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Behind Blue Ridge Country

CURRENT Behind Blue Ridge Country

May’s Mountain Wildflower: Smooth Solomon’s Seal

Because these plants cannot tolerate direct sunlight, you will not encounter the Solomon’s seals until the tree canopy has begun to leaf out.

May’s Wild Edible: Gem-Studded Puffball

Numerous species of puffballs are native to the Blue Ridge, and certainly one of the most common ones is the dull-white gem-studded puffball.

Birds of the Blue Ridge: Yellow-rumped Warbler

Affectionately called “butter-butt,” the yellow rump on this warbler is hard to miss!

April’s Mountain Wildflower: Serviceberry

Early springtime drives on an otherwise dull and monotonous four-lane highway can be transformed into wondrous trips by hillsides covered with splashes of white serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea) flowers.

April’s Wild Edible: Half-Free Morels

For those of us who search for mushrooms in the Blue Ridge Mountains, April means it morel season, all month long.

Current Issue

ca6fd290-2753-11f0-8efc-12163087a831-website_5-2025smoothsolomon_sseal--credt-Joe-Cook-and-Monica-Sheppard_1_

May’s Mountain Wildflower: Smooth Solomon’s Seal

Because these plants cannot tolerate direct sunlight, you will not encounter the Solomon’s seals until the tree canopy has begun to leaf out.
Gem-studded puffballs can be found growing by themselves or in clusters.

May’s Wild Edible: Gem-Studded Puffball

Numerous species of puffballs are native to the Blue Ridge, and certainly one of the most common ones is the dull-white gem-studded puffball.
931ea432-2047-11f0-b2b0-12163087a831-Yellow-rumped-Warbler---photo-by-Mike-Blevins

Birds of the Blue Ridge: Yellow-rumped Warbler

Affectionately called “butter-butt,” the yellow rump on this warbler is hard to miss!
ae8df4ae-0fec-11f0-9860-12163087a831-4-2025serviceberry--credit-Joe-Cook

April’s Mountain Wildflower: Serviceberry

Early springtime drives on an otherwise dull and monotonous four-lane highway can be transformed into wondrous trips by hillsides covered with splashes of white serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea) flowers.
Half-free morels growing on the side of a Craig County, Virginia mountain.

April’s Wild Edible: Half-Free Morels

For those of us who search for mushrooms in the Blue Ridge Mountains, April means it morel season, all month long.
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Departments

At Coopers Rock State Forest, new Stargazer cabins invite guests to look up through skylights and telescopes.
Country Roads

Even Closer to Almost Heaven

New Stargazer cabins at Coopers Rock State Forest offer a skyward escape in the mountains of West Virginia.

June 29, 2026
©Duncan Seaman
Country Roads

A Mountain Tradition Turns 90 

Visitors flock to Galax, Virginia, each summer for the Old Fiddlers’ Convention, a days-long celebration of Appalachian music.

June 29, 2026
Synchronous Fireflies
Creature Feature

The Light Fantastic

Fireflies are struggling with the effects of artificial light.

June 29, 2026

CALENDAR OF EVENTS