Watauga River
October 26, 2014
Fallen leaves litter rocks along the Watauga River on the Profile Trail at Grandfather Mountain. (Photo by Skip Sickler) Today marks our final fall color update for the 2014. As the fall color season bids...
Filter Posts
Linville Falls
October 25, 2014
Water flows over the upper falls at Linville Falls en route to the 45-foot plunge. (Photo by Skip Sickler) Elevations around 3,000 feet continue to impress leaf-lookers as the foothills of North Carolina reach peak...
Old Cranberry School
October 24, 2014
A line of colorful maples stands outside the Old Cranberry School in Avery County, N.C., while windswept leaves create patterns along the ground. (Photo by Skip Sickler) Areas around Linville Gorge, Hawksbill Mountain and Table...
Erwin’s View Overlook
October 22, 2014
The Linville River winds through colorful trees near Erwin's View Overlook at Linville Falls. (Photo by Skip Sickler) This moderate, 1.6-mile trail offers four overlooks for hikers to enjoy sights of autumn leaves and the...
Flat Rock Trail
October 21, 2014
Fallen leaves gather on a mushroom-ridden log near Grandfather Mountain. (Photo by Skip Sickler) At the highest elevations in western North Carolina, visitors are increasingly finding the most beautifully colored leaves cascading toward the ground....
Valle Crucis
October 18, 2014
Green and gold intermingle on this hillside in Valle Crucis, N.C. (photo by Skip Sickler). Just a few miles away, the Valle Country Fair is abuzz with craft vendors, savory food, mountain music, entertainment and...
Beacon Heights
October 16, 2014
Vivid red blueberry bushes, dark green rhododendrons and the oranges and yellows of autumn trees provide a kaleidoscope of color at Beacon Heights off the Blue Ridge Parkway. (Photo by Skip Sickler) As the final...
Linville Bluffs
October 14, 2014
Heavy fog and rain greets visitors to the High Country today, but the autumn colors provide a cheery glow in moments when the veil lifts briefly. (Photo by Skip Sickler) While visitors and locals alike...
Hampton’s General Store
October 12, 2014
A sugar maple shines in glorious gold and green outside the Old Hampton Store in Linville. (Photo by Skip Sickler). Because individual trees can vary in their leaf chemistry, sugar maples also can turn bright...
Deer Habitat
October 11, 2014
A deer ambles through the animal habitat at grandfather Mountain as if admiring the autumn splendor around her. (Photo by Skip Sickler). In the High Country, residents are beginning to take note of another color...
Grandfather Lake
October 10, 2014
While fall color is reaching peak on the high-elevation ridges of Grandfather Mountain, the lower elevations around Grandfather Lake prove that they still need several more days to mature. (Photo by Skip Sickler). The Blue...
Camp Yonahnoka
October 9, 2014
Fall colors dance on the edge of the lake at Camp Yonahnoka, just south of Grandfather Mountain in Linville. (Photo by Skip Sickler) Autumn color is peaking at the highest ridgelines and is now becoming...
Boone Fork Trail
October 8, 2014
A bridge over the Boone Fork Creek transports hikers to a wonderland of fall color along the Tanawha Trail outside Linville, N.C. (Photo by Skip Sickler) This area is accessible from the Boone Fork Parking...
Linville Ridge
October 7, 2014
Fall color seeps from the upper reaches of Grandfather Mountain to areas below to create a picturesque scene in Linville. (Photo by Jim Morton) Overcast skies and morning fog in the valleys this week are...
Rough Ridge Overlook
October 6, 2014
The sun rises above the varied yellows, oranges and greens of Rough Ridge, off the Blue Ridge Parkway. (Photo by Skip Sickler) Brisk winds this weekend shook off just enough leaves in the High Country...
Rough Ridge Overlook
October 5, 2014
A hiker gazes at the beauty from Rough Ridge, looking south toward the Linn Cove Viaduct and the peaks of Grandfather Mountain. (Photo by Skip Sickler) Those willing to brave the chill today should be...
Price Park Picnic Area
October 4, 2014
Morning fog lifts to reveal shades of autumn color on the Blue Ridge Parkway near the Price Park Picnic Area at milepost 296.5. (Photo by Skip Sickler) The advent of October in the mountains brings...
Tanawha Trail
October 1, 2014
A stately red maple stands watch over a pasture off the Tanawha Trail near Holloway Mountain Road in Blowing Rock on Wednesday, Oct. 1. (Photo by Katie Casella) The 13.5-mile Tanawha Trail stretches from Julian...
Linn Cove Viaduct
September 30, 2014
Bright yellow goldenrods coordinate pleasantly with the changing leaves near the Linn Cove Viaduct on the Blue Ridge Parkway, as seen on the evening of Monday, Sept. 29. (Photo by Skip Sickler) In the vicinity...
Stack Rock
September 29, 2014
The view from Grandfather Mountain's Linville Peak shows bursts of vibrant color appearing near the Stack Rock Parking Area on the Blue Ridge Parkway. (Photo by Monty Combs). While the majority of trees remain green,...
Price Lake
September 28, 2014
A fisherman enjoys the stillness of Price Lake, located on the Blue Ridge Parkway near Blowing Rock, where the water is beginning to reflect the changing leaves of autumn. (Photo by Monty Combs) Canoe and...
Grandfather Ridgeline
September 27, 2014
Afternoon sun hitting the western slopes of Grandfather Mountain in Linville shows fall color trickling into western North Carolina. (Photo by Jim Morton) Grandfather Mountain will offer guided leaf-looking walks at 1 p.m. on Oct....
Jesse Brown Cabin
September 26, 2014
Hints of fall color are emerging along the Blue Ridge Parkway, including outside the Jesse Brown Cabin near milepost 273 in E.B. Jeffress Park. During the last several days, more and more trees throughout the...