Locals dish the dirt on top outdoor destinations.

The small western North Carolina town of Brevard has a big backyard—the Pisgah National Forest. No surprise, the gateway to Pisgah is a hotbed for a variety of adventure junkies and outdoor enthusiasts from hardcore mountain bikers to casual hikers enjoying the area’s many waterfalls. Todd Branham, professional trail builder and race director of the [...]

Jeff Smith is the owner of Blue Ridge Mountain Sports in Charlottesville, Va.  The venerable indie outfitter started as a small operation in 1972 and has since expanded to 12 stores across the region. When Smith can escape from his office, he takes advantage of Charlottesville’s easily accessible adventure outlets—a result of the small city’s [...]