Blue Ridge Parkway Exploration

A couple of years ago back when my fiance and I were still a relatively new item we decided to take a weekend to go explore Asheville, North Carolina.  In order to get there you can drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway, which is known for having overlooks and pull offs to small hikes so that you can explore and find spectacular views of the Blue Ridge Mountains.  The drive is extremely popular during autumn when the leaves are changing colors.

There are a ton of overlooks between Virginia and North Carolina.  Since it was a 7-hour drive from northern Virginia to Asheville, in the interest of time we opted to stop at Rough Ridge Overlook, one of the most well-known trails along the parkway.

The hike isn't very long, but some parts are steep and you have to navigate over some small boulders, which can be slick depending on recent weather.  There's also a boardwalk to climb, which was built to keep hikers from destroying the ecosystem.  Once you get to the top it can be pretty windy, but the 180-degree views are spectacular!

After Rough Ridge we stopped at a couple more overlooks on the way to our hotel.  Unfortunately I can't remember which overlook this particular photo is from, but this is one of the many amazing views you can expect to see on the drive to Asheville.

One of our last stops was at Craggy Gardens which has views of the Blue Ridge Mountains to the west in Tennessee and to the east in central North Carolina.  In early summer Craggy Gardens is also known for its thick rhododendron bushes that form a "tunnel" to the summit.  We arrived in late October, so there weren't anymore rhododendron flowers, but we did get to experience what I like to call a "fairy wonderland."

This unexpectedly stunning view of frost coating the rhododendron shrubs juxtaposed with the rolling Blue Ridge Mountains was absolutely gorgeous.  I've yet to see another view like it.  It was like being in a delicate ice village, the frost sparkling in the waning sunlight.