The Rio Grande River in Big Bend’s Santa Elena Canyon.
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“The range of ecosystems in the American South is unmatched: sweeping flat pine stands, meandering blackwater swamps, isolated barrier islands, baked-earth deserts, and lush forested valleys and mountaintops,” writes G&G’s Lindsey Liles. Below are seven standout wilderness areas, from well-known gems like the Everglades to tucked-away patches of the rolling Blue Ridge Mountains. Find out what makes these remote locations worth the trip—and what you can expect to see when you go.
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| MORE STORIES OF THE UNTAMED SOUTH |
Meet a Conservation Photographer
Capturing the South’s Wild Heart... |
…And See Captivating Images
from His New Book |
An Appalachian Outdoorswoman
Tours Bermuda’s Wild Side |
Pristine and Preserved:
G&G’s Guide to Georgia’s Barrier Islands |
Explore Nature-Filled Hideaways
Along South Carolina’s Coast |
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Fairhope, Alabama. Resting on Mobile Bay’s eastern shore, little Fairhope is big on culture. Downtown is brightened by twenty public art installations and more than ten galleries, and numerous artists and writers (including Rick Bragg, and before his death, Winston Groom) have called it home. While this talent generates beauty, the coastal community’s moss-bearded live oaks, quiet backwaters, and sunsets reflected on the glassy bay are visual feasts, too, often inspiring its creatives. These manmade and natural charms reel in lots of visitors, but Fairhope’s laid-back vibe keeps me coming back.
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Wild and wonderful: Nature immersion is always on my agenda, so I started my visit wandering in Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. A shaded boardwalk winding through protected tidal wetlands led me to a postcard-perfect view of swaying green marsh grasses rising out of diamond-tipped water.
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Downtown delights: I blissed out with fellow bibliophiles at Page & Palette, thumbing through a trove of titles in the two-story independent bookstore/art supply shop. At Gallery By the Bay, I reveled in local painter Judy Oxford’s soft renderings of weathered-wood piers and seabirds. And at Aubergine Culinary Antiques, I scored a vintage copper pot but summoned enough willpower to leave some cane-backed dining chairs behind.
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A real jewel: At Pearl, chef Will Sams shines a spotlight on Gulf seafood. Sips of a floral, gin-based Lavender Haze cocktail and slurps of Murder Point oysters (farmed nearby in Bayou La Batre) were my rewards for snagging a raw-bar seat. Redfish dusted with garlic and chili flake and cozied up to a charred onion and arugula salad was equally on point.
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