A Guide to Adventure

On the outskirts of Charleston, SC hidden in plain site is a lost and forgotten national park. Castle Pinckney is currently being lost to the sea in the Charleston Harbor.  The story of this forgotten fortress began in 1791, when George Washington visited Charleston, South Carolina , saw that a little island in the harbor (Shutes Folly) was strategically located, and ordered that a fort be built there. The good people of Charleston, who were tasked with funding and building it, decided that it should be named Fort Pinckney in honor of Charles Cotesworth Pinckney , a local planter, Revolutionary War General, and delegate to the Constitutional Convention. Castle Pinckney played no role in the War of 1812 and was demoted to “secondary line of defense” status in 1826. The very next year, the construction of Fort Sumter , a bigger and better fortification, got underway at a more strategic location across from Fort Moultrie at the harbor entrance. By the late 1820s it was a...

When you are tired of the crowds and cheesy tourist attractions that are scattered across the United States, and want to experience and one-of-a-kind adventure, visiting a national forest is the best way to go. The number of people who visit America's national parks is staggering—the sites hosted record-breaking 307.2 million visits in 2015.  With 155   protected national forests to choose from, you can plan a trip across the country just visiting these hidden treasures. Hiking is not the only thing to do in the wild terrain of these forests though. Here are some of the most adventurous and unique national forests and experiences found throughout America's wildest terrain.   Bunk in a fire lookout tower. Get a birds' eye view of wild landscapes by camping in a historic fire tower at the top of a mountain . You may need to hike farther and pack extra but you will have a unique experience indeed. Peak-top cabins offer comfortable living space, 360-degre...

On Memorial day of this year, Derek and I decided to make an impromptu trip to Brasstown Falls located in the Sumter National Forest in Oconee County, SC. It is a fairly easy drive, only an hour away from Anderson, and is pretty much a straight drive down country roads. Our adventure did not go well, the place was crowded, nowhere private to camp, and we carried too much stuff for the terrain we ended up on. Needless to say we were miserable, we decided to go home before the rain started, and that was the end of our day.  Now that it has been a few weeks since our terrible experience, we decided to go back to Brasstown falls to redeem ourselves. We were not going to let this place get the best of us. So Tuesday morning rolls around, and it is time to go. We load up the car, Rocky running around with excitement he is going for a ride, and we set off down the highway once again. We arrive at the falls around 11:00 am, and were very thrilled to see there was only one site tak...