Leatherwood Falls is about 25 feet high.  In addition to the usual southern Appalachian hardwoods, six kinds of pine, hemlock, mountain laurel and rhododendron, ferns, and a dazzling array of wildflower species thrive here.

The Rim Trail, a roughly 26-mile loop, surrounds the Fires Creek basin, intersecting with other shorter trails along the way.  Equestrians could spend several pleasurable days exploring the loop.  There is a dependable spring near the intersection of the Shinbone Ridge and Rim trails, about 100 feet below the rim, and several other springs and creeks. 

Fires Creek is a designated bear sanctuary, and as development in surrounding areas limits their habitat, still more black bears will be driven into this protected territory.  The rare Appalachian water shrew can be seen in the fast-moving, high-elevation streams, as can the southern pygmy shrew.  Other local fauna include all the small game typical of the area: squirrels, wild turkey, white-tailed deer, and ruffed grouse, as well as both copperhead and timber rattlers.  The pristine streams shelter native brook trout, rainbow trout, and brown trout.  Among the many bird species here are numerous varieties of warblers, hawks, owls, and woodpeckers.

Standing Indian Basin is the horseshoe-shaped drainage formed by the Nantahala and Blue Ridge Mountains.  Several prominent peaks over 5,000 feet in elevation-Albert Mountain, Big Butt, Little Bald, and Standing Indian Mountain-cap the rim of the drainage.  The Nantahala River is born amid its high valleys and bisects the drainage.

According to an ancient Cherokee legend, a long time ago a great winged monster swooped down and carried off an Indian child playing near the village.  The huge creature took the child to a cave high up in the cliffs of a nearby mountain.  Frightened Cherokees from across their Nation gathered to ask the Great Spirit for help in getting rid of the monster.  After days and nights of prayer, an awesome, blinding bolt of lightning and a tremendous thunderclap came out of a clear sky to shatter much of the mountain, killing the beast and its offspring.  The lightning was so powerful that it destroyed the trees, producing the"bald" mountain top that remains treeless to this day.

The train began in 1958 as a trek across the mountains from Tellico Plains, Tennessee to Murphy, North Carolina.  The group left Tellico Plains on an early morning late in June.  They were greeted by a host of spectators all along the route, and on the 4th of July, 67 wagons and 325 horseback riders were welcomed in Murphy by a cheering crowd of thousands.  The next year and for five consecutive years, the train used the same route.

The 12.5-mile Rocky Gap Trail has several loops, while the Willis Knob Trail is designed as one large 15 mile continuous loop.  Each trail crosses several gravel roads, allowing you to plan trips from one half mile to the full 27.5 miles.

Three fords, Earl's Ford, Adline Branch and Big Island, permit crossing the Chattooga River from one state to the other.  These replace the crossings at Moss Mill Creek, Sandy Ford, and Phillips Bend that are now closed to horse use.

Riders need to be aware that high water levels make for difficult crossings.  All are negotiable for experienced riders at normal water levels, but Adline Branch is more shallow and is the preferred crossing.  Stay posted on weather forecasts so you will not be trapped on the opposite side of the river from your vehicle if heavy rains should occur.

The Great Smoky Mountains are the oldest mountains in the world, and few places on earth can claim such biological diversity: more than 1,600 types of wildflowers and more than 140 species of trees flourish in this wildlife sanctuary.  The Appalachian Trail runs along the crest of the mountains through the park, the largest protected land area east of the Rocky Mountains.  Within its 800 square miles  are 800 miles of trails, more than 600 miles of trout streams, and some 200,000 acres of virgin forest.

The Smokies are so named because of the frequently occurring smoke-like blue mist that hovers in the air and can get so dense as to obscure mountaintops.  In actuality, the "smoke" occurs when vegetation releases water vapor and natural oils produced by plants into the air.

Encompassing 125,000 acres of the Cumberland Plateau, Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area protects the free-flowing Big South Fork of the Cumberland River and its tributaries. The area boasts miles of scenic gorges and sandstone bluffs, is rich with natural and historic features and has been developed to provide visitors with a wide range of outdoor recreational activities.

A trip through Big South Fork country reveals a rich landscape of plants of all imaginable colors, textures, form, and function. The area’s woodlands, cliff lines, stream sides, and other habitats harbor a tremendous richness of plant species. The Big South Fork area is part of the greater southern Appalachian region, which is widely known as one of the most biologically diverse temperate forest regions in the world. While plants in Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area bear many similarities to other parts of the southern Appalachians, such as the Great Smoky Mountains, the combination of habitats and plants that occur at Big South Fork distinguish it as a special place to explore and protect. At the heart of this landscape lies the Big South Fork gorge; a forty-mile rift through the northern Cumberland Plateau. It is this gorge and the processes that helped form it over thousands of years that are, in part, responsible for the area’s unique plant assemblage.

High Country

The heart of the NRA, the high country contains over 25,000 acres of the highest lands in Virginia.  The Mount Rogers NRA manages approximately 20,000 acres of the high country and 5,000 acres are managed by Grayson Highlands State Park.  The high country consists of the following areas:

Lewis Fork Wilderness & Little Wilson Creek Wilderness

Combined, these two federally designated wildernesses total about 10,000 acres of primitive backcountry.  These two areas are forested in northern hardwoods with red spruce and Fraser Fir at the highest elevations (Mt. Rogers 5729').

The open areas on Brier Ridge, Cabin Ridge, Wilburn Ridge, Stone Mountain, and Pine Mountain are commonly called the Crest Zone and total about 2,000 acres. Views are spectacular, with rocky ridges and grassy areas. The area was once heavily forested, but over logging by private companies during the early 1900's, and wildfire created the balds. Grazing by domestic livestock kept them open. The USDA Forest Service acquired the property during the 1960's. Today the balds are kept open through prescribed burning and regulated cattle grazing by private farmers who lease grazing rights. Ponies- Two herds of free-roaming ponies make their home in the high country. A private association manages them. One herd is in Grayson Highlands State Park, and the other lives within the Crest Zone of the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area. In the fall, some of the ponies are auctioned at the Grayson Highlands State Park Fall Festival to manage the population. 

Trails

There are over 400 miles of designated trails on the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area. Trails range from primitive single-track to old logging roads and railroad grades as well as the Virginia Creeper and Appalachian Trail.  The open areas are loaded with blueberry bushes and the Crest Trail has features, such as rock out-crops and rhododendron thickets.  Trails are moderate to very challenging.

This 110 mile corridor traverses a wide variety of natural habitats and offers a variety of trails and recreation areas where visitors can experience the wonders of Florida.  Trails blazed through barge canal diggings provide challenging rides for equestrians.  The Ocklawaha and Withlacoochee Rivers, traversing opposite ends of the greenway. 

Anywhere along the Greenway, visitors might cross paths with something wild -- gopher tortoises, whitetail deer, squirrels, shore birds, waterfowl, alligators, or even manatees.