Men's Journal

A rider on the Porcupine Rim Trail. Photo credit: Steve Adams

It’s a great weekend for the great outdoors: Mountain bike through Utah canyon-country or loop through Hot Springs, down the Appalachian Trail.

By Chase Scheinbaum and Tara House

Mountain Biking, April 24-25

Moab, Utah

Utah canyon-country during the high season can feel a bit like Universal Studios with its ubiquitous movie-set backdrops and theme-park-esque undulating singletrack. A weekend there will not be without crowded trailheads and campgrounds. It will not be without some noisy Jeeps. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go — because there will also be the red rock dreamscape the place is known for. And while you may not have any of its slickrock wilderness all to your lonesome, you can enjoy a bit of solitude. Don’t ask ‘Where?’ but ‘When?’ Dawn and dusk. Guide service Rim Tours’ owner Kirstin Peterson says that even on popular trails, riders can find themselves alone at sunset. Wait out the hot afternoon temperatures and ride your favorite trails as the fading light airbrushes the sky purple. Then, switch on a head lamp and enjoy the solitude.

Trails of virtually any length and difficulty can be found around Moab. Experienced riders will savor a one-way, 15-plus-mile ride on Porcupine Rim Trail (pictured above). For something lighter, the 10-mile Intrepid Trail at Dead Horse Point State Park offers a fairly new intermediate ride 2,000 feet above the Colorado River. Rim Tours guides both rides, along with a slew of other day-long and multi-day rides. Rim Tours rents bikes for their outings. To rent a mountain bike independent of a guided trip, try Chile Pepper Bike Shop. Moab is stacked with guiding outfits to service each of the main attractions: mountain biking, climbing, rafting and kayaking. Click here for an exhaustive list of guides for literally dozens of adventure activities.

For some additional inspiration, and another example of crepuscular riding, here’s a story about a dawn outing on the classic White Rim Trail in Canyonlands National Park.

Travel and Accommodation

Grand Junction Regional Airport in Grand Junction, Colorado is the biggest local crossroads for air travel. If driving, hit the road now: Moab is far from just about everywhere else. It’s around 100 miles from Grand Junction, 230 miles from Salt Lake City, and 460 miles from Las Vegas. But every minute of travel is worth it.

Lovers Leap and the Appalachian Trail, April 23-25

Hot Springs, North Carolina

Pack your bags, lace up your boots, and grab your lover. This perfect weekend we’re hiking, leaping, and looping all around the heart of Hot Springs. Tucked away in the depths of Pisgah National Forest, a 2-mile trail known as Lovers Leap Loop spawns off the historical Appalachian Trail, up over the French Broad River, and amidst the Great Smoky and Blue Ridge Mountains. Here, hikers can explore the short terrain, as it climbs upward 500 feet, depositing visitors at one of Hot Springs’ finest views. Mountains for miles and a winding river to boot…

The trail is said to have gotten its name from the Cherokee Indians, after one of the tribe’s maidens, Mist-on-the-Mountain, leaped to her death from the trail’s viewing point, and into the tumbling waters below.  As legend has it, the femme-fatale took the plunge because her lover, Magwa, had been killed by a jealous rival by the name of Lone Wolf.

Once you’ve looped back down to the center of town, set up shop at the Rocky Bluff Campground, or “rough it” in style at the luxurious Hot Springs Resort and Spa. With 100 acres of camp grounds, tent sites, primitive cabins, RV hookups, and the area’s famous, hot and bubbling mineral baths, Lovers Leap won’t be the only thing of beauty you experience this weekend. Check here for resort pricing.

While you’re in town make sure to check out the French Broad River. Whether it’s simply continuing your hike along the Appalachian Trail and the river’s banks, or jumping in a raft and tackling its tumultuous whitewater, nature’s third oldest river awaits.

Travel and Accommodations

Don’t feel like camping or pampering yourself?  How about living like one of Peter Pan’s lost boys and sleeping in a tree for the weekend?  Well, a treehouse cabin, to be more precise. Just $150 for the weekend, one can still get that feel of the great outdoors, but with all the amenities and shelter of a fully-equipped cabin in the trees.

The closest airport to Hot Springs and the Appalachian Trail is Asheville Regional Airport, about 40 minutes outside of Pisgah National Forest. Transportation from the airport can be arranged upon arrival, or you can call in advance to make a reservation. Car rentals are also available here.

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