Fall at the Falls

An afternoon trip to Linville Gorge upon a recommendation led me to some of the most amazing and breath-taking (literally) overlooks I'd seen to date. Known as the "Grand Canyon of the East", this gorge falls straight down, seemingly into infinity. It's almost surreal and entirely too difficult to explain the expanse and depth - think canyon-deep. You can see mountain ranges in the background (Black Mountain) as well as Hawk's Bill (I think) Mountain and Flat Top Mountain. The views were spectacular though the evening was turning dull and gray. On the way back into Boone I realized I was spittin' distance from the Linville Falls, so I took a detour and high-tailed it up the mountain path to the three overlooks that allow you to view the falls. it was close to sunset and dark was coming fast, but I managed to make it to the top and back and got my exercise in for the day - power to the calf muscles! And it was worth the hike to see that free flowing water popping out of the fall colored trees. What a way to end the day, and the trip. The weather forecast held rain in store and so indeed this might have been the last day for photos such as this.

The next post will feature the last stop on the journey, a brief side-trip to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park in Tennessee - some deer, traffic, not as much fall color as on the NC side of the mountain, but a general positive note to light the winding down of a 6 1/2 week journey.

up on the parkway

on the way to Linville

sel portrait!

from Linville Gorge

At Linville Falls

fly fisherman at the bottom