Books for the Nature Lover in Your Life

Name: Pisgah National Forest
Brand: Marci Spencer
SKU: 9781626196346
Price: 16.79 USD
Availability: InStock

Theodore Roosevelt once said, "The lack of power to take joy in outdoor nature is as real a misfortune as the lack of power to take joy in books." Here’s a collection of gifts that combine both joys – books that celebrate the wonder and the history of places where Nature’s abundance is evident. Our books for the nature lover cover the hidden history of iconic national treasures like the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone in words and rare photos. From Denali in Alaska, to the Badlands of North Dakota, to Sequoia in California, to the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, to the majestic Niagara Falls in New York, these books celebrate Nature’s grandeur.

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Pisgah National Forest

$23.99 $16.79 Save 30%

Early Nature Artists in Florida

$21.99 $15.39 Save 30%

Corolla's Wild Horses

$23.99 $16.79 Save 30%

Hot Springs National Park

$23.99 $16.79 Save 30%

3000 Miles in the Great Smokies

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

High Vistas:

$21.99 $15.39 Save 30%

High Vistas:

$21.99 $15.39 Save 30%

Blue Ridge Parkway Through Time

$28.99 $20.29 Save 30%

Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute

$23.99 $16.79 Save 30%

Camping and Tramping with Roosevelt

$14.95 $10.47 Save 30%

Life Along the Apalachicola River

$21.99 $15.39 Save 30%

Mountain Passages

$21.99 $15.39 Save 30%

The Nantahala River

$23.99 $16.79 Save 30%

A History of Whitewater Paddling in Western North Carolina

$14.99 $10.49 Save 30%

Nature’s Own Attraction

$23.99 $16.79 Save 30%

Duck Hunting on Currituck Sound

$21.99 $15.39 Save 30%

Currituck Memories and Adventures

$21.99 $15.39 Save 30%

Cumberland Gap National Historical Park

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Clingmans Dome:

$23.99 $16.79 Save 30%

Chattanooga's Robert Sparks Walker:

$23.99 $16.79 Save 30%

Pisgah National Forest

9781626196346

$23.99 $16.79 Save 30%

Over 80,000 of woodland acres became the home of America's first forestry school and the heart of the East's first national forest formed under the Weeks Act.

When George Vanderbilt constructed the Biltmore House, he hired forester Gifford Pinchot and, later, Dr. Carl A. Schenck to manage his forests. Now comprising more than 500,000 acres, Pisgah National Forest holds a vast history and breathtaking natural scenery. The forest sits in the heart of the southern Appalachians and includes Linville Gorge, Catawba Falls, Wilson Creek Wild and Scenic River, Roan Mountain, Max Patch, Shining Rock Wilderness and Mount Pisgah. Author and naturalist Marci Spencer treks through the human, political and natural history that has formed Pisgah National Forest.

Early Nature Artists in Florida

9781467150323

$21.99 $15.39 Save 30%

Florida's amazing landscapes and fascinating wildlife were sources of inspiration for early naturalists seeking new horizons. Among them was John James Audubon. Elegant herons, acrobatic terns, endearing pelicans and colorful roseate spoonbills all feature among his beloved artwork. But Audubon was not the first nature artist inspired by Florida. Mark Catesby, an English country squire turned adventurer, helped introduce the wonders of Florida to a European audience in the 1700s. And William Bartram, a Pennsylvania Quaker, traveled south to explore the Florida wilderness, where he canoed across a lake full of alligators and lived to sketch the creatures. Author Chris Fasolino shares the stories of these artistic expeditions in a collection replete with gorgeous artwork that includes high-definition images of Audubon's rarely seen original paintings.

Corolla's Wild Horses

9781467153546

$23.99 $16.79 Save 30%

Local journalist and author Jeff Hampton tells the stories of the wild horses of Corolla…and their protectors. A herd of wild horses has roamed the Currituck Outer Banks for nearly five hundred years. In the last four decades the area has changed dramatically, with a boom in tourism bringing increased visitors and more traffic. A boon to the local economy in many ways, these changes have also led to more dangerous interactions with the herd. A group of locals reacted by creating the Corolla Wild Horse Fund. Learn about the horses and the actions taken to preserve them and help them thrive. Read tales of some of the characters among the herd, including the stallion Star, Amadeo, the blind pony and Raymond the mule.

Hot Springs National Park

9781467112857

$23.99 $16.79 Save 30%

One of America's first national parks, Hot Springs has welcomed the famous and the infamous, all seeking the healing elements of her waters.

Hot Springs was one of the first areas set aside as a federal land reservation in 1832--predating the first national park at Yellowstone by 40 years. In 1921, it was officially designated a national park. Physically the smallest of the 59 US national parks today, Hot Springs measures just larger than 5,500 acres. Its 47 on-site springs produce more than 700,000 gallons of thermal water per day. From early natives who quarried novaculite found in the surrounding hills to famous politicians, performers, and athletes, people have been coming to these springs for thousands of years to partake in the supposed healing powers of the water. President Franklin Roosevelt, boxer Jack Dempsey, and French opera diva Lily Pons are a few of the visitors who made the trek to the ""Valley of the Vapors."" The history of Hot Springs National Park revolves around people's' interactions with its thermal water.

3000 Miles in the Great Smokies

9781596297517

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Bill Hart has hiked, camped and fished in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park for more than forty years. In over three thousand miles of walking, he has recorded experiences and impressions that will delight readers of all ages. Whether exploring some of the most remote sections of the Smokies, angling for trout, meeting mountain folk or marveling at the flora and fauna around him, Bill has a gift for heartfelt storytelling and a wealth of knowledge to share about the park. Join him for an unforgettable journey through a beloved national treasure.

High Vistas:

9781596293557

$21.99 $15.39 Save 30%

High Vistas" is the first anthology devoted to nature writings on Western North Carolina and the Great Smoky Mountains. Each selection features a biographical essay introducing each author from celebrated naturalists John Muir and William Bartram to lesser-known writers whose words deserve to be heard and reveals how he or she went about exploring and depicting the region. Searching for rare wildflowers and elusive birds, scaling vertical cliffs, experimenting with medicinal plants, exploring a vast cavern, enduring horrific thunderstorms and encountering timber wolves, panthers, black bears and giant rattlesnakes are just some of the adventures that unfold in these pages."

High Vistas:

9781596293564

$21.99 $15.39 Save 30%

High Vistas is the first anthology devoted to nature and descriptive writing from Western North Carolina and the Great Smoky Mountains, inclusive of the Tennessee side of the present day Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Arranged chronologically with annotations, the twenty-one selections in this second of two volumes display the variety and development of nature and descriptive writing in the region during the twentieth century through today.

Blue Ridge Parkway Through Time

9781635000672

$28.99 $20.29 Save 30%

The story of the Blue Ridge Parkway--America's Favorite Drive--has been called awe-inspiring. Beginning with the inception of design work done during the early 1930s through its construction and final completion, the parkway--the longest road planned as a single unit in the United States and also an elongated park, protecting significant mountain landscapes far beyond the shoulders of the road itself--was completed with the contributions of many talented individuals. The National Park Service, which oversees it, informs that a Blue Ridge Parkway experience is unlike any other: a slow-paced and relaxing drive revealing stunning long-range vistas and close-up views of the rugged mountains and pastoral landscapes of the Appalachian Highlands. The parkway meanders for 469 miles, protecting a diversity of plants and animals, and providing opportunities for enjoying all that makes this region of the country so special.

Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute

9781467152181

$23.99 $16.79 Save 30%

For six decades western North Carolinians have asked the question: "What are those big satellite dishes doing behind that chain-linked fence?" In the early years of the site near Rosman, NASA gave public tours of the antennas it used to track space satellites. When the defense department took over, the tours stopped. Signs were posted that read "Unauthorized Entry Prohibited" and armed guards patrolled the site. Wild myths took root. Underground tunnels held nuclear missiles. The site was a submarine base. A city built underground held captive space aliens. Then, suddenly, DoD departed. New owners dusted off the satellite dishes and pointed them into deepest space. Public tours at the new Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute were reestablished and programs were created for a brand new mission-- science education. Now, local author Craig Gralley tells PARI's full story.

Life Along the Apalachicola River

9781626197510

$21.99 $15.39 Save 30%

In the Apalachicola River Valley, outdoor adventure is a way of life. It's a culture of fishing, hunting and everything in between, but this culture is fading as overdevelopment upstream dries up the region's natural resources. These narratives are part of an effort to capture the memories and keep those traditions alive. The quirky stories include calling a gator to a creek bank, exploring the origin of "Polehenge" and understanding just what makes Catawba worms so special. Learn the basics of frog gigging and ponder how many fish make a "mess." Author and Florida native Jim McClellan revives local stories from the banks of the Big River and preserves the allure of this fading swamp paradise.

Mountain Passages

9781596290440

$21.99 $15.39 Save 30%

This intriguing collection of essays results from writer George Ellison's thirty-year fascination with Western North Carolina and its Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains.

These essays offer a window onto the rich heritage of this stunning and oft-misunderstood region. Hear stories in a distinctly Appalachian tone and glimpse into the mountain life and lore through a diverse cast of characters. Develop a new language fit for mountain life, and begin to understand the roots of the names Crooked Arm, Deeplow Gap and the Boogerman Trail. See the world through the eyes of the ancient Cherokees, for whom the Nantahala Gorge, was a "chasm of horrors" associated with the "uktena," a mythic serpent from the dreaded Under World.

The Nantahala River

9781467141536

$23.99 $16.79 Save 30%

Most everyone who comes to western North Carolina has heard of the Nantahala, but few know its history. Long before it was a mecca for rafters and thrill seekers, it was traveled by naturalists and explorers from William Bartram to John C. Frémont. After the Cherokees were driven out, settlers arrived and began exporting the wealth of the mountains in the form of timber, talc and minerals. Tourists arrived on the Western Turnpike soon after, and the railroad brought more around 1890. The federal government began purchasing land for the new Nantahala National Forest, and the need for aluminum to fight World War II precipitated the construction of Fontana Lake and Nantahala Lake. Local author Lance Holland has crafted an enlightening and entertaining narrative history of this unique region.

A History of Whitewater Paddling in Western North Carolina

9781596294356

$14.99 $10.49 Save 30%

From The Chattooga to the Nantahala, the thrilling rapids and unparalleled scenery of Western North Carolina's rivers attract thousands of whitewater paddlers each year. Author and paddling instructor Will Leverette grew up in and around canoes. His grandfather, Frank "Chief" Bell, helped to popularize the sport through Camp Mondamin, the country's premier summer camp for paddling. Ride along with Leverette as he recounts the exhilarating adventures of paddling's pioneers from 1923 to 1980, both those who started the craze and those who guided it farther downstream.

Nature’s Own Attraction

9781634993142

$23.99 $16.79 Save 30%

The decades after World War II were a golden age for roadside attractions in the Sunshine State. The advent of the family automobile put Florida's exotic flora and fauna within easy reach for millions of curious Americans. Entrepreneurs were happy to meet that demand, setting up for-profit nature parks around four of Florida's most splendid natural springs--at Silver Springs, Homosassa, Rainbow Springs, and Weeki Wachee.

To distinguish themselves in a crowded field, these roadside operators upped the ante on weird, sweetening nature's majesty with theme park fantasy in the form of hippos, macaques, and mermaids, oh my!

Though these gimmicky roadside parks ultimately fell out of favor as commercial ventures, this truly wooly and weird chapter in Florida's history lives on, fully-integrated by popular demand into the state park system.

Lovingly documented across more than 135 full-color photographs, Nature's Own Attraction: A History of Florida's Roadside Springs presents a living history of Florida's bygone roadside era--a special kind of man-made Florida wildness vying for attention alongside the native, natural Florida wilderness that we all know and love.

Duck Hunting on Currituck Sound

9781596291676

$21.99 $15.39 Save 30%

Few areas in the country can compare to Currituck County when it comes to duck hunting. Since the late 1800s, hunters have traveled to the county for the abundunt wildfowl and outstanding hunting conditions, and for many gunners it has been the defintion of a sportsman's paradise. One such gunner is Travis Morris, whose family has lived in Currituck County for generations. For more than sixty years, Morris has plied the county's waters in search of mallards, widgeons, teal, coot and more, all the while amassing a wealth of knowledge on the history and tradition of duck hunting in the area.

Currituck Memories and Adventures

9781596293052

$21.99 $15.39 Save 30%

Currituck County, North Carolina, is famed as a place where hunters count down every hour until the opening of duck season. Land of the hunter, farmer and fisherman?all terms that have defined author Travis Morris Currituck is the well-loved home and stage to this latest collection of hunting and fishing exploits. Currituck native Travis Morris returns with a follow-up to the best-selling Duck Hunting on Currituck Sound with more tales of hunting, fishing and adventure. Complete with humorous stories of boyhood on the sound and a whole new collection of fishing and hunting expeditions, this book is a treasure. Whether or not one has ever watched a ?smoke of ducks? flying overhead in front of a cold January sunrise or pulled in enough catfish to nearly sink a boat, Morris's accounts of life on Currituck Sound are sure to delight.

Cumberland Gap National Historical Park

9781467111119

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Bringing to life more than a century's worth of fascinating stories and history of Cumberland Gap National Historical Park.

Best known for its pivotal role in opening up the western frontier and its association with explorers and pioneers, the legendary Cumberland Gap has long been celebrated in music and literature. To better preserve that history, Cumberland Gap National Historical Park was authorized in 1940 and now covers more than 24,000 acres in Kentucky, Virginia, and Tennessee. Daniel Boone is remembered here, as well the Native Americans who used the path through the mountains for trade and warfare, the Civil War soldiers who took turns guarding this strategic portal, the geologists and industrialists who saw the potential for development, the businessmen who built one of the nation's first roads for automobile travel and the displaced residents who gave up their homes for the park. The dream of a few dedicated individuals to one day restore the historic Wilderness Road through the Cumberland Gap came true in 2002 after decades of planning, and visitors can once again walk in the footsteps of the pioneers.

Clingmans Dome:

9781609497880

$23.99 $16.79 Save 30%

Clingmans Dome towers over the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains as the highest point in both the national park and the state of Tennessee. The mountain holds an ancient allure--the Cherokee treasured it, as did early settlers, and it captivates throngs of visitors today. Scarred by logging, invasive species and modern pollution, the mountain endures. Through lush narratives and fascinating detail, author Marci Spencer presents the natural and human history of this iconic destination, including Senator Thomas Clingman's 1858 journey to measure the mountain and the 1934 birth of the park.

Chattanooga's Robert Sparks Walker:

9781626191136

$23.99 $16.79 Save 30%

The legend that was Robert Sparks Walker began in a log cabin outside Chattanooga called Spring Frog Cabin, a humble abode built by a Cherokee naturalist in 1750. Walker would continue in the footsteps of that Cherokee to become synonymous both with Chattanooga and nature, penning thousands of articles, poems and books as a naturalist. Nominated for a Pulitzer Prize, Walker gained international fame for his work, yet his largest impact remains in his native Tennessee. He helped to found the Chattanooga Audubon Society, including preserving his childhood home through Audubon Acres. Walker is remembered throughout the state for his nationally syndicated nature column, and the Lifetime Achievement Award for Environmental Stewardship is given in his name. His life was one of adventure, reflection and a deep devotion to the understanding and preservation of nature. Local author Alexandra Walker Clark, granddaughter of Robert Sparks Walker, celebrates the life of this Scenic City pioneer.