Western North Carolina’s Lake Santeetlah, surrounded by Nantahala National Forest lands, welcomes the rise of a full moon on a summer night. Dawnfire photography
Our mountains create many kinds of beauty, not least of which are their relationships with water—from captured and still to falling and fast-running. Our thanks to our contributing photographers.
Sixty-foot Bridal Veil Falls, near Highlands, North Carolina, has long been celebrated as the state’s only falls you can walk or drive behind. From the photographer: “I have fond childhood memories of collecting garnet gemstones there. In this shot, I set up my camera and tripod to photograph the falls when this red BMW came along. I rarely include people or automobiles in my landscape images, but this time was an exception.” Lake Moomaw, in Virginia’s Allegheny Highlands, is the site of the region’s annual Lake Moomaw Swim each August. From the photographer: “Lake Moomaw has been a part of my life since, well . . . childhood. Being born and raised in Alleghany County, my father and I visited the lake for fishing and boating trips that I still hold dear. Giving my children the same experience in such a beautiful place makes Lake Moomaw just that more special!” Falling Springs Falls, just off U.S. 220 in Virginia’s Allegheny Highlands, is an 80-foot falls surrounded by mountain views. Opossum Creek Falls near Long Creek, South Carolina. From the photographer: “This falls is often identified by some locals as being along Shoulderbone Branch Creek rather than Opossum Creek, with ‘the real’ Opossum Creek Falls trail having been abandoned after storm damage.” Cumberland Falls is a waterfall on the Cumberland River in southeastern Kentucky. Spanning the river at the border of McCreary and Whitley counties, the waterfall is the central feature of Cumberland Falls State Resort Park. The Middle Prong of the Little Pigeon River flows through Great Smoky Mountains National Park. From the photographer: “The Little Pigeon, flowing full and surrounded by vibrant greens, is one of my favorite places to photograph on the Tennessee side of the Smokies.” This view of Rockhouse Falls (foreground) framing Cane Creek Falls is in Fall Creek Falls State Park near Spencer, Tennessee. From the photographer: “Getting to this spot requires a steep descent on the locally infamous Cable Trail, so named for the cable to provide extra security. Water levels must be favorable; at dry times Rockhouse Falls disappears.”
More than 70 years after she first took to the rails, the legendary Norfolk & Western Class J No. 611 continues to inspire both passengers and the volunteers who keep her running.
More than outposts for gearing up, these seven mountain communities are destinations in their own right, pairing easy access to some of the region’s best outdoor adventures with walkable downtowns, local flavor, and much more.
Long before modern healthcare reached many Appalachian communities, Granny Women became trusted healers and caregivers, delivering babies, treating illness and injury, and preserving generations of healing knowledge.
Ten years after this poll’s inaugural launch, we once again turned to our knowledgeable readers for their picks. The results? A brand-new collection of 71 exceptional Blue Ridge communities that excel at bringing big smiles to the faces of both residents and visitors.
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