Blue Ridge Parkway 2003

We usually try to make a Blue Ridge excursion every year or two.  This year we caught some of the peak season near the end of October.  Beautiful stuff!  It's a comfortable and leisurely drive at an average 45 miles per hour, much nicer than the interstates and not the "dizzying" roads you might anticipate.  The North Carolina stretch has some great scenes from higher elevations including Mt. Mitchell at 1.25 miles up, as well as a nice "chalet" type lodging at Little Switzerland.  The Parkway also leads almost straight to the Smokey Mountains National Park.

Our favorite Virginia stretch is between the Otter Creek/James River section and Peaks of Otter.  It offers wonderful scenes, highest (3900 ft) to lowest elevations in Virginia, Fallwater Cascades (a short 10 to 15 minute walk from the road), and the most facilities including a restaurant, lodge, visitor centers, gas station, and campground.  South of the Peaks is one of the most photographed watermills in the US, Mabry Mill.  Take a peek at some of this year's sights:

A few colorful road scenes to get started (shot with an old Yashica 35mm SLR)...


The Otter Creek Dam is just prior to the James River crossing heading south...

This layered view near the highest point in VA shows the Peaks of Otter to the left...

 More Blue Ridge views...