Have you noticed an unusual smell or flavor in your tap water over the past few days?

What's wrong with Raleigh tap water? Algae bloom at Falls Lake behind the smell, color

'Earthy and musty:' Here's why your tap water may taste strange this weekend in Raleigh

Athens Drive Magnet High School and Conn Magnet Elementary School won national awards Saturday at the Magnet Schools of America's annual conference.

Top two magnet schools in the US are in Wake County

Athens Drive High School

All assets associated with the tag: Appalachian Trail

Appalachian Trail Coverage

On Monday, Oct. 2, 2023, Google took to the Appalachian Trail to celebrate the autumn draw of colorful leaves along the 2,190-mile footpath that spans 14 U.S. states.

MEYERS ALSO HAS A NEW EPISODE TONIGHT RIGHT HERE ON WRAL THERE BACK. WELL, GOOGLE IS CELEBRATING THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL TODAY WITH ITS DOODLE ON OCTOBER. SECOND, 1968, THE NATIONAL TRAILS SYSTEM ACT ESTABLISHED THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL AS ONE OF THE FIRST NATIONAL SCENIC TRAILS. >> IT'S KNOWN AS THE LONGEST HIKING ONLY FOOTPATH IN THE WORLD'S PASSENGER. 14 STATES, INCLUDING NORTH CAROLINA, ACTUALLY ABOUT 3 MILLION PEOPLE VISIT THE TRAIL AND AROUND 3,000 ATTEMPT TO HIKE IT ALL, WHICH TAKES 5 TO 7 MONTHS. >> IT HAS BEEN PRONOUNCED THE YEAR OF THE TRAIL HERE IN NORTH

Google Doodle celebrates Appalachian Trail

Clingman's Dome in the Smoky Mountains, Tenn.

The National Trails System Act established the Appalachian Trail as one of the country's first National Scenic Trails on Oct. 2, 1968.

Google celebrates fall, Appalachian Trail with Monday's doodle

Keith King is collecting donations for the "Make-A-Wish Foundation of Eastern North Carolina" while hiking the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine.

ARE AVERAGING 3.58. RALEIGH WILL COST YOU A PENNY MORE AT 3.59. WE'RE TIRED. CREEDMORE POLICE CHIEF IS USING SOCIAL MEDIA SUPPORT TO HELP MAKE A WISH COME TRUE FOR TERMINALLY ILL CHILDREN. HE'S COLLECTING DONATIONS FOR HELP FROM THE FAT MAY MAKE A WISH FOUNDATION WELL HITTING THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL FROM GEORGIA TO MAINE AS WHO CAN SMITH SHOWS US. IT'S A LABOR OF LOVE. >> ALL RIGHT. LET'S TIME DAY 7 CLOSING IN ON 100 MILE. MARK. THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS EARLY IS FACEBOOK UPDATES AS HE HIKED THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL. 2200 MILES TO ME. THAT ELECTION TRAIL CAME ON OUR RADAR ABOUT 11 YEARS I LOVE OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES. IT WAS A STORMY DAY WHEN WE SPOKE WITH KING AND HIS WIFE, TARA AND A RARE MOTELS STOP. >> THEY WOULD MODEL ONE 64 INFANT AND A VILLAGE, NORTH CAROLINA FOR THE LAST 2 WEEKS HAVE BEEN AVERAGING RIGHT AROUND 15 TO 70 MILES A DAY AFTER 30 YEARS OF PUBLIC SERVICE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, KING CHOSE THE ULTIMATE HIKING CHALLENGE. HIS WIFE, TARA, IS TRAIL MANAGER. >> HERE'S THE COURT BRIEF TALKING HIM WITH THE PA. HE'S KING'S INSPIRATION. WAS THE DEATH OF A CLOSE FRIEND MARK GILLEN. BUT I WAS AROUND FOR. >> 12 OF THE 15 YEARS OF LIFE. GILLUM'S WISH MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH THE MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION WAS ONE LAST HUNTING TRIP BEFORE HE DIED. THAT'S WHY KING TO ITS A HEAVY LOAD AND GEORGE SORE FEET TO MAKE MORE WISHES COME TRUE. THE CENTER AND SHE'LL GO FOR 10,000 IN THE FIRST 2 WEEKS. I THINK WE'RE SOMEWHERE AROUND 7500 NOW. IT GIVES HOPE FOR CHILDREN FACING CRITICAL ILLNESS WITH THE HELP OF PEOPLE LIKE KEITH KING. >> HE HAS THE MOST SUPPORT FROM FAMILY AND CREATE MORE, WHICH IS MY HOMETOWN IN, OF COURSE, EVERYBODY IN CREAM OR IN A SIMILAR STEP BACK FROM THEM ON SUNDAY. SHE'S HAD FROM MY SUPPORT. I'M SO PROUD OF THEM. >> KEN SMITH, WRAL NEWS. >> AND WE'RE PROUD OF THEM TO. KEITH KING IS NOW AT MILE 300 AND ARE ONE TENNESSEE. HIS INITIAL GOAL WAS TO RAISE $10,000 FOR THE MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION. THE ONLINE RESPONSE HAS BEEN SO GREAT. THEY'VE RAISED THEIR GOAL TO $15,000. WOW. WHAT A TRIBUTE WILL

Retired Creedmoor police chief hiking Appalachian Trail for Make-A-Wish Foundation

Retired police chief hiking Appalachian Trail for Make-A-Wish Foundation

A retired Creedmoor police chief has been attracting donors through FaceBook to help "make a wish" come true for critically ill children.

Retired Creedmoor police chief hikes the Appalachian Trail to help critically ill children

North Carolina's Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests are among the most visited in the country. The future of roughly half of the combined forests is now in the hands of the U.S. Forest Service after eight years of arguments about its highest and best use.

<p>AND THE WRAL APP ON YOUR TV OR STREAMING DEVICE. NORTH CAROLINA MOUNTAINS AND KNOWN FOR THAT REASON. A PART OF THE ROLLING VIEWS. THESE TREES ARE PART OF THE NANA HALA AND PISGAH NATIONAL FOREST AND BETWEEN THEM. &gt;&gt; THEY COVER MORE THAN A MILLION ACRES IN 18 COUNTIES IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA. THE NEXT FEW DAYS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WILL ANNOUNCE ITS LATEST MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE FOREST. WRO CAPITOL BUREAU CHIEF LAURA LESLIE REPORTS TENS OF THOUSANDS OF ACRES OF OLD GROWTH FOREST COULD BE OPEN FOR LOG. &gt;&gt; IDENTIFY AS I FEEL CALM. YOU MIGHT BE SURPRISED TO LEARN THAT LOGGING IS ALLOWED AND NATIONAL FOREST. BUT AS PART OF THE REASON THEY WERE CREATED MORE THAN A CENTURY AGO, I'M LIKE NATIONAL PARKS WHICH ARE PROTECTED UNDER THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL FORESTS ARE UNDER THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. ONE OF THE STATUTORY PURPOSES FOR HAVING NATIONAL FOREST. THIS GOES BACK TO THE VERY BEGINNING. &gt;&gt; PUBLIC PLANS AND THE IN THE U.S. IT IS FOR TIMBER HARVEST. SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN A PART OF NATIONAL FOREST MANAGEMENT SINCE THE BEGINNING. SAM EVANS IS AN ATTORNEY AT THE SOUTHERN ENVIRONMENTAL LAW CENTER. ONE OF THE MANY GROUPS WHO OBJECTED TO A U.S. FOREST SERVICE PROPOSAL TO ALLOW MORE LOGGING IN THE OLD GROWTH AREAS OF THE NET. A LEFTIST OF FOREST. &gt;&gt; IT'S PART OF THE LATEST FOR US PLANT, WHICH IS A BLUEPRINT FOR HOW THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT INTENDS TO MANAGE IT. SO THIS &gt;&gt; BESIDES THE NEXT 3 WHERE THE LOGGING WILL OCCUR, HOW MUCH WILL OCCUR AND WHAT PLACES WILL BE PROTECTED? WILL HARLAN WITH THE CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY SAYS NAT A LEFTIST? THE IS THE MOST POPULAR NATIONAL FOREST IN THE COUNTRY. &gt;&gt; HE SAYS HIS GROUP DOESN'T OPPOSE ALL LOGGING, BUT THE LATEST PLAN WOULD PUT 45,000 ACRES OF OLD GROWTH FOREST AT RISK, INCLUDING SOME OF THE BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY IS MOST FAMOUS VEST AS LIKE CRAGGY SCENIC OVERLOOK THOUSANDS OF MILES OF HIKING AND BIKING TRAILS ARE ATTRACTING MILLIONS OF VISITORS. &gt;&gt; WATERFALL WONDERLAND, SAND RARE SPECIES. THIS IS A GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY. HOTSPOT. SO WHEN YOU PUT ALL OF THOSE THINGS TOGETHER, THIS FOR US IS FAR MORE VALUABLE STANDING THEN CUT DOWN. HOWEVER, IT'S ALSO VALUABLE TO THE TIMBER INDUSTRY IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA. &gt;&gt; JOHN HATCHER WITH THE NC FORESTRY ASSOCIATION SAYS IN THE PAST THE FOREST SUPPORTED LOGGING JOBS. BUT IN RECENT DECADES, NATIONAL FOREST MANAGERS HAVE ALLOWED FEWER TREES TO BE CUT. A LOT OF BUSINESSES. &gt;&gt; A LOT OF INDUSTRIES THAT GO OUT OF BUSINESS DUE TO THAT LACK OF HARVESTING THE NATIONAL FOR HATTERAS AS THE NET TO HELP HIS THE FOREST CAN EASILY SUPPORT A BALANCE OF RECREATION CONSERVATION AND TIMBER HARVESTING. &gt;&gt; HE SAYS MANAGE LOGGING CAN ALSO HELP LOWER THE RISK OF DISEASE AND CATASTROPHIC WILDFIRE. THIS IS NOT A RIGHT TO SERVE. &gt;&gt; JUST HARVESTING TIMBER FOR THE SAKE OF DRIVING A CROSSING AND LATE IN THE LANDSCAPE. VERY BEST THAT FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH. MAYBE IT SHOULD BE A GOOD PART OF SYSTEM. LAURA LESLIE WRAL, NEWS, RALEIGH. &gt;&gt; THE U.S. FOREST SERVICE DECLINED SEVERAL REQUESTS FOR AN INTERVIEW. THIS PLAN HAS BEEN DELAYED SEVERAL YEARS DUE TO THE PANDEMIC AND THE RECORD NUMBER OF PUBLIC OBJECTIONS TO THE DRAFT PROPOSAL. THE FINAL</p>

New federal plan could open parts of western NC forests to logging

North Carolina's Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests are among the most visited in the country. The future of roughly half of the combined forests is now in the hands of the U.S. Forest Service after eight years of arguments about its highest and best use.


Facing opposition, feds shape future for popular NC forestland 

Staire Creek, Nantahala-Pisgah National Forest

WRAL's Bryan Mims experiences the Blue Ridge Parkway at the best time of year, when the leaves change and the fall season hits its stride. 

<p>DECEMBER 18th. THEY ARE ESPECIALLY BREATHTAKING IN THE NORTH CAROLINA MOUNTAINS. THEY WERE AT THEIR PEAK. &gt;&gt; YOUR DRIVING RATHER THAN BEING DRIVEN. &gt;&gt; WAY UP INTO THE EVERGREENS OF THE BLACK MOUNTAINS WITH THE REDS SPRUCE AND FIR TREES. SEE MAC IF ALL DAY LIKE THIS IN BEAUTIFUL 60 DEGREE WEATHER. WE RECOMMEND THIS TIME, I COME BACK UP HERE TO RENEW MY SOUL. I CAN LOOK AT THESE PICTURES AND REMEMBER GOD'S BEAUTY FOR SURE. &gt;&gt; THEY PRODUCE A DAZZLING RED SPLASH OF BERRIES. THE PARKWAY DROPS OUT OF THE HIGH RIDGES ON TO ASHEVILLE.</p>

Fall colors shine along Blue Ridge Parkway as region's natural beauty comes through

Fall colors shine along Blue Ridge Parkway as foliage 

Tar Heel Traveler Scott Mason and his friend are north of North Carolina, closing in on the Pennsylvania border. 

WRAL'S BRYAN MIM >>> LAST NIGHT, THE TAR HEEL TRAVELER TOOK US ON A FIVE-DAY HIKE ALONG THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL. TONIGHT, PART TWO, SCOTT MASON AND HIS BUDDY FROM NORTH CAROLINA ARE CLOSING IN ON THE PENNSYLVANIA BORDER.  >> Reporter: OKAY, UP WE GO. AND DOWN WE GO. >> WE HAVE BEEN RUNNING INTO THIS KIND OF THING TODAY BECAUSE OF THE HARD LEAN LAST NIGHT. IT IS A PRETTY SIGHT, BUT IT IS STILL ROUGH GOING. >> Reporter: WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE VIEW? >> IT'S A LITTLE DOWN IN MARYLAND. IT'S A GREAT LITTLE PLACE. >> Reporter: DARKNESS COMES EARLY IN THE WOODS. IT'S NOT 7:00 YET. WE HAVE THE TENT SET UP. WE WILL BE EATING DINNER SOON, READY TO EAT MEALS. TONIGHT, LASAGNA. THE MORNING, BREAKFAST. OATMEAL. IT IS THURSDAY MORNING ABOUT 10:45. NINE MILES TO GO, TO THE END OF THE HIKE, WE HAVE COME TO A COW PASTURE. HOW DO YOU FEEL ON THIS LAST DAY? >> I THINK I FINALLY HAVE MY LEGS. >> HOW OLD ARE YOU? >> ALMOST 59, A YEAR YOUNGER THAN SCOTTY. WE ARE OUT HERE TOGETHER, TWO OLD GUYS ON THE TRAIL. >> Reporter: ONE THING I HAVE BEEN DOING IS COUNTING THIS STEP ALONG THE WAY. I HAD ONE OF THESE WATCHES. NORMALLY, WE HAVE GONE 27,000 STEPS, BUT ON OUR LONGEST HIKE DAY, I HIT 31,500. >> Reporter: THIS IS THE HIGH ROCK OVERLOOK NEAR THE MARYLAND/PENNSYLVANIA BORDER. >> THIS IS A JUMP OFF POINT. IT WAS FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, FOR HANG GLIDERS. >> Reporter: WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE VIEW? >> FABULOUS. THERE IS A GREAT VIEW OF THIS AREA. >> Reporter: BACK TO THE TRAIL. THE HOME STRETCH OF OUR HIKE, AND RIGHT AT THE END -- HALF A MILE TO GO. I HAVE DONE IT. THREE NIGHTS, FOUR DAYS, 40 MILES. FROM WEST VIRGINIA TO THE PENNSYLVANIA LINE, THE TAR HEEL TRAVELER HAS TRAVELED PART OF THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL.  >> WHAT AN ACHIEVEMENT, WHAT

Tar Heel Traveler: Scott Mason attempts to complete life-long goal on Appalachian Trail

Haywood County officials are investigating a viral social media tip from a Florida man who claims to have seen Brian Laundrie in the Appalachian Mountains. 



Haywood County investigating tips that Brian Laundrie was spotted along NC-TN border

Brian Laundrie

One of the most iconic hiking trails in the world has a problem -- it;s too popular. 

mhm plunged in the middle of perfect serenity, the Appalachian trails, rolling hills and lush layers of foliage. You'll find a phenomenon, crowds or people anyway, but we're now speaking out only outdoor activities, parking lots full of people and a crush of visitors from Georgia used to be kind of a ghost. Go to spot park up there, go hike in. Now. You know, half of Atlanta is parked up there to Maine and the mid atlantic chris Brunton and his team managed a 32 mile stretch from famed harpers Ferry west Virginia south to Virginia trash pickup is a problem these days that with that I have never seen in the 30 years that I've been working on this trail and I found sleeping bags, tents, tops of cooking gear, food in package. It's a footprint that's widening figuratively and literally with some pathways doubling in size. This is where you hit the road. Exactly. And main, their ultimate destination is about 2000 miles that way. Just a couple little jumps in a skip. Exactly. Exactly. A few weeks. All right, so you want to get out there, Let's go for perspective. We enlisted an expert Don Converse and the Georgia Appalachian trail club have been caring for the state 78 miles for decades. This is what four ft or so in some places highly eroded. He says it's not the few 100 people who hiked the whole 2000 mile stretch or through hikers that are eroding the land, but the countless casual day goers, it's getting loved to death, just like the national parks are. And uh, that's the need for constant maintenance. It's difficult to sustain the pristine nature of it. A similar congestion crisis has already gripped the Grand Canyon and arches National Park in Utah with nature serving as a refuge for those coping with covid nature. And, And just the trail itself is really healing Melissa Rand works in healthcare and is 1300 miles into her journey alone. Although she's hardly lacked for company as a solo female hiker. It is kind of scary, but I've never been alone because there's so many people hiking the trail. Caleb s cultivated a whole following on social media from his own amazing Appalachian track. He had this to say about the explosion of fellow hikers. Make sure you follow the leave no trace guidelines. Just be a good human about it.

Crowds overwhelm the Appalachian Trail 

Hikers, crowds overwhelm Appalachian Trail 

Sunday, May 26, 2019 -- This season about 3,000 hikers are trying to walk all 2,192 miles of the Appalachian Trail and they have worries. What they worry about may surprise you. They are more concerned about ticks and the diseases they carry than being assaulted or killed. Or mauled by a bear or bitten by a rattlesnake.

PAT STITH: Amid news of crime on Appalachian Trail; injury, illness, failure are bigger worries

Appalachian Trail has challenged hikers since 1937

Early Saturday, sheriff's deputies in southwest Virginia received an unusual message. An emergency signal had been sent from a hiker's GPS device on the Appalachian Trail. So the deputies went into the forest to look for him. As they stopped to talk to other hikers on the trail, a dog wandered up to the group.

Fatal stabbing on Appalachian Trail uncovered thanks to GPS and a dog

Fatal Stabbing on Appalachian Trail Is Uncovered Thanks to GPS and a Dog

For more than half a century the Federal Land and Water Conservation fund has been supporting the growth of public land for recreational purposes. This past September, that all changed when Congress let the fund expire.