Peanut Butter Fingers

Living a Life Fueled by Healthy Food and Fitness

Navigation
  • Home
  • About
    • Contact
    • Who’s Who
    • All About NASM
    • Disclaimer
    • Wedding
  • Recipe Index
  • Workouts
  • Pregnancy
    • Pregnancy + Baby #2
    • Pregnancy + Baby #3
    • Miscarriages
  • Baby
  • Shop + Favs
    • My Amazon Shop
    • Codes + Discounts
    • Books
    • Blogging
  • Travel
    • Orlando & Florida
    • Blog Travel

Hiking Carvers Gap and Fishin’ For Trout

October 21, 2015 by Julie 54 Comments

The third day of our family vacation began with a hike at Carvers Gap!

Carvers Gap The Balds Hike

Carver's Gap Hike

Ryan and I have completed this hike twice in the past (it’s a rather long day-trip from Charlotte, but totally worth it) and were excited to bring my sister and brother-in-law and our two dogs out for a chilly and windy hike on the Appalachian Trail!

Carvers Gap

LEslie Ross

We arrived at the trail head nice and early and didn’t see anyone on the trails for a solid hour which was a bit unusual, as this is a popular hiking spot. It was neat to have the trails to ourselves and we had a great time hiking, chatting and watching the dogs romp around and have the time of their lives.

Chocolate Lab Running Mountaintop

Carvers Gap Hiking

cartwheel mountaintop

Leslie Sadie

We ended up completing a 5-mile out and back hike on The Balds, a series of treeless mountaintops that offer expansive panoramic views of the Appalachian Mountains. 

The Balds Hike NC

Carvers Gap Hike

I love this hike so much because you’re able to soak up gorgeous mountain views the entire time you’re hiking. It’s gorgeous and I’m so glad we had the chance to do it with Leslie and Ross!

Since the trail was a little ways from the house we rented in Banner Elk, we didn’t make it back until close to lunchtime. We thanked my parents for watching Chase and grabbed a quick shower when we arrived home.

Before moving onto the next activity, my mom requested a family photo for my parents’ holiday cards, so we snapped a few with the help of Ross’ tripod before heading out to lunch.

Banner Elk Mountain Vacation Home

(We realized we all randomly packed plaid shirts and I suggested we all wear plaid and channel How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days and look like a “little plaid family” for the photos. Haha!)

Bream Family

The Fagan crew upped their game and went for a double whammy: Plaid and vests. (Cheesy coordination champs right here!)

Ryan Julie Sadie Chase

After family photos were complete, we made the short drive into downtown Boone for lunch at Our Daily Bread.

Our Daily Bread Boone NC

We dug into soup, salads and sandwiches (the curry pumpkin soup stole the show) before walking across the street to browse around Mast General Store.

Mast General Store

The store had everything from outdoor apparel and equipment to kitchenware and souvenirs but we were most interested in the barrel candy! We loaded up on a variety of candy from the barrels that managed to last us through the week. I drooled over some of my favorite candies that I haven’t had in years and made sure to add them to our stash. (Anyone else a fan of the melt-in-your-mouth delicious Ice Cubes chocolate squares?) 

With our big bag of candy in tow, we headed off on our next adventure and stopped by Grandfather Trout Farm to do some fishing.

Grandfather Trout Farm Banner Elk

Grandfather Trout Farm

We used worms and corn as bait and did our best to fish for rainbow trout we hoped to eat for dinner. The fish weren’t biting like we anticipated and it ended up taking more finesse than we thought to catch a few!

Fishing

Banner Elk Trout Farm

Chase seemed to have fun at the trout farm, mainly because the activity meant he could spend time outside with his grandma! 

Chase 11 weeks

Grandma Mom Baby

This little boy loves looking at leaves, trees and the sky. He’s an outdoor dude already!

grandma and grandson

We left with five large trout and ended up grilling them for dinner and had enough leftover for lunch the next day, too. It was a great way to cap off the third day of our mountain vacation!

Be sure to follow PBFingers on Instagram and Facebook!

I'd love to connect with you! I am always so grateful when you let me know you tried one of my recipes or workouts and tag me in your photos or updates. Thank you so much!!!

Filed Under: Family, Travel Tagged With: Banner Elk, Boone, family, Grandfather Trout Farm, Mast General Store, travel, trout fishing

About Julie

My name is Julie and I am a full-time blogger, new mama, fitness enthusiast (certified personal trainer and group exercise instructor) and food fanatic (mostly healthy... but also not-so-healthy) living in North Carolina with my husband, dog and baby boy. Thank you for visiting Peanut Butter Fingers! I hope you enjoy little glimpses into my life and have fun trying the sweaty workouts I frequently share and making some of my favorite recipes along the way!

« Make Ahead Avocado Breakfast Bowl
Leg Workout: Three 8-Minute Circuits + Finisher »

Comments

  1. Chelsea @ SimplyChelsea says

    October 21, 2015 at 7:34 am

    Aw, I absolutely LOVE the family pictures! They are really beautiful! My favorite barrel candy is definitely saltwater taffy… Yum!

    Reply
  2. Jacklyn @ Jack's Balancing Act says

    October 21, 2015 at 7:35 am

    Ahhh so beyond beautiful (the scenery AND your family!) I’ve never even considered fall travel, but I certainly will in future. What a gorgeous time to be away with family. Loving these recaps!! 🙂

    Reply
  3. Sarah says

    October 21, 2015 at 7:36 am

    What cute family photos! Which totally reminds me that we need to get on ours.

    I just read a book to my class about the Appalachian Trail and seeing your pictures makes me want to visit even more. Gorgeous views!

    Reply
  4. Jamie says

    October 21, 2015 at 7:44 am

    Where did you get your vest, Julie? I love it!!

    Reply
    • Julie says

      October 21, 2015 at 8:07 am

      I got it in a Stitch Fix box but the brand is Splendid! Here it is online –> http://bit.ly/1OHUoWf …, but I also saw it on sale for cheaper on Ruelala a few weeks ago!

      Reply
  5. Linz @ Itz Linz says

    October 21, 2015 at 7:58 am

    Haha love the plaid! I need some for William!

    Reply
  6. Christina @ Embracing Simple says

    October 21, 2015 at 8:00 am

    Good morning Julie!

    Wow looks like such a fun family trip, and the Christmas card photo turned out so great. You’ve reminded me that I need to bust out our tripod to take ours soon! I’m loving that you all brought plaid too, hah!

    Glad you enjoyed the time with your family and got to partake in some fun outdoor activities and enjoy some awesome food. I’m keeping this day trip in mind when we move to Charlotte next year1 🙂

    Have a great day!
    Christina

    Reply
  7. Heather says

    October 21, 2015 at 8:03 am

    aw! love that close up of Chase! and of course love the flannel vest family coordination! 🙂

    Reply
  8. Laura says

    October 21, 2015 at 8:08 am

    Loving these recaps! Makes me want to schedule a family vacation to the mountains! The family pictures are great! Love the plaid!

    Reply
  9. Melissa says

    October 21, 2015 at 8:22 am

    Beautiful photos of your family! When I first saw the picture before I even read what you’d written, I thought to myself, that would be the ideal holiday photo! I love the theme of the flannel shirts, too!

    Reply
  10. Alyssa @ Renaissancerunnergirl says

    October 21, 2015 at 8:25 am

    Gorgeous scenery AND family! I love going on hikes in new places, I plan to visit friends in VA/NC next year and really want to go hiking 🙂

    Reply
  11. Julie @ Running in a Skirt says

    October 21, 2015 at 8:27 am

    I can’t believe you didn’t plan that! So awesome. My hubby’s Mom always gets a family picture for the Christmas card like that.
    This hike looks awesome! I’ve never done it before. I’ll have to add it to my list.
    I wrote about nearby Hawksbill Mountain today– you’d love it!! 🙂

    Reply
  12. Morgan @ Morgan Manages Mommyhood says

    October 21, 2015 at 8:33 am

    Your family pictures are just too, too cute! I love that the dogs get included. That candy store/general store would ahve had me SO EXCITED. I kind of like candy..

    Reply
  13. Whitney says

    October 21, 2015 at 8:43 am

    Beautiful family Julie! Thanks for sharing! I was wondering how Ryan’s knee is doing.. As I’ve had the same surgery! Have a blessed day! 🙂

    Reply
  14. Mary says

    October 21, 2015 at 8:59 am

    Looks like a great trip – beautiful pictures! I have been reading for awhile and have to say the last picture is awesome. One of my parents is a cancer survivor and I can’t wait for them to have grandchildren in the future 🙂

    Reply
  15. Lauren says

    October 21, 2015 at 9:06 am

    Boone is my hometown! So fun to see y’all enjoying a vacation there 🙂 Our Daily Bread is one of my favorites. Hope you had time to check out Proper! And you picked a great hike!

    Reply
  16. Shiru says

    October 21, 2015 at 9:08 am

    Your family looks beautiful!! Really nice photos!

    Reply
  17. Kristy B. says

    October 21, 2015 at 9:08 am

    I’m going to use this opportunity to give a shameless plug to West Virginia — if you enjoy challenging hikes and drop dead gorgeous views, you should visit West Virginia! The Fayetteville area has the most amazing, breathtaking views and it’s just a four hour drive from Charlotte. The town is just the cutest little town, popular to outdoorsy people, lots of cute shops and yummy restaurants. There is also white water rafting, lots of cabins and tent camping!

    I don’t think people realize how beautiful WV is, but this post made me realize how much you’d love it, if you’re ever looking for a fun road trip!

    Reply
    • Noline says

      November 5, 2015 at 8:36 am

      Definitely adding this gorgeous area to my to do list. It looks picture postcard beautiful.

      I love these small towns. Usually the people are very friendly it is really good to breath…

      Reply
  18. Shawna says

    October 21, 2015 at 9:17 am

    this place looks soooooo beautiful, and your family pictures are gorgeous! love this.

    Reply
  19. Gretchen | Gretchruns says

    October 21, 2015 at 9:22 am

    Great pictures! It looks absolutely beautiful there, and your family is gorgeous. Love how you all wore plaid, and I love it even more since you referenced my favorite movie!

    Reply
  20. Christy Brown says

    October 21, 2015 at 9:23 am

    OMG baby in flannel and a vest. ADORABLE. love that he has so many cute clothes!! Also that hike looked amazing – definitely going to convince our friends when we have our annual reunion in Banner Elk to complete the hike!

    Also – do you know where your sister’s flannel is from? I’ve been looking for one exactly like hers!

    Reply
  21. UnlockingKiki says

    October 21, 2015 at 9:26 am

    I love the plaid coordination! That hike looks gorgeous.

    Reply
  22. Ellen @ My Uncommon Everyday says

    October 21, 2015 at 9:57 am

    Your pictures are so pretty! This sounds like such a fun, outdoorsy vacation at the perfect time of the year. And I love the coordination in your family photos – matchy but not too matchy 😉

    Reply
  23. Jessica says

    October 21, 2015 at 10:03 am

    Cute boots Julie! Where did you get them?!

    Reply
    • Julie says

      October 21, 2015 at 1:41 pm

      Zulily! The brand is Blue Berry and they were only $19.99!

      Reply
    • Julie says

      October 21, 2015 at 1:46 pm

      Thanks! Zulily — the brand is Blue Berry & they were $19!

      Reply
  24. brookehamiltonblog says

    October 21, 2015 at 10:13 am

    Your family is just adorable. Love the mountain views and pictures… Also, I love the colors in your plaid top. Mind sharing where it’s from? I need more plaid in my life.

    Reply
    • Julie says

      October 21, 2015 at 1:41 pm

      I bought it on sale through Zulily but the brand is Fashion Web. 🙂

      Reply
  25. Katie S says

    October 21, 2015 at 10:21 am

    This hike looks AMAZING! I’ve made it a goal to move to NC at some point in my life, these pictures just solidify that decision!

    Reply
  26. Tasha - The Clean Eating Mama says

    October 21, 2015 at 10:33 am

    What a fun post!!! I love seeing your family have fun together! Little man is getting so big and so cute!!!

    Reply
  27. Annette@FitnessPerks says

    October 21, 2015 at 10:35 am

    These photos are gorgeous!! Love all the family ones too <3 <3

    Reply
  28. Liz says

    October 21, 2015 at 10:58 am

    I love all the pictures, Julie! The scenery is breathtaking and your family photos are just beautiful!

    Reply
  29. Claudia says

    October 21, 2015 at 11:30 am

    Sounds like you had a blast! Your photos are beautiful. I went to the Grandfather Trout Farm every summer growing up and my family always referred to it as “Trout-O-Rama”… easy to feel like a great fisherman there 😉

    Reply
  30. Ashley @ My Food N Fitness Diaries says

    October 21, 2015 at 11:51 am

    It looks like it was the perfect day for a hike! Those views are making me miss Utah’s fall – it’s so beautiful and the weather fabulous this time of year. You guys are so cute in your plaid attire! I love it!

    Reply
  31. Samantha @ThePlantedVegan says

    October 21, 2015 at 12:11 pm

    I’ve never hiked Carvers Gap, but need to after these photos! Wow..such a beautiful view!

    Reply
  32. Katie @ Live Half Full says

    October 21, 2015 at 1:06 pm

    I love Sadie’s pose in the tripod picture- she’s a natural! 🙂

    Reply
  33. Jessie R says

    October 21, 2015 at 1:34 pm

    Love the photo of you, your mom, and Chase and the one of just them :). Too cute! Looks like a great vacation day!

    Reply
  34. Amanda says

    October 21, 2015 at 1:41 pm

    This looks like so much fun- what a great hike!

    Reply
  35. Ashley says

    October 21, 2015 at 1:50 pm

    I love your boots! Where did you find them?

    Reply
  36. Abby says

    October 21, 2015 at 2:20 pm

    Leslie’s tunic is adorable, would you happen to know where she got it?

    Reply
  37. Emily says

    October 21, 2015 at 2:42 pm

    This recap makes me want to pack up the car and copy this exact vacation. It is still to hot for my liking here and Texas and those fall colors look amazing!

    Reply
  38. Sheena @ Paws and Pavement says

    October 21, 2015 at 3:34 pm

    Beautiful family photos! That hike sounds amazing too! I just love this time of year. I had a great run this morning taking in all of the beautiful fall colors!

    Reply
  39. Fiona @ Get Fit Fiona says

    October 21, 2015 at 6:09 pm

    Looks like you guys had a lot of fun. That hike looks gorgeous, the views are beautiful!

    Reply
  40. Julia@yogawinehappiness.com says

    October 21, 2015 at 7:49 pm

    Your family photos are so cute!!!

    Reply
  41. Barbara says

    October 21, 2015 at 7:54 pm

    Love the pictures! You guys are really photogenic and it looks like you’re having lots of fun. I really love those pictures of your family with the mountains as a background. Looking at your pictures makes me want to see my family as well. I’m going down to see my Mom in February and in a few weeks my mother in law will be coming over from Romania.

    Reply
  42. Kim from MN says

    October 21, 2015 at 9:27 pm

    Interestingly I genuinely loved the “all plaid family” look, it’s so cute! It looks more like a happy, professional, Lands End ad than the How to lose a Guy in 10 Days scenario. I.e. – ya’s look good!

    Love the happy recap. Sounds like such a fun time (and you guys really lucked out with the weather!!) Great pics. 🙂

    Reply
  43. Erin @ Her Heartland Soul says

    October 21, 2015 at 10:24 pm

    I love that first picture of you and Ryan!!

    Reply
  44. Lindsay says

    October 22, 2015 at 12:51 am

    Totally off topic…but as I got out of the shower this morning I noticed I left my towel in my bedroom(I have a small bathroom so my towels get hung up on hooks behind my closet door) so I had to run soaking wet all the way down the hall into my room and totally thought of swamp beast??
    I’m so glad you’re enjoying a much needed vacation!!

    Reply
  45. Julia @ Lord Still Loves Me says

    October 22, 2015 at 10:04 am

    I LOVE the picture this blog post starts out with. You two are adorable! <3

    Reply
  46. Sara @ Oats & Rows says

    October 22, 2015 at 10:45 am

    Looks like such a great trip!!

    Reply
  47. Bridgette says

    October 24, 2015 at 3:03 am

    Julie, I’ve followed your blogs for years rather silently as I’m a big outside of your target audience (43yo single mom to a 17yo boy and a 20yo girl) I love your health/nutrition info but have really loved your more personal blogs, especially about your time with your parents, Leslie and Ross. Your family vacations are always amazing because it doesn’t matter where you go, you all just cherish every minute together and it’s truly beautiful.

    ALL of that to say, the picture of you and Leslie, mom and Chase actually choked me up a little. You are all so close and it reminds me of times with my mom and sister. These photos will be loved for many, many years to come and Chase (and any future siblings and cousins) will love to hear the stories as he looks through them.

    You have a beautiful family Julie, thank you for sharing them with us through your blog. (Now you need to start vlogs and a You Tube channel!!!lol) ~~Bridgette~~

    Reply
  48. Anna says

    October 24, 2015 at 5:47 pm

    What a beautiful family you have 🙂 I love Chase’s little outfit! Also, apologies if you’ve already shared this but, where is your headband from that you are wearing in the hiking pictures? I am glad vacation has been so fun!

    Reply
  49. Anne says

    November 4, 2020 at 7:13 am

    I’ve had this hike on my “to hike” list for years because of this and I FINALLY hiked it over the weekend. Absolutely didn’t disappoint – my favorite hike to date. Thanks for the recommendation!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Hi! I’m Julie and I am a mom to three energetic boys and a personal trainer and blogger living in Charlotte, North Carolina. Welcome to my blog! Peanut Butter Fingers follows my life and my interests in food, fitness, family, travel and (mostly) healthy living.
NEVER MISS A POST!
FacebookTwitterInstagramPinterestBloglovin
Follow

Search

Recent Fashion Finds

Beauty Favorites

Items I Swear By

Shop Our Kid Favorites

Shop My Baby Essentials

Quick Links

  • Favorite Posts
  • Recipe Index
  • Workouts
  • Fashion
  • Pregnancy/Baby
  • Family

Recent Posts

  • Thoughts on Four
  • Week of Weeknight Meals: March 2023
  • Things I’m Loving Friday #462
  • Meeting Luke and Visiting Family in Florida
  • Cinnamon Ice Cream

Categories

Archives

Disclaimer

I am not a registered dietitian. My blog is simply a documentation of my life. The views I express are mine alone, based on my own experiences, and should not be taken as medical advice. I DO NOT post everything I eat. Though I am a certified personal trainer, the workouts I post may not be right for you. Please speak with a medical professional before making any changes to your current routine.

Affiliates

Please note that affiliate links may pop up on PBF from time to time. I greatly appreciate your support!
Privacy Policy

Copyright � 2013 Peanut Butter Fingers / Julie Fagan. All Rights Reserved.
Blog Designed by SWOON CREATIVE