Our contributing photographers capture the drama and splendor of mountain excursions.Two of West Virginia’s Cass Scenic Railroad State Park’s Shay steam locomotives sit by the water tower at sunset. The recently restored Norfolk & Western #611 rolls through Blue Ridge, Virginia, pulling an excursion sponsored by the Virginia Museum of Transportation. Great Smoky Mountain Railroad’s 2-8-0 Consolidation steam locomotive leads the westbound Nantahala Gorge excursion along the banks of the Nantahala River near Wesser, North Carolina. The Cheat Mountain Salamander arrives at Spruce, West Virginia, from Elkins, amid some of the state’s most beautiful fall colors. Blue Ridge Scenic Railway is headquartered in Blue Ridge, Georgia, and makes its way along the Toccoa River. Locomotive 106 of The Big South Fork Scenic Railway in Stearns takes visitors on a picturesque 14-mile trip through the Daniel Boone National Forest and Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area. The ride makes a stop at Blue Heron Coal Mining Camp, a National Park Service outdoor interpretive site, which houses the largest interpretive collection of historic coal mining in America. The family-owned Locust Heights & Western Railroad’s Mason Climax locomotive operates on a short stretch of track on Wednesdays, June through October, in Clarksburg, West Virginia.
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.
Our contributing photographers wandered the mountains in late spring and early summer to capture critters big and small frolicking, nibbling, and buzzing about.
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.
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!
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!
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!
