Skip to primary navigation Skip to content Skip to footer

Our Blog: Natural Notes

Asheville Wildlife

5 Spring Ephemeral Wildflowers in the Appalachians

Trout lily is one of the common spring ephemeral flowers found around Asheville in the Appalachians. by MK Brown, Ecotour Guide and Naturalist As the sun starts to warm the still trees on south facing slopes and black bears rouse from their slumber and the spring peepers commence their evening chorus, the forest begins to…

What is Happening Outside during your Asheville Winter Hiking

by Jenny Gruhn, PhD, Biologist and Owner of Asheville Hiking Tours

This Bears Mentioning…

by Randy Sarton, Ecotour Guide for Asheville Hiking Tours Usually it only takes a very short while into one of my hikes for Asheville Hiking Tours before a guest poses the question, “Will we see a bear?”  This is not surprising given that black bears sit at the top of the list of charismatic megafauna here…

Birding in and around Asheville, North Carolina

by Bill Sanderson, Ecotour Guide for Asheville Hiking Tours, with intro by Owner Jenny Gruhn Birdwatching or “birding” is a popular way to become better acquainted with wildlife, since you can participate in this hobby while eating breakfast at your kitchen window, or waiting to get tires changed at the auto shop! Whether you live…

The Smoky Mountain Elk Rut

by Lee Saunders, Travel Writer You came early to drink and socialize. You look around. The competition hasn’t arrived. Then, there she is. She catches your eye from afar. Petite, gentle, somewhat coy, you approach and see if romance might be in the air. No, we are not talking about a bar in the hopping…