Autumn Colours, North Carolina Style

[Newt]

I love the tree colours in Autumn and yesterday, Bobbi & I made a day's trip into the nearby Blue Ridge Mountains (part of the Appalachian mountain range) for a drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway. The parkway runs for about 470 miles along the mountain range. It is owned by the National Park Service and is intended for a good way to enjoy the mountains. Speed limit is 45 mph or lower with no stop signs, frequent paved pull-over places, and frequent access on & off regular roads. We decided on a 95 mile stretch between Blowing Rock, NC & Ashville, NC where the altitude ranges from about 3000 to 5500 feet above sea level. The total trip was 375 miles including the 95 mile Blue Ridge Parkway portion.

 

Tree colours were great although not as vivid as they would have been if we hadn't had such a dry few years and I took lots of photos. I wanted to share some of them here since I imagine Den (Poledark) is probably the only AN member who has actually been in that area albeit a different section, south of where we were.

 

Here are a couple of typical pull-off places. These are found every few miles and are located either at a good view of the mountains or where interesting walking trails are found.

 

 

 

I'll start at the highest point of our drive and work down. We took a side trip up a mountain road only accessible from the parkway although not a part of it. The colours aren't really good up this high at 6500 ft - this week the 3500-4500 ft elevation is best.

 

 

 

The actual top is only accessible by jeep or walking and we didn't feel like making the climb.

 

 

 

 

 

Moving on down, here is the parkway near where we headed up the mountain.

 

 

 

The software only allows so many photos in one post so I'll continue this below.

[Newt]

Part 2

 

Time for a little water since this, after all, an angling forum. All of these have abundant trout.

 

I have no idea how to reach this lake.

 

 

These are a bit easier.

 

 

 

 

 

 

And the rest are some of the spectacular views we enjoyed for the rest of the trip. The blueish haze you see in some of the photos is what gave rise to the "Smoky Mountains" name given to part of the Appalachian range.

 

 

 

 

more in part 3

[Newt]

Part 3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Phone]

Newt,

 

Great Thread!

 

Notice guys - - - - - NO FISHERMEN! Tons (Tonnes) of trout and other predatory fish. If you see another fisherman go somewhere else - it's to crowded. Also, not many mountain lakes and streams in that region are burdened by my carp.

 

Phone

[Clifftop]

Well done newt, photos look great. We tend to get the blue haze as well and i think it's because of the gum trees.

 

I once read Bill Brysons " A walk in the Woods " about the trail, very descriptive and entertaining. Had to search the web for the title.

Come to think of it, judging by his photo you two could be related. lol

 

 

Cheers Fred

Edited October 18, 2012 by Clifftop

[Manxman]

Great photos Newt, brings back fond memories of trip to North Carolina and Tennesse ten years ago. Our next trip to the USA will probably be to the same area. The Parkway is a magnificent road to travel and plenty of wildlife to see if you get out of the car and do a bit of hiking.

[poledark]

Great pics Newt. Have you still got the DVD of our trip up there? Remember this stop?

 

 

 

 

Hazel allways said that last pic summed you and me up

 

 

Den

[Newt]

I still have it Den and I thought of you during the trip - the first time I've been to that area since you were here.

[Newt]

Note - all of the photos I took are out of date. Those mountains are now under 1-2 feet of snow and freezing conditions + 40-70 mph winds have removed the leaves. Moisture from Hurricane Sandy coupled with cold air masses moving in from the west will make things great for skiing in a couple of days but not so great for Autumn colours.

[medwaygreen]

Hi Newt,

 

You are trying and succeeding in making most of us Brits very envious, lovely set of shots, but, by far and away the best is in part 2 photo 3, head and shoulders above the rest. well done.

 

Richard.