RATtreks

Blue Ridge Parkway Fall Colors – 10-11-2012

The Fall colors came later in the season than usual this year and in my opinion were not as vivid as years prior except in spots. Since the colors begin in the higher elevations first and were not even beginning to turn in the lower valleys, we had heard on the local news that they were in peak in the high country of North Carolina. This prompted my girlfriend Linda and I to take a trip to the Blue Ridge Parkway to check it out for ourselves.

Linn Cove Viaduct along the Blue Ridge Parkway

We were a bit surprised to find that there was still a lot of green there so we felt like the local news station was a bit mistaken during the previous nights broadcast. There were some nice colors but still many trees had not turned yet and it was obvious that the colors were not going to be as nice as last year. Our first stop was Beacon Heights as I wanted to share this awesome overlook with Linda and show her where I had started my annual birthday hike at the month before. The parkway was of course very crowded but we lucked up and found a parking space and then hiked up the .2 mile long trail uphill to the overlook. There were several others doing the same thing but it was not too crowded on the rocky outcroppings so we did enjoy our time there. It was a bit chilly but the weather was clear although the intensely bright sun did not do anything to help my photos.

View of Grandfather Mountain from Beacon Heights Overlook

View from Beacon Heights Overlook

View from Beacon Heights

View from Beacon Heights Overlook

View from Beacon Heights Overlook

View from Beacon Heights Overlook (you can see Table Rock in distance to far right)

After checking out the larger left side of the Beacon Heights Overlook, we went over to the smaller right side rocky overlook which is connected by a short trail. The views there are similar but you can see farther around towards the TN side of the parkway from there.

View from the other part of the Beacon Heights Overlook

View from the other part of the Beacon Heights Overlook (looking down on the mountains I had hiked through on my annual b-day hike the month before)

View from the other part of the Beacon Heights Overlook (you can see Table Rock in the distance)

View from the other part of the Beacon Heights Overlook (looking kinda towards TN side)

After leaving the Beacon Heights Overlook, we drove further along the parkway passing over the Linn Cove Viaduct, still wondering where all the peak colors were until we reached the trail head for the Rough Ridge Trail. We had to park on the grass due to the heavy crowds there but that did not discourage us from hiking up the trail to the top of the mountain where the rocky cliffs are that afford magnificent views of the surrounding mountains and valleys. This trail actually overlaps the 13 mile long  Tanawha Trail and it is about 1/3 of a mile to reach the boardwalks  which were built about 20 to 25 years ago to protect the fragile plants that grow there, but it is at least another strenuous 3/4 mile or more to the rocky overlook at the top. A large portion of the boardwalk was lowered into place by a helicopter Appropriately, the skyline vistas of Rough Ridge are the scenic high point of the Tanawha Trail a Cherokee word that means “great hawk” or “eagle.” The 13-mile trail from Beacon Heights (Milepost 305.2) to Price Park campground (Milepost 296.9) was built in the mid-1980s and cost more than $750,000.  It is well worth the effort especially when the leaves are in peak color. The trail was crowded but we still had a good hike and enjoyed the views. I could see people on the high cliffs (Raven Rocks) on the summit of Grandfather Mountain way above us so I zoomed in my camera to get a pic of them. One day I want to hike all the way up there !

View from the Rough Ridge Trail

View from the Rough Ridge Trail

View from the Rough Ridge Trail

View from the Rough Ridge Trail

View from the Rough Ridge Trail

View from the Rough Ridge Trail

View of the Viaduct from the Rough Ridge Trail

View from the Rough Ridge Trail

View from the Rough Ridge/Tanawha Trail

Looking up from behind the high point of the Rough Ridge Trail from the Tanawha Trail

View of Grandfather Mountain from the Rough Ridge Trail

View of Grandfather Mountain from the Rough Ridge Trail

View from the Rough Ridge Trail (looking down at the headwaters of the Lynn Cove and Wilson Creeks)

View of a ‘hooked nose rockfish’ coming up for air in a ‘laurel sea’ along the Rough Ridge Trail

Witch Hazel

Old tree and bridge near the trail head of the Rough Ridge Trail

We rested on the summit rocks enjoying the views for awhile before making the steep descent back to the car. The round trip is about 3 miles.  Although the leaves were not really in peak color, and the sunlight was intensely bright, it was still a very nice day to be on the mountain and I managed to get a few useable pics. We plan on coming back and going in to the Grandfather Mountain Park in another week or so when the colors are closer to the peak, if that is possible.

RAT & Linda

To see the complete collection of pictures taken on this trip and many others from previous trips, please visit our Photo Gallery here.