ABOUT CAROLINA BOUND ADVENTURES

"We've lived here, done that..."

Carolina Bound Adventures is a vacation planning, outfitter and guide service in the Bryson City, Western North Carolina, Great Smoky  Mountains area.

Mark Van Osdal started Carolina Bound Adventures after seeing a clear need for a specialized vacation planning and guide business in this region. He decided to support this need for vacationers who would visit the Great Smoky Mountains in Bryson City. Carolina Bound Adventures was designed to help guests create memorable family vacations and  adventures through vacation planning and guided tours.

Now in the sixth year, Carolina Bound Adventures has planned and created amazing adventures for over 2500 guests and is enthusiastic to help you and your family create priceless memories on your next family vacation.

 

Come experience Bryson City, Western North Carolina and the surrounding Great Smoky Mountains area with Bryson City's Adventure Leader, Carolina Bound Adventures! 

Meet Your Hosts

About Image Mark Van Osdal and Joanie McSwain

Mark & Joanie Van Osdal You'll meet Mark & Joanie as your Hosts & Guides on many Carolina Bound Adventures!

As founder and owner of Carolina Bound Adventures, Mark has  sought out the best adventures for you in the Bryson City, NC  and Great Smoky Mountains area. Mark has been exploring and leading guided adventures in the outdoors of Western North Carolina for over 22 years hiking mountain biking, backpacking, rock climbing, kayaking and rafting. He holds certifications in Wilderness First Aid, CPR/AED, whitewater rafting, swift water rescue, is a volunteer search and rescue technician (SRT4) for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and licensed United States Coast Guard Captain.  The smile you always see on Joanie's face is the broadest when she's playing in the outdoors! Having spent 40 years in the travel industry, her avid love for travel and outdoor adventures like hiking, kayaking, and mountain biking have grown through the years and she's become super passionate about exploring the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. When she's not in the woods, you can find her doting over her 6 grandchildren, affectionately known as her "Grands".

Sarah Spiro Lead Adventure Guide

Meet Sarah, our Lead Adventure Guide. Our guests love her never ending smile and delightful personality! As a former National Park Service Forestry Technician, she has vast experience identifying & managing the park's resources, as well as teaching & guiding all over the Smokies. A former collegiate cross country runner, Sarah studied biology and Spanish in her undergrad. Her love for the diversity of both nature &  people is what fuels her passion to share the wonders of the Great Smoky Mountains. In her free time you'll find her boating & wake surfing on Lake Fontana, or trail running with her  beloved Akita dog! Sarah holds special trainings and certifications in Wilderness First Aid, Southern Appalachian plant identification, Search and Rescue, Leave No Trace principles, and Bear Safety.  

About-Sarah-Carolina-Bound-Adventures Brittany Burton

Brittany Burton Guest Guide

Brittany grew up at the beach in San Diego but fell in love with the mountains after moving to Virginia. Now she lives in Bryson City where she enjoys hiking with her dog Bandit, getting out on any body of water, slack lining, climbing up anything she can, yoga and becoming best friends with every dog she meets! She enjoys the never ending things-to-do here in the Smokies. As one of our Guides, she is also Wilderness First Aid and CPR/AED Certified.

Angie Rogers Outdoor Enthusiast

Angie Rogers is an avid outdoor enthusiast. She currently works as a SOLO Wilderness Medicine instructor and trail guide after an extensive career in nursing. Her hobbies include: hiking, backpacking, mountain biking, whitewater kayaking, traveling and spending time in the sun at the lake or beach. Our Guests absolutely love hiking and hanging with Angie!

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Kim "KK" Kramer Avid Outdoor Guide

KK is from PA, has spent her life in the woods and has an outdoor spirit!  She has a Bachelor's Degree in Outdoor Recreation, Certificate in Wilderness Therapy and is a mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters through AmeriCorps.  An avid Rafting Guide, KK also enjoys hiking, running and mountain biking.  Our Guests love her very positive spirit and high energy.  As you can probably tell, she's not very good at staying inside!