COURTESY OF JACKSON COUNTY TDA
JOURNEYS
QUICK TRIPS
A Doggone Good Time DISCOVER THE ALL-SEASONS, PET-FRIENDLY TOWN OF CASHIERS, NORTH CAROLINA
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Bring your pup along to explore such sites as Schoolhouse Falls.
CHARLES K. HARDIN
PAUL RUBIO
In western North Carolina’s beautiful share of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Jackson County is home to myriad plunging waterfalls, dramatic ravines, the highest vertical cliffs in the eastern United States, and one of the oldest mountains on the planet, Whiteside Mountain. The county’s Panthertown Valley has even been referred to as the “Yosemite of the East.” Though summer is a popular time to visit, these great outdoors can be appreciated in any season. Even better? The destination isn’t just for humans. Thanks to several pet-friendly towns—none more charming than luxury-tinged Cashiers—dogs can revel in the natural splendor too. Here’s how. (discoverjacksonnc.com)
EVAN RUFF
BY PAUL RUBIO
Hikes with Fido headline the daily agenda in Cashiers. Download the AllTrails app (alltrails. com) for rewarding options at all fitness levels, but don’t skip the short-but-steep, 2.5-mile Whiteside Mountain trail for wow-factor vistas of forest-cloaked peaks and valleys from nearly 5,000 feet high. Do go chas-
ing waterfalls, beginning with the thrilling 1.4-mile climb to High Falls in Lake Glenville’s Pines Recreation Area. Cool off in the fall’s emerald, boulderstrewn plunge pools and later visit the dog-friendly swimming beach along the lake itself. Back in town, explore by foot via the Cashiers Greenway Ramble, a network of scenic trails, sidewalks, and pedestrian-friendly roads that zigzag through town.
PALM BEACH ILLUSTRATED
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2/28/23 12:59 PM