Experienced outdoorsman Carl Shane Kistel enjoys the rugged terrain and the variety of nature activities available in his home state of North Carolina and Utah. Sharing his passion for the native scenery and exploration available, he regularly leads guided hiking tours across the states’ deserts, canyons, mountains, and forest trails.
Carl Shane Kistel
It takes someone who has spent years outdoors to be able to lead a guided scenery hike. Lucky for the hikers of North Carolina, Carl Shane Kistel has spent most of his free time since childhood outdoors enjoying activities like camping, kayaking, and mountain climbing. Sharing his insider knowledge of the best sights in the state, he frequently leads guided hiking tours across a variety of native terrain.
“Hiking is a great way to get the exercise that isn’t too demanding, and it allows people to see the beautiful, natural world while socializing with other hikers,” says Carl Shane Kistel. “It’s a
great activity for all ages, though I usually give hikes to groups of people between the ages of 35 and 70.”
Kistel offers multiple tours each week, giving hikers plenty of opportunities to walk among the most iconic sights in North Carolina. On their journeys, hikers can encounter a variety of wildlife and terrain such as stretches of lush forests, running rivers teeming with fish, and rocky or mountainous hillsides.
“North Carolina boasts some of the most dramatic landscapes in the country,” says Carl Shane Kistel. “Hikers exercise their minds and bodies while exploring the wild terrains on foot, giving them a nice break from typical workweeks and cramped urban centers.”
The state is home to multiple mountain ranges that draw in visitors from miles away, such as the Great Smoky Mountains and the Blue Ridge Mountains, which are both parts of the greater Appalachian Range. The nature surrounding the Appalachian Trail itself is famous across the country and around the world as a scenic destination.
Thanks to Kistel, hikers can enjoy the rocky landscapes and lush foliage of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which puts them in contact with waterfalls, valleys, historical sites, and diverse ecosystems. And because there are so many trails to enjoy, hikers don’t have to worry about crowded trails or groups.
“The tours I lead tend to be made up of smaller intimate numbers of hikers, which I prefer to herding large crowds through the wilderness,” says Carl Shane Kistel. “It allows people to connect on a deeper level with each other and with nature in general.”
Because he’s spent much of his life in nature, Carl Shane Kistel is highly knowledgeable on a range of outdoors subjects and provides informative descriptions and explanations while leading hikes. Hikers in North Carolina simply couldn’t ask for a better tour guide.
