North Carolina, Great Smoky Mountains, Robbinsville, Stecoah, Lake Santeetlah, Fontana Lake, Cherohala Skyway, Tail of the Dragonšš“š£šš„¾šššæ
See you on June 20 for the Flame Azalea Festival in Robbinsville NC! Iām honored to have been asked to be this years poster artist. The design features the massive stands of flame azaleas found at Hooper Bald, and the many insects that visit them. This limited edition of 100 will not be reprinted, and are on pre-sale through @grahamcountync
Vendor applications are open until May 22, if youād like to join the party!
The event is an all day celebration including live music, Artisan Vendors, Azalea Sale, Glass Blowing Demonstrations, Face Painting, a Pollinator Parade, and more š« and be sure to make the drive to Hooper Bald on the gorgeous Cherohala Skywayy
Just in time for Motherās Day ā Marieās Lavender Farm is ready for cutting!
š3660 Yellow Creek Rd
We have an itinerary full of āļø in store for you this Motherās Day weekend.
āļø Start your day with a slow morning breakfast at @tapocolodge before heading to the Marieās Lavender Farm for blooms and plants.
āļø Stretch your legs on the trail out to Yellow Creek Falls for a beautiful photo opportunity.
āļø Top off your day with a late Motherās Day Brunch at @snowbirdlodge or @fontanavillage (reservations may be required.)
āļø Take a sunset drive along the Cherohala Skyway to soak up the last rays of an unbelievably memorable day.
#marieslavenderfarm #mothersdayitinerary #robbinsvillenc #ncsnaturaldestination #greatsmokies
This year we celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Snowbird Cherokeeās Fading Voices Demonstration Day.
For forty years the Snowbird Cherokee have set aside a day to remember and honor the Cherokee way of life that existed before modern-day. On this day, they celebrate their traditional ways and endeavor to pass them on to their children.
Swipe to see how the skill of shingle making has been demonstrated through the generations. Pictured here is Simon Colonehuskie from an early celebration and Hunter Welch from just last year.
šŖ¶ Weāll be sharing more details as we get closer to the event so follow along.
šļø Until then mark your calendars for May 23rd ā everyone is invited listen, learn and help preserve the cultural traditions of the Snowbird Cherokee so they may continue to be passed on.
Missed the Cheoah River release today? Donāt worry ā we do it all over again tomorrow!
š¦ For those of you who like to keep your feet on dry ground there are several viewing areas along US 129 on the way toward Tapoco.
Itās a great reason to stay a little longer if you havenāt experienced it yet.
#cheoahriver #cheoahriverrelease #riverrelease #paddlewnc #ncsnaturaldestination
š¦Look a little closer.
This spring our mountains are fluttering ā butterflies are returning to North Carolina in greater numbers than they have in years.
šŗ Native azaleas are a favorite nectar source for the Appalachian Tiger Swallowtail. Up on Hooper Bald, the flame azaleas are preparing to do what theyāve always done ā open right on time for the pollinators that need them.
This is the world Dayna Walton of @solsticehandmade has been drawing into our 2026 Flame Azalea Festival poster.
Daynaās work is a field guide of the easily missed ā lichens, stoneflies, slime molds. Dayna understand that is an ecosystems dependence on the underdogs that help make a place a place. For this yearās poster, her pen has detailed the winged travelers that arrive with the blooms.
Enjoy this sneak peak? Follow along! The full design, and a limited edition of signed screen prints drop soon.
š Flame Azalea Festival | Saturday, June 20, 2026 | Robbinsville, NC
āļø Art by Dayna Walton, Solstice Handmade
āļø Now Boarding: Fontana Dam History Tours Aboard Ms. Hazel!
Step aboard for a captain led cruise with the legendary Captain Karl ā and discover the untold stories of the creation of Fontana Lake and the building of Fontana Dam, one of the United Statesā most fascinating landmarks.
š Visit or call the Fontana Marina to reserve your seat today!
āļøCruise by the tallest dam east of the Rockies (480 ft)
āļø Hear the stories of the lost towns beneath the lake
āļø Learn how Fontana Dam helped power WWII
āļø Spot black bears, bald eagles & more along the shore of the @greatsmokynps
Seats are limited and fill fast ā donāt miss the boat.
šTag the friend youāre bringing aboard!
Itās the unfortunate time when @UpNAdamAdventures returns to the real worldš¤¦š¼āāļø
šø Joyce Kilmer National Forest, Lake Santeetlah, Cherohala Skyway, Dark Sky stargazingā¦ā¦ our list just went on and on.
Thank you so much for Graham County Travel and Tourism for hosting our adventure this week āthe only thing we missed was sleep!! Weāre leaving with a list of places to visit next time and canāt wait to get back.
Hopefully, you have enjoyed following along. š
#ncsnaturaldestination #maplespringsoverlook #robbinsvillenc #nanthalanationalforest #visitnc
Up Nā Adam Adventures here again and nearing the end of our Graham County exploration week. We need more timeā¦.
š āDark Skyā was on of the intriguing features for us during this week and it hasnāt disappointedā¦. Really the only thing we have missed is sleep getting up at 3:30 each morning to check out the Milky Way.
šMaple Springs overlook did not disappoint, the Cherohala Skyway provided several photo opportunities and even 129 offered many places with a window to the sky.
#internationaldarkskyweek #ncssnaturaldestination #robbinsvillenc #cherohalaskyway #lakesanteetlah
@UpNAdamAdventures here again ā Day Three (time sure flies while adventuring).
š We did the Three Dam Loop!! We used Graham County Travel and Tourismās handy āScenic Driving Loopsā map ā pick one up at the Welcome Center when you head through town.
Santeetlah, Cheoah, and Fontana Dams make up the āloopā with many points of interest along the way including Yellow Creek Falls, Historic Tapoco Lodge, Tail of the Dragon & Deals Gap just to name a few.
#ncsnaturaldestination #threedamloop #robbinsvillenc #nantahalanationalforest #fontanadam santeetlahdam cheoahdam thefugitivedam tapocolodge tailofthedragon dealsgap yellowcreekfalls twentymile gsmnp
Life is often hectic ā rushing around with work, errands, and bills. Itās easy to fall into a routine, binge watching Netflix each night, endless to-dos, staying in and never experiencing anything new.
What you need is a reset. A quiet escape. A little cabin in the woods - a hidden gem to break up the monotony.
You need a place like Tapoco Lodge, tucked along a river where time slows down. Fresh mountain air, the kiss of the sun on your cheek, and a sense of calm thatās hard to find anywhere else. A place where worries fade and life becomes simple again.
Day two of @UpNAdamAdventures exploration of Graham County found us on the Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest's on the Memorial Loop trail.
WOW WOW WOW
Wildflowers in abundance , more butterflies than we have seen in one area and the BIGGEST poplar trees we have ever seen!!
Parking was easy and plentiful, amenities were exceptional ā¦.. what an amazing experience. Highly recommend!!
The only thing we are finding lacking on this adventure is time for sleep š¤¦š¼āāļø ā¦.. but with incredible sunrise opportunities, hiking trails galore, wonderful sunset spots, and dark sky stargazing, who has time for sleep anyway? šš
šŗ Mark your calendar.
On June 20th the Flame Azalea Festival aligns with the peak blooming season of a rare stand of native flame azaleas on Hooper Bald in Robbinsville, NC.
Itās a celebration of wild blooms, arts and culture ā this is how we kick off summer on this secret side of the Smokies.
Come stay for the color and linger for the music, makers and mountain memories.
šRobbinsville, NC
šļø June 20
Start planning now.
#flameazaleas #robbinsvillenc #828isgreat #ncsnaturaldestination
