Cradle of Forestry in America

The spot where scientific forestry management was first attempted in the US, financed by George Vanderbilt back in 1895, is now a showcase for the Forest Service. Amid the original log cabins, 4 miles off Blue Ridge Parkway, a visitor center holds interactive exhibits targeted at children, including a scary simulation of a helicopter flying over a forest fire. Paved trails lead through the woods themselves.