Western North Carolina is a hiker’s paradise.

With so much land protected by national and state forests and parks, those who live in the Western North Carolina area have endless hiking opportunities.

Haywood County Recreation will host a series of spring hikes throughout April. Here’s a look at what’s coming up. 

I remember my mom saying this when I remarked one time on how busy and active she was even well into her 70’s; ‘Leah, the more I do, the more I’m able to do and the less I do, the less I feel like doing anything at all.’.

Take a winter walk on the Mountains-to-Sea Trail Sunday, Jan. 7, in Asheville with the Carolina Mountain Club. 

Declared to be the Year of the Trail more than a year before it even began, 2023 had a lot to live up to.

With a new year approaching, it’s the perfect time to start setting fitness goals — and to plan for participating in any of the 15 races Glory Hound Events has on its schedule for 2024. 

Sometimes we make big goals or pronouncement about our health or fitness that may not be realistic or achievable. Here are some tips about making goals to improve your health: 

These days, Brendon Voelker’s life revolves around running, but eight years ago the Texas native was still struggling to complete his first mile.   

He was overweight and out of shape back then, and while he could happily spend a day riding around on his road bike, running a mile was out of the question. But after a weight loss journey that left him 80 pounds lighter, Voelker made it a personal goal to get that first mile under his belt. By the end of 2013, he’d completed a nonstop 5K for the first time, and the distances ballooned from there. 

While the benefits of regular exercise are well known, most people think the only way to stay in shape is to join a gym. 

But that doesn’t work for everybody, all of the time; busy lifestyles can compete with limited hours, the gym can be intimidating for some and a general lack of knowledge can leave beginners wondering where to turn. 

Fitness has long been an important part of Angel Squirrell’s life, but in recent years she’s found renewed purpose by sharing it with others.