"Belowground, Mammoth Cave National Park in southwestern Kentucky is part of the largest known cave system in the world. Aboveground, the park offers two winding rivers, numerous creeks, and a lush forest full of trails waiting to be explored. Discover all of the activities available in this 50,000 acre wonderland"--Container.

This essential guidebook for anyone looking to hit the road, from the weekend warriors to the full-time nomads, combines practical information, inspirational photography, and engaging stories of travel and adventure. It helps the reader transition past the 9-5 to the nomadic lifestyle, and then guide them to the best vistas, hikes, and adventures in the country. Get the inside scoop on building out a van, from insulation to plumbing, building a budget, and staying safe and well on the road. Inside you'll find 5 Suggested Road Trip Itineraries complete with maps, highlights, and stop information: Denver, Colorado to Whitefish, Montana Moab, Utah to Yosemite National Park, California Seattle, Washington to San Francisco, California Shenandoah National Park, Virginia to Charleston, South Carolina Millinocket, Maine to Deep Creek Lake, Maryland The van guide to National Parks: Northeast Shenandoah National Park (Virginia) Southeast Congaree National Park (South Carolina) Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina and Tennessee) Midwest Badlands National Park (South Dakota) Wind Cave National Park (South Dakota) West Yellowstone National Park (Idaho, Montana, Wyoming) Yosemite National Park (California) Redwoods State and National Park (California) Southwest Canyonlands National Park (Utah) Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona) Zion National Park (Utah) Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (Colorado) Northwest Glacier National Park Olympic National Park

This book presents more than 30 day hikes. Classic hikes, such as Rose River Loop and Whiteoak Canyon, are included. However, though the majority of these hikes are not as well known, they offer as much solitude and equally scenic sights––like Lost Cliffs and Furnace Mountain––as the more popular hikes. This will give you the opportunity to get back to nature on your own terms. Often, park sightseers randomly pick a hike without knowing where it will lead, or they follow the crowds wherever they go. Choosing a hike at random in Shenandoah, where many trails drop steeply off the Blue Ridge, may result in a rigorous return to the car with no rewards to show effort. Two types of day hikes are offered: one-way and loop hikes. One-way hikes lead to a particularly rewarding destination and return via the same trail. The return trip allows you to see everything from the opposite vantage point. You may notice more minute trailside features the second go-round, and returning at a different time of day may give the same trail a surprisingly different character. But to some, returning on the same trail just isn’t enjoyable. The loop hikes provide an alternative. Most of the hikes offer solitude to maximize your Shenandoah experience, although portions of some hikes traverse potentially popular areas. It should also be noted that loop hikes are generally longer and harder than one-way hikes, but a bigger challenge can reap bigger rewards. Day hiking is the best and most popular way to "break into" the Shenandoah wilderness. But for those with the inclination to see the mountain cycle from day to night and back again, this book offers ten overnight hikes with the best locales for camping. The length of these hikes–– three days and two nights––was chosen primarily for the weekend backpacker. Backpackers must follow park regulations and practice "leave no trace" wilderness-use etiquette. Each day and overnight hike contains four key elements to help readers plan and enjoy the perfect trip: • GPS-based trail maps • GPS-based elevation profiles • directions to the trailhead • trail descriptions Each trail description offers precise commentary on what to expect along the way and rates each hike for: • scenery • trail condition • difficulty • accessibility for children • solitude Designed to fit easily into a back pocket, this guide leads hikers and backpackers to sites of exceptional beauty and solitude.

The heart and soul of wild, wonderful West Virginia, the mighty Monongahela National Forest is within a day's drive of one-third of the population of the United States. The best way to see and experience the stately forests and pristine waterfalls is by foot. Day and Overnight Hikes: West Virginia's Monongahela National Forest will guide visitors the entire way while exploring this national treasure.

This guidebook offers trips covering every corner of Tennessee. The paddles are divided into the three primary regions of the state: West Tennessee, Middle Tennessee, and East Tennessee. Each paddle included in the book is chosen as a day trip, though overnight camping can be done where noted. With each of these waterways the author sought out a combination of scenery, paddling experiences, ease of access (including shuttling when necessary), and a reasonable length for day tripping.

From semitropical coastal areas to high mountain terrain, from swampy lowlands to modern cities, the environment holds a fundamental importance in shaping the character of the American South. This volume of The New Encyclopedia of Southern Culture surveys the dynamic environmental forces that have shaped human culture in the region--and the ways humans have shaped their environment. Articles examine how the South's ecology, physiography, and climate have influenced southerners--not only as a daily fact of life but also as a metaphor for understanding culture and identity. This volume includes ninety-eight essays that explore--both broadly and specifically--elements of the southern environment. Thematic overviews address subjects such as plants, animals, energy use and development, and natural disasters. Shorter topical entries feature familiar species such as the alligator, the ivory-billed woodpecker, kudzu, and the mockingbird. Also covered are important individuals in southern environmental history and prominent places in the landscape, such as the South's national parks and seashores. New articles cover contemporary issues in land use and conservation, environmental protection, and the current status of the flora and fauna widely associated with the South.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park attracts millions of people per year. The allure of the Smokies often overshadows special areas adjacent to the park. This book covers not only the Smokies, but also the highlands of eastern Tennessee, western North Carolina, northern Georgia, and western South Carolina. The only guide to the Smokies and Southern Appalachian's best tent camping features newly designed campground layout maps and UTM and latitude/longitude coordinates for each campground entrance. Descriptive text and ratings for security, quiet, and beauty make this new edition a must-have for every tent camper's library.