The Southeast may be home to globally popular attractions like Disney World and Graceland, and major cities like Nashville, Savannah, and New Orleans, but it also boasts 450,000 acres of federal land designated as wildernessâwhich means you donât have to travel too far to avoid the crowds and find some off-the-grid adventures south of the MasonâDixon line.
From the Appalachian Mountains stretching through parts of Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee, and North and South Carolina to the bayous dotting the shorelines of Louisiana and Arkansas, the southeastern corner of the U.S. has varied landscapes with plenty of space to escape and unplugâwithout completely leaving civilization behind.
If youâre looking to explore the further reaches of more familiar areas, the Southeast offers opportunities for everything from sunny beaches and hidden waterfalls to caving deep under the earth and angling for flounder and bluefish along the Gulf Coast.
Disclaimer: Before planning a trip in the Southeast, be sure to review the CDC Travelersâ Health page for alerts and updates, as well as any travel advisories for the specific location you hope to visit. Wear a mask, socially distance, and bring food, drinks, and supplies if you can.
5 Socially Distant Adventures to Get Your Thrills in the Southeast
1. Rappel Into Ellisonâs Cave â Walker County, GA
Experienced cavers can venture far below the earth in Ellisonâs Cave, situated on Pigeon Mountain in the Appalachian Plateaus of northwest Georgia, two hours from Atlanta and an hour from Chattanooga, TN. This is the 12th-deepest cave in the U.S., and itâs home to two of the deepest pits in the country, one of whichâthe Fantastic Pitâdrops over 500 feet. The cave in its entirety is 12 miles long with a total vertical descent of 1,063 feet, and it takes more than seven rappels to reach the pitch-black bottom (seriously, you need to really know what youâre doing or go with a guide).
Get up-to-date COVID-19 information on Georgia, here.
There are only six species of spoonbill in the world and, out of those six, the Roseate Spoonbill is the only one with pink plumage! Photo by @wild_tribute Image: A bird with a spoon-shaped bill and white and pink plumage spreads its wings as it wades in the water. #AmericasEverglades #EvergladesNationalPark #RoseateSpoonbill #BirdPhotography #FloridaWildlife #WildlifePhotography #Birder #Ornithology #Birding #Miami #SouthFlorida
2. Paddle the Wilderness Waterway Trail â Homestead, FL
Everglades National Parkâa 1.5-million-acre wetlands preserve a mere 45 minutes from Miamiâis the countryâs largest subtropical wilderness. The best way to see it is undoubtedly via boat, and canoers and kayakers tend to take at least eight days to paddle the Wilderness Waterway trail, which covers 99 miles through one of the most secluded regions of the eastern U.S. between two visitor centers. Youâll need a permit to paddle the lazy river as it winds its way through coastal mangroves, sawgrass marshes, and pine flatwoods; then, camp out at beach sites or the elevated wooden platforms with roofs dotting the wetlands.
Get up-to-date COVID-19 information on Florida, here.
3. Go Bouldering in Cherokee National Forest â Elizabethton, TN
Tennesseeâs Great Smoky Mountains National Park is flooded with 12.5 million visitors per year, making it the most popular national park in the U.S. Not too far north, though, the Cherokee National Forest offers the same Appalachian wilderness to a mere 2,875,000 annual visitors. Within this 655,598-acre forestâwhich is just under two hours from Knoxville and three hours from Charlotte, NCâare a number of bouldering areas: Blue Hole Falls has a wide variety of climbing options, including slopers, crimps, pockets, steep roofs, massive arĂȘtes, and highballs; and Backbone Boulders offers problems ranging from V0-V4 and higher.
Get up-to-date COVID-19 information on Tennessee, here.
4. Fish for Dinner in Cocodrie â Terrebonne Parish, LA
One of the most remote areas in the U.S., Terrebonne Parish is just a two-hour drive from New Orleans and two and a half from Baton Rouge. But thereâs only one road in and out of Cocodrie, a tiny fishing, shrimping, and crabbing village on the bayou. Due to its location on the edge of freshwater country, there are a ton of options for anglersâyou can fly-fish, deep-sea fish, inland fish, and swamp fish year-round. Launch a boat from the local marina to see what you can hook in the 2,500-square miles of swamps and wetlands.
Get up-to-date COVID-19 information on Louisiana, here.
@bradb_52 Segment 10 | Falls Lake
5. Backpack the Mountains-to-Sea Trail â Asheville, NC
The Appalachian Trail may be more famous, but the Mountain-to-Sea Trail covers 1,175 miles starting from inside Great Smoky Mountains National Park near the Tennessee borderâthree hours from Charlotte, NCâand following the Blue Ridge Parkway to the Outer Banks. Just over 100 through-hikers have completed the whole trail, compared to 19,000-plus whoâve made the Appalachian trek. You donât have to hike the whole thing (it passes through four national parks, three national forests, and two national wildlife refuges), but make sure to hit the segment with Mount Mitchell, the highest peak in mainland eastern North America.
Get up-to-date COVID-19 information on North Carolina, here.
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