Our 22 years of publication should demonstrate irrefutably that The Laurel is passionate about the outdoors.
Every month, we chronicle the events offered by the Highlands Biological Foundation and the Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust. There’re reports about the birds and the beavers, hidden waterfalls, and Deena’s wise excursions on both the beaten paths and the roads less traveled.
For me, I’m drawn to the local hikes. I lack the time for big extended treks through the wilderness, yet for my mental and emotional health I need to turn away from the laptop at least once a day and fall back into Nature’s Bounty.
I’ve written before about the glories to be discovered at the Highlands Botanical Gardens and the Cashiers Greenway Ramble and the Horst Winkler Sculpture Trail at The Bascom.
Somehow, I’ve never written much about The Highlands Plateau Greenway, an emerald belt that connects natural settings and historic sites across the town.
It’s a locally-owned and managed trail system along a continuous, safe, green route, easily identified through signage, maps, and user guides with emphasis on the natural and historical environment.
What sets the Highlands Plateau Greenway apart from other trails are these unique environmental features upon which the Greenway’s trail system is superimposed, with opportunities for recreation, education on regional and natural history, art, and conservation for the Plateau’s tens of thousands of residents and visitors.
The Greenway is intended for foot traffic only and its trails are rated as easy, moderate, or difficult to indicate health and fitness opportunities for all user levels.
Youth organizations such as the Highlands Girls Club, Boy Scouts, Eckhardt Campers and AmeriCorps have learned trail construction techniques through Greenway volunteer programs. The Highlands Biological Station’s Nature Center shares the Greenway’s trail system through the Station’s 25-acre Botanical Garden, which it uses extensively for science programs, serving diverse communities and urban populations with its over 15,000 annual visitors.
The Greenway connects established trail systems within the town, allowing users to visit sites of special interest without the use of motorized vehicles through tracts owned by Greenway Partners: the Town of Highlands, Highlands Biological Station, Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust, and Bascom Center for the Visual Arts.
If you’d like to discover for yourselves the trails that lace this community and link us to our natural and human histories, visit highlandsgreenway.com. You can print out the maps and learn more about the magic embedded within each step along these trails.
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