When the "yellow bells" of forsythia begin to bloom, and a hint of spring is in the air, visitors and residents take advantage of the usually mild March days in the North Carolina mountains to shrug off winter and step into a landscape that is waking to another vibrant year. Getting Ready for Fly Fishing What did 730,115 brook, brown, and rainbow trout have in common last year? They were released into the 4,000 miles of cool, clear mountain streams of Western North Carolina, according to figures from the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. Click here to learn more. Rainbow and Ramps Behold the wild mountain ramp, a bold harbinger of spring in the Smoky Mountains... Click to learn more. Western North Carolina Museum Guides Available Spring is a great time for visiting a museum, and museum-lovers will love the new... Click to learn more. Hit the Trails on Foot or Mountain Bike Early spring finds runners and cycling enthusiasts hitting the trails of the North Carolina mountains... Click to learn more. Basketweavers as Tradition-Bearers According to the Cherokee Heritage Trails Guidebook, people began making baskets in the North Carolina... Click to learn more.   Getting Ready for Fly Fishing What did 730,115 brook, brown, and rainbow trout have in common last year? They were released into the 4,000 miles of cool, clear mountain streams of Western North Carolina, according to figures from the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. With trout stocked in abundance by both the State of North Carolina and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, the region draws fly fishing enthusiasts from around the world, as well as its own back yard. The season kicks off in March when the Wildlife Resources Commission begins to release large numbers of brook, brown, and rainbow trout into mountain streams. In addition to the unsurpassed fly fishing in the crystal clear mountain streams in the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains, anglers can enjoy breathtaking mountain scenery, waterfalls, small towns, festivals, and great hiking as spring creeps over the mountains and into the valleys of the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area. Click here for more information on fishing opportunities in the region. Photos courtesy of Haywood County Tourism Development Authority and Bill Gibson. Rainbow and Ramps Behold the wild mountain ramp, a bold harbinger of spring in the Smoky Mountains. Resembling garlic, this plant is more like a supercharged wild onion, and pungent beyond description. Visitors can sample ramps and fresh-caught rainbow trout at the Rainbow and Ramps Festival to be held in Cherokee, NC, on Saturday, March 31, 2007, at the Cherokee Indian Fairgrounds. Held in conjunction with the opening of trout season in Cherokee, the Festival includes music, a horse show competition, a barbeque cookoff, and a trout-and-ramp feast. Click here for details. Photo courtesy of Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP). Western North Carolina Museum Guides Available Spring is a great time for visiting a museum, and museum-lovers will love the new Western North Carolina Guide to Museums. From large, well-established museums and historic sites such as the Thomas Wolfe Memorial in Asheville to specialty museums like the Crossnore Weavers and Gallery in Crossnore or the Franklin Gem and Mineral Museum in Franklin, the new Guide lists 62 museums in Western North Carolina. The Guides are free and can be obtained at the North Carolina Visitors Centers on I-40 and I-26, from any participating museum or historic site, or click here to download the Guide from the Friends of Mountain History website. Image courtesy of Friends of Mountain History. Hit the Trails on Foot or Mountain Bike Early spring finds runners and cycling enthusiasts hitting the trails of the North Carolina mountains. While some will be out stretching winter-weary legs, others will participate in two extreme races that will be held on March 24 -- the Bartram Trail Endurance Run foot race and the Assault on the Carolinas bike race. The Bartram Trail Endurance Run follows 21 miles of the scenic Bartram Trail from the Nantahala River to Wayah Gap, gaining 3000 feet of elevation. Following the path of naturalist William Bartram, this trail features steep climbs and views of the vast wilds of Nantahala National Forest. The race is an event of the Nantahala Outdoor Center; click here for details. The Assault on the Carolinas is a benefit mountain bike race sponsored by the Pisgah Forest Rotary Club, with all proceeds going to local charities. The course has beautiful scenery, fast descents, and a challenging 6 mile climb up Caesar's Head. There is a 40K and a 60K run, both taking riders through the beautiful scenic river valleys of Transylvania County. Click here for more information. Photos courtesy of Nantahala Outdoor Center and Wilkes Co. Chamber of Commerce. Basketweavers as Tradition-Bearers According to the Cherokee Heritage Trails Guidebook, people began making baskets in the North Carolina mountains at least 9500 years ago. These pre-Cherokee people and their descendants wove intricate baskets of river cane, white oak, and honeysuckle, which remain the main materials used by today's weavers. These beautiful traditional baskets are on display at the Qualla Arts and Crafts Mutual in Cherokee, where basket weaving is taught to younger generations by master basket weavers of the tribe. Cherokee baskets can also be seen at numerous galleries throughout the region, including the Grove Arcade's current exhibit -- Ancient Cherokee Traditions: MODERN MAKERS -- which has been extended through March 31, 2007, in downtown Asheville. Not all traditional baskets are created by Cherokee artists, however. Members of guilds such as the Blue Ridge Basketmakers, Catawba Valley Basketmakers and Surry County Basketmakers meet to teach and learn the art of basket weaving, handing down these time-honored skills to younger generations. Their traditional baskets, such as egg baskets, market baskets, laundry baskets and berry baskets -- yesterday's necessities -- are today's prized works of art that can be found in many galleries and arts and crafts fairs in the region. Click here to learn more about these guilds. Photos courtesy of Qualla Arts & Crafts Mutual and Blue Ridge Basketmakers Guild. Share this eNewsletter with a friend. Print this newsletter with images or as text only. 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