a quick pit stop back at the house to refill our cooler before heading further upstream (remember, the river flows south to north).  We made our way over a few mini rapids and shortly passed the River Bend campsite area of the New River State Park that features primitive canoe-in only camping.  With the exception of the flowing water and birds (and our girl talk), the river is void of any other sounds as it snakes through the Blue Ridge Mountains.  After awhile we pulled the canoe out near a shallow rocky area to take a break.  The river rocks feature those smooth, round shapes so we easily laid down in the water to chill.  After a few more minutes of deciding we needed to start a yoga retreat on the river we paddled some more to a popular swimming hole.  We pulled the canoe out near a small island and swam to the large rock to jump into the deep water below.  It was heavenly!

After paddling a bit more we called our ride home as we reached the take-out spot near Absher Rd/Gentry Rd Bridge.  It was late afternoon when we got out, so we had to wait a few minutes before we could pull out the canoe.  With stops, it took us about 3 hours to go about 6 miles on the river. With its gentle, shallow waters and tranquil rapids the South Fork of the New River offers so many family-friendly or beginner adventures.  The river’s beauty is something to experience first-hand and I can’t wait to get back here again!

Additional Resources:

  • New River State Park map – includes paddling times/distances from different access spots
  • New River State Park

Thumbs up: lots of shallow wading spots for little ones, camping/canoe options at New River State Park, beautiful scenery along river, river’s beauty and tranquility, gentle and mild rapids are great for families and beginners

Thumbs down: nothing to report

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