Scaly Mountain, North Carolina

Nearby Sky Valley Resort also ceased being the only ski area in Georgia around the same time, due in large part to repeatedly warm winters since the mid-1990s, unlike the 1970s and 1980s in and after which they were founded.

Both areas were opened due to their proximity to and accessibility from metro Atlanta, whose upscale north and northeastern suburbs lie roughly just 100 miles (160 km) or 150 kilometers to the southwest, and have since crept ever-closer.

The top of Highlands Outpost is now home to a beautiful RV Park (Scaly Mountain Slopes) with cabins offering a full 360 degree view for miles.

This ecological tour includes the signature "Squealing Mare", a zip over 1,500 feet (460 m) long with long-range views of the mile-high mountains of the Nantahala National Forest.

The "Wilderness Nature Trail" features a 150 feet (46 m) swing bridge over a spring-fed waterfall, where over 100 wildflowers, native shrubs, and old-growth forest trees are identified, and each season offers a new study in mountain plant life.