Bonsai/Nature Vacations?

[TooCoys]

My partner and I are wanting to plan a long weekend in October. We want to do the mountains or something in nature. Of course I want to see trees and perhaps collect a small one or two.

Anyone have any recommendations or a favorite spot you like?

I’ve never been north of Little Rock, or West of San Antonio so my knowledge of US nature lands are kinda slim.

 

[J P]

Wherever you go, make sure you have permission before doing any collecting.

 

[TooCoys]

Wherever you go, make sure you have permission before doing any collecting.

It’s sad that this has to even be said.

 

[bonsaichile]

It’s sad that this has to even be said.

It is sad. But it is those without a permit who give us bonsai collectors a bad name!
Make sure to find out which local species can be safely collected in October

 

[TooCoys]

Anyone ever been in the Appalachians?

 

[BethF]

It's a long trip for you, but consider going to the N.C. Bonsai Expo in Asheville, NC, on October 13 and 14. It's held at the N.C. Arboretum in the Southern Appalachian mountains. You can see top-rate exhibits prepared by various bonsai clubs in the eastern U.S.; browse the vendor area for trees, pottery, and tools; attend and/or participate in lectures and classes; and take in the Arboretum's bonsai collection. The Arboretum is close to the Blue Ridge Parkway, which is a beautiful drive. Asheville is a destination city with lots of good places to eat at both high and low price points. Here is a link about this year's Expo: https://www.ncarboretum.org/event/carolina-bonsai-expo/2018-10-13/. Whatever you decide to do, hope you enjoy yourselves.

 

[TooCoys]

It's a long trip for you, but consider going to the N.C. Bonsai Expo in Asheville, NC, on October 13 and 14. It's held at the N.C. Arboretum in the Southern Appalachian mountains. You can see top-rate exhibits prepared by various bonsai clubs in the eastern U.S.; browse the vendor area for trees, pottery, and tools; attend and/or participate in lectures and classes; and take in the Arboretum's bonsai collection. The Arboretum is close to the Blue Ridge Parkway, which is a beautiful drive. Asheville is a destination city with lots of good places to eat at both high and low price points. Here is a link about this year's Expo: https://www.ncarboretum.org/event/carolina-bonsai-expo/2018-10-13/. Whatever you decide to do, hope you enjoy yourselves.

We're flying. We won some Southwest travel vouchers at a charity event this summer.

That's a great idea!

 

[jimib]

My wife and I planned a trip to Asheville NC last year. We were able to work it out to go during the weekend of the Carolina Bonsai Expo. We stayed at a cabin minutes from the arboretum. The arboretum had an excellent display and the show was great. The vendors had a lot to offer as well. Asheville itself was a great experience, an eclectic variety of art, restaraunts, bars and shops as well. If you have the time the Bitlmore is a must see. I'll be there again this year.

 

[skyrat]

I'm a big fan of Utah for nature vacations. I like to stay in the Capitol Reef area. From there you can reach several amazing national parks like Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Arches, Dixie National Forest, etc, and there are really cool places like Escalante and Boulder UT in easy reach. Amazing hiking. If you go up in the mountains there's ponderosas and aspen and down in the desert you get gnarly junipers. And of course really cool rocks. Many years ago I found a nice bonsai store in Salt Lake but I don't remember it's name so I can't verify if it's still there.

That aside, I've wanted to go to Asheville for a long time and would have used the upcoming expo there as an excuse to finally go if I didn't have an unavoidable obligation that same weekend. :-/

 

[skyrat]

Also, taking a trip to Muir Woods by San Fransciso is something I very highly recommend.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

I'm a big fan of Utah for nature vacations. I like to stay in the Capitol Reef area. From there you can reach several amazing national parks like Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Arches, Dixie National Forest, etc, and there are really cool places like Escalante and Boulder UT in easy reach. Amazing hiking. If you go up in the mountains there's ponderosas and aspen and down in the desert you get gnarly junipers. And of course really cool rocks. Many years ago I found a nice bonsai store in Salt Lake but I don't remember it's name so I can't verify if it's still there.

That aside, I've wanted to go to Asheville for a long time and would have used the upcoming expo there as an excuse to finally go if I didn't have an unavoidable obligation that same weekend. :-/

Just back from Bryce, and we were in Muir Woods last summer! Have to agree on all counts. And if you get a chance, definitely tour Biltmore...or better yet, stay on property. The grounds are amazing.

 

[Dav4]

The Carolina Bonsai Expo is always loads of fun and a top notch regional show. The permanent bonsai collection at the NC Arboretum is worth a visit there regardless of the timing, too.... and there are more microbreweries in the area then you can possibly visit in a weekend... unless you really try. Good luck with the collecting, though... I don't think the timing is ideal and I think it will be difficult to get the permits you'd need to collect on state or national park land. Have fun.

 

[Lazylightningny]

I used to be stationed in El Paso. Not sure how far you are from Guadalupe Mountains Natl Park, Texas (the southern terminus of the Rockies), but it's a pretty cool place. Not one of the better known national parks, but well worth seeing.