Our contributing photographers wandered the mountains in late spring and early summer to capture critters big and small frolicking, nibbling, and buzzing about.
Photo above: 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 HuronA freshly bloomed trillium growing on a mountainside in northeastern Tennessee offers shelter to a small frog. Photo by Joshua MooreIn Virginia’s Big Levels area of George Washington National Forest, a female ruby-throated hummingbird hovers at a cardinal flower, collecting nectar. Photo by Pete EmersonDame’s Rocket is one of many flowers that burst upon the scene at the New River Gorge in West Virginia each spring. From the photographer: “A butterfly enjoyed a quick meal from a bloom of the showy wildflower, commonly found along roadsides and in open areas.” Photo by Ed RehbeinFlashing brilliant red against the spring canopy in Scott County, Virginia, a male scarlet tanager catches an insect to snack on. Photo by Ryan RiceA whitetail doe meanders through a carpet of spring daffodils in Great Smoky Mountains National Park’s Cades Cove. Photo by Bill LeaBees like this one, spotted in Kingsport, Tennessee, play a crucial role in the growth of flowers, fruits, and vegetables. From the photographer: “You can see bits of pollen clinging to it, ready to be carried to other flowers.” Photo by Jay HuronCrabtree Falls, located in Virginia’s George Washington National Forest, is a series of five cascades that collectively descend over 1,200 vertical feet. From the photographer: “In late May and early June, Catawba rhododendron blooms line both sides of this magnificent waterfall.” Photo by J. Scott GrahamAn eastern purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) attracts an eastern bumblebee in Cornelia, Georgia. Photo by Randolph KanipeOn a mossy forest floor, a snail slowly inches toward a cluster of delicate Hepatica flowers. Photo by Joshua Moore
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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