Connect With Us
Facebook-f X-twitter Youtube Instagram

The Beauty of Mountain Autumn

Early morning light reflects along Price Lake as clouds engulf Grandfather Mountain along the Blue Ridge Parkway in western North Carolina.

Our contributing photographers capture the light and colors of fall. 

Photo Above: Early morning light reflects along Price Lake as clouds engulf Grandfather Mountain along the Blue Ridge Parkway in western North Carolina. © Joshua Moore

Cowee Mountains Overlook, Milepost 430 on the Blue Ridge Parkway near Sylva, North Carolina. From the photographer: “Golden hour and fall foliage - does it get any better? I chanced upon this lovely autumn scene, with vivid golden light shining down over.”
Cowee Mountains Overlook, Milepost 430 on the Blue Ridge Parkway near Sylva, North Carolina. From the photographer: “Golden hour and fall foliage – does it get any better? I chanced upon this lovely autumn scene, with vivid golden light shining down over.” © Robert Stephens
Fall morning along the Little River in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee. From the photographer: “I always enjoy seeking out colorful reflections on the water in autumn.”
Fall morning along the Little River in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee. From the photographer: “I always enjoy seeking out colorful reflections on the water in autumn.” © Roger Canada
A hiker visiting the Chimneys (just past Table Rock on the Mountains-to-Sea Trail), gazing out toward Table Rock Mountain and the northern part of the Linville Gorge, North Carolina. From the photographer: “The Linville Gorge erupts with color each year around the middle of October, with higher elevations showing the first signs of autumn because of cooler temperatures. Hues of red, orange and yellow creep down the mountain and into the valley, making a spectacular show for gorge visitors. The best viewing points include Wiseman’s View, the Chimneys or the main peaks of Hawksbill, Shortoff and Table Rock Mountains.”
A hiker visiting the Chimneys (just past Table Rock on the Mountains-to-Sea Trail), gazing out toward Table Rock Mountain and the northern part of the Linville Gorge, North Carolina. From the photographer: “The Linville Gorge erupts with color each year around the middle of October, with higher elevations showing the first signs of autumn because of cooler temperatures. Hues of red, orange and yellow creep down the mountain and into the valley, making a spectacular show for gorge visitors. The best viewing points include Wiseman’s View, the Chimneys or the main peaks of Hawksbill, Shortoff and Table Rock Mountains.” © Cathy Anderson
The sun rises over the east rim of Bays Mountain in Kingsport, Tennessee, illuminating the fall foliage and the light steam on the lake. From the photographer: “The dam’s construction was finished in 1916 creating the water source for Kingsport until the city’s water needs outgrew it around 1944.”
The sun rises over the east rim of Bays Mountain in Kingsport, Tennessee, illuminating the fall foliage and the light steam on the lake. From the photographer: “The dam’s construction was finished in 1916 creating the water source for Kingsport until the city’s water needs outgrew it around 1944.” © Jay Huron
Pictured is Trail Cabin in Floyd County along the Blue Ridge Parkway in southern Virginia on a late October morning.
Pictured is Trail Cabin in Floyd County along the Blue Ridge Parkway in southern Virginia on a late October morning.
© Nicholas Moore

The story above first appeared in our September / October 2024 issue.

You Might Also Like:

A Virginia Historical Marker stands at the entrance to Green Pastures. Green Pastures’ picnic area was build by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the late 1930s.

Green Pastures Reborn

When it officially opened in 1940 — in the depths of the Jim Crow era — Green Pastures was likely the first U.S. Forest Service recreation area in the nation constructed for African Americans.
Chimney Tops Trail in Great Smoky Mountains National Park rewards a steep climb with exceptional mountain views. Inset: Gatlinburg, Tennessee’s Chimneys Picnic Area sits beside the West Prong of the Little Pigeon RIver.

11 Picnics with a View

These bucket-list destinations are perfect spots to kick back, enjoy a delightful meal and take in the great outdoors.
Vernon and Toni Wright turn grains grown on their family farm into freshly distilled spirits.

Virginia Century Farm Home to New Distillery

For nearly 200 years, Vernon and Toni Wright’s family has raised corn, cattle and quarter horses at Hill High.
Spring wildflowers bloom early in the New River Gorge of West Virginia. From the photographer: “Bloodroot is one of the first to blossom, fittingly coming in around the first day of spring. The reddish sap that exudes from all parts of the plant — especially the root — when cut is what gives bloodroot its common name.”

Scenes of Spring: A Photo Essay

Our contributing photographers reveal the fresh sights and subtle joys of the season.
At Hayfields State Park in Highland County, Virginia, easy-to-moderate trails wind through quiet forests and past historic structures.

Greening the Blue Ridge Region

New Parks, Healthier Creeks, Solar Power, Protected Lands and More.
John Scrivani bags female flowers from atop a 40-plus-foot-tall chestnut.

The Good Steward

Veteran forester John Scrivani dedicated his career to restoring American chestnut trees — and helped lay the groundwork for the effort’s next generation.
The pond next to the visitor center entrance is easily accessible and a beautiful spot for a selfie or an afternoon of plein air painting.

How to Make a State Park

The opening of Virginia’s newest state park marked the culmination of a community dream carefully nurtured for more than a decade.
Daybreak at Elakala Falls in West Virginia’s Blackwater Falls State Park on a perfect winter morning.

Quiet Beauty of Mountain Winter: A Photo Essay

Our contributing photographers braved the chill to capture the calm of the cold months.
The original Academy burned in 1911.

Curios: When Lynchburg, Virginia, Was King

With the likes of Douglas Fairbanks, Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong performing live, the little city with the highest per capita income in the U.S. was a national hotspot for entertainment.
Hendersonville, North Carolina, offers a walkable downtown.

Slow Travel in 7 States

It's perfect for the mountains!

Current Issue

CALENDAR OF EVENTS