Connect With Us
Facebook-f X-twitter Youtube Instagram

Photo Essay: Ah, Fall is Back!

The sun rises upon the red carpet at Dolly Sods Wilderness in West Virginia.

Temperatures cool. Colors sharpen. Trails beckon. Time to drink in the best of autumn with these great shots from our contributing photographers.

The 13.5-mile Tanawha Trail utilizes several arched bridges and boardwalks that are designed to blend with, and protect, the fragile ecosystem it passes through. Completed in 1993, this trail is accessible from several overlooks along the North Carolina Blue Ridge Parkway between mileposts 299 and 305.
The 13.5-mile Tanawha Trail utilizes several arched bridges and boardwalks that are designed to blend with, and protect, the fragile ecosystem it passes through. Completed in 1993, this trail is accessible from several overlooks along the North Carolina Blue Ridge Parkway between mileposts 299 and 305.
Golden light and autumn color reflect amid the time-worn boulders in a hidden stream in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee.
Golden light and autumn color reflect amid the time-worn boulders in a hidden stream in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee.
An early, autumn morning hike to Little Stony Man summit takes you to breathtaking views against an almost 360-degree horizon. (Shenandoah National Park, Skyline Drive Milepost 40, Virginia)
An early, autumn morning hike to Little Stony Man summit takes you to breathtaking views against an almost 360-degree horizon. (Shenandoah National Park, Skyline Drive Milepost 40, Virginia)
The Hensley Settlement School House is at the Cumberland Gap National Historical Park on the Kentucky side. You can either hike up to it or join a tour and ride up with the National Park Service.
The Hensley Settlement School House is at the Cumberland Gap National Historical Park on the Kentucky side. You can either hike up to it or join a tour and ride up with the National Park Service.
Within Tallulah State Park in Northern Georgia, a 1,000-foot Gorge is carved out by the Tallulah River, with Tallulah Falls visible from several overlooks along the hiking trail.
Within Tallulah State Park in Northern Georgia, a 1,000-foot Gorge is carved out by the Tallulah River, with Tallulah Falls visible from several overlooks along the hiking trail.
The Skyline Drive in Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park passes through Marys Rock Tunnel on a cold October morning.
The Skyline Drive in Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park passes through Marys Rock Tunnel on a cold October morning.
Amid the splendor of autumn in Southern Appalachia and with excited curiosity, Ellic (photographer’s son) and Oscar (the accompanying videographer’s son)climb the steep stairs of the Olson Observation Tower in West Virginia’s Monongahela National Forest.
Amid the splendor of autumn in Southern Appalachia and with excited curiosity, Ellic (photographer’s son) and Oscar (the accompanying videographer’s son)climb the steep stairs of the Olson Observation Tower in West Virginia’s Monongahela National Forest.

The story above appears in our September/October 2019 issue. For more, subscribe today or log in to the digital edition with your active digital subscription. Thank you for your support!

You Might Also Like:

Elizabethton, Tennessee, USA, - May 15, 2021: Reenactment at Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park of the Siege of Fort Watauga in 1776.

Revolutionary Roundup

On July 4, 1776, a new nation was born. In honor of this historic day, we explore the forts, battlefields, museums, trails, and more that trace the Patriots’ journey to freedom in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
2025 Festivals and Events

2026 Festivals & Events Guide

From the Virginias and the Carolinas to Georgia, Tennessee, and Kentucky, our annual compendium is the perfect travel companion.
A happy 8-year-old Eula Mae standing in front of her father, Woodrow, in this Golding family photo taken in 1952.

My Beloved Scenic

Before it became America’s Favorite Drive, the Blue Ridge Parkway was a farm family’s front yard, playground, and memory lane.
Portrait of Stuart Gay and Mabel Pendleton centered on the front of their shared tombstone.

Beneath the Swinging Bridge

The Shakespearean tragedy of Stuart Gay and Mabel Pendleton is still remembered in the small railroad town of Clifton Forge.
A bee clings to the center of a sunflower at Mill Springs Farm, located just up the road from historic downtown Jonesborough, Tennessee. From the photographer: “The farm grows a yearly crop of a variety of sunflowers. The bees love them!” Photo by Jay Huron

Among The Blooms: A Photo Essay

Our contributing photographers wandered the mountains in late spring and early summer to capture critters big and small frolicking, nibbling, and buzzing about.
2027 Best of the Mountains Awards

2026 Best of the Mountains Awards

Submit your nominations for the finest in the Blue Ridge today!
Hikers willing to take on a moderate climb are rewarded with incredible panoramas from the summit of Marys Rock.

An Insider’s Guide to Shenandoah National Park

This year is a landmark one for this treasured piece of mountain land in Virginia: the 100th anniversary of Congress authorizing its establishment and the 90th anniversary of its dedication.
Christmas at Biltmore, November 6-January 10, Asheville, North Carolina.

Holiday/Winter 2026 Festivals & Events Guide

From the Virginias and the Carolinas to Georgia, Tennessee, and Kentucky, our annual compendium is the perfect travel companion. Inside, you’ll find gatherings celebrating food and drink, the arts, music, and more—all worth building a mountain road trip around. Pick your favorite festival theme and start planning!
Knoxville Asian Festival, August 29-30,  Knoxville, Tennessee. Photo courtesy of Asian Culture Center of TN

Fall 2026 Festivals & Events Guide

From the Virginias and the Carolinas to Georgia, Tennessee, and Kentucky, our annual compendium is the perfect travel companion. Inside, you’ll find gatherings celebrating food and drink, the arts, music, and more—all worth building a mountain road trip around. Pick your favorite festival theme and start planning!
4th of July Parade & Festival, July 4, Blowing Rock, North Carolina.

Summer 2026 Festivals & Events Guide

From the Virginias and the Carolinas to Georgia, Tennessee, and Kentucky, our annual compendium is the perfect travel companion. Inside, you’ll find gatherings celebrating food and drink, the arts, music, and more—all worth building a mountain road trip around. Pick your favorite festival theme and start planning!

Current Issue

CALENDAR OF EVENTS