Every year in early November I like to visit the Hickory Nut Gorge. It is on the eastern slope of the Continental Divide, and so a good thousand feet lower than most of the valleys in Western North Carolina. As such, the area is one of the last to experience glorious fall colors. You can count on the peak being somewhere between the 1st and the 14th.

I made two trips this year (2020), the first on November 4th and the second on November 9th. Everything was vibrant and pretty on the 4th, but there was still a lot of green left. So I gave it a few more days, and was rewarded with quite a change in appearance. It’s quite amazing how quickly things change.

Visiting many features as I normally do, you will see from the galleries below that I had stops at Morse Park, the beach at the Inn and Spa, The Flowering Bridge, Hickory Nut Falls, the Rocky Broad River, and the Rumbling Bald Trail Access. These photos are limited to the southern portion of the gorge.

I’ve divided the pictures into two galleries, on each of the days I visited, so be sure to peruse each one. Thanks for stopping by. Hope you enjoy!

November 4, 2020

November 9, 2020

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

The first day of October I took a trip on the Blue Ridge Parkway to the high country north of Asheville, NC. The mountains here exceed 6,000 feet and the views seemingly go forever. It’s a captivating drive up, with plenty of pullouts so you can ooh and aah at the scenery. I tried to time my climb to catch some of the golden hour not long after dawn.

My first stop was the Craggy Pinnacle Trail at the Craggy Gardens section of the Parkway. It was a cloudless day, highly unusual in this area, particularly early morning. While the weather was top notch, clouds, of course, help with contrast and shadow for photography, so the conditions were challenging. Still, it was a delightful day to be out and about.

Next up was the 9 mile trip further north to Mt. Mitchell State Park. Not many visitors this day, as there were only about half a dozen of us at the summit. The cloudless sky continued as the views above 6,600 feet were instead hazy. A very little bit of fall color was beginning to show in the state park; still a ways to go.

Last stop was back at Craggy Gardens and the trail to Craggy Flats. I must admit to disappointment at the condition of the area. It’s obvious the pandemic has affected trail and viewshed maintenance here. There’s definitely an opportunity to volunteer at Craggy Flats. Contact the Blue Ridge Parkway Headquarters to see how you can help.

Speaking of the pandemic, I wanted to comment that I was pleasantly surprised at the number of folks wearing masks. I would say three quarters of those I encountered were masked up, even on the hiking trails. Good job! What’s up with the rest of you?

Here are a few photos from my day in the north high country.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

Those of you who have known me for awhile are aware that, since retirement, I have been what the National Park Service calls a VIP. Sounds pretentious, but really all it means is Volunteer in Parks. I help out at two, the Blue Ridge Parkway and Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Up on the Parkway I pick up litter, clean out storm drains, and do general tidying at one of the high country overlooks. During the green season I go about every 2-3 weeks. It was time. I made a plan to combine it with a Blue Ridge sunrise. So I got up early and made the drive to the Parkway in the dark.

I was rewarded with a cloudy day, conducive to colors painted on the clouds by the rising sun. The downside, though, is that once the sun does rise above the horizon, it then goes behind those clouds. The event is short lived. Frankly, the pre-sunrise was the show on this morning; Wednesday, September 23, 2020.

Once there was enough daylight I did the trash pickup and other chores, then moved further west on the Parkway, seeking photo opportunities along the way. I always carry a camera when I go to the high country. You never know what you might see.

The following is what I saw.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

Mount Parnassus is a mountain of limestone in central Greece that towers above Delphi, north of the Gulf of Corinth, and offers scenic views of the surrounding olive groves and countryside. Mount Parnassus is named after Parnassos, the son of the nymph Kleodora and the man Kleopompus.

According to Greek mythology, this mountain was sacred to Dionysus and the Dionysian mysteries; it was also sacred to Apollo and the Corycian nymphs, and it was the home of the Muses. The mountain was also favored by the Dorians. As the home of the Muses, Parnassus became known as the home of poetry, music, and learning.

It is suggested that the name derives from parnassus, the possessive adjective of the Luwian word parna meaning house, or specifically temple. So the name effectively means the mountain of the house of the gods.

So that would make Grass of Parnassus the lawn at the house of the mythological gods. Imagine walking barefoot through acres of these stunning white and green wildflowers.

Regardless of whether any of this is true or just myth, it’s fun to consider. What is true is that the significant biodiversity, both in flora and in fauna, led authorities to the establishment of the National Park of Parnassus in 1938. The slopes of Mount Parnassus are composed of two ski sections, Kellaria and Fterolakka, which together make up the largest ski center in Greece.

Grass of Parnassus, also known as bog stars, occur in arctic and alpine habitats, as well as in dune systems and fens, swamps, wet meadows, open seepage areas, and moist woods. In the Southern Appalachians they tend to be found in the high country, above at least 5,000 feet.

I’ve encountered these rare late summer blooms a couple of places: high on Mt. LeConte in the Smokies, and along the Blue Ridge Parkway. The North Carolina variety is Parnassia caroliniana, and is considered imperiled. Therefore I’m somewhat coy about exact locations. Poachers and all. If you study my photos below you can get some hints.

Feel free to leave your comments below the gallery.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

Does 2020 seem like a lost year so far? If you’re like me it has. I’ve been self-isolating since mid-March because of coronavirus. I only venture out to get groceries for my dad and myself. I have been hiking a grand total of once since March, and that time was only after entering Phase II of the grand reopening. Obviously soon after, positive cases began soaring, so it was back to stay home, stay safe.

In the meantime, folks have been visiting state and national parks in record breaking numbers, and in a lot of cases, leaving their trash behind. I never have understood litter, especially on our beautiful public lands, but apparently many find it necessary to exhibit their privilege. As a trash collecting volunteer on the Blue Ridge Parkway this saddens me.

Parkway management finally told the volunteers we were allowed to come back and work in June. I’ve resisted the temptation up to this point, but felt it was probably about time to do my part. So on Sunday, July 26th I packed up my mask, my gloves, my reacher-grabber tool and sanitary wipes for an inspection and cleaning of Pounding Mill Overlook. I went early in the morning to avoid as much crowding as possible. Much to my surprise, the overlook was not entirely trashed. There was more than usual, but mostly small stuff like paper and cigarettes.

I brought my camera along too, so when I finished my chores, it was time for a peaceful drive west on the Parkway. Starting at milepost 410, I continued to milepost 430 with many stops along the way. The weather was near ideal early, but as the morning wore on, the clouds began building. I stopped at Ferrin Knob Overlook for a lunch break, and watched the traffic on the Parkway building as well.

About noon I called it a day because of crowding, and concern about thunderstorms. I had one additional stop planned, along Scenic Byway 276, at one of the old CCC stone bridges over Looking Glass Creek. The ever intensifying clouds helped set the mood. Fortunately I got a few shots in before the sky opened up about five minutes after I finished. It was a wet drive the rest of the way to Brevard.

Below are some of the photos I captured on this day, only my second time out since March 2020. Feel free to leave any comments.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

While a walk around the 250 rooms of Biltmore House will thrill you with art and craftmanship and history and architecture, your visit to Biltmore Estate isn’t done until you get outside and explore the gardens and Conservatory, and the 20 miles of hiking and biking trails available. Because my brother and I were there on gift passes, we weren’t able to visit during peak bloom season, but we still got a hint of what you can expect.

On the day we were there, March 9, 2020, there were dozens of species of orchid in the Conservatory along with iris and many other exotic plants. The Italian Garden features classical statuary and water gardens. The Shrub Garden is designed for quiet moments and includes pools with water lilies (in season) and lotus.

The Spring Garden is filled with blooming shrubs like forsythia, spirea and mock orange, and is surrounded by pines and hemlocks. The Walled Garden is a four-acre formal garden that features seasonal flowering beds, including literally thousands of tulips. The Rose Garden includes heirloom roses as well as trial cuts. The Azalea Garden is 15 acres, the estate’s largest, and contains one of the United States finest selections of native azaleas.

Be sure to take the half mile loop to, and around, the Bass Pond and Boathouse. Frederick Olmstead, the landscaper, created this water feature by enlarging an old creek-fed millpond. In days gone by there were rowboats moored at the boathouse for fishing or exploring the pond.

I have created a series of photo galleries below to share my experiences at the estate. The first contains images from the Conservatory. Following that is another gallery including images from several of the gardens and the bass pond. Be sure to scroll down for the 2nd gallery after viewing the first.

If you missed my post about Biltmore House itself, you can see the inside pictures here. Please feel free to leave any comments below the photo galleries. Thanks for visiting!

The Conservatory

This glass-roofed building nurtures orchids, ferns, and palms. During the Vanderbilt’s time, it provided flowers and plants for Biltmore House.

The Gardens and Grounds

This would be my favorite place for future visits. I love the outdoors, and the colors, scents, and overall beauty of flowers and flowering trees and shrubs fascinate me.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

Hard to believe I’ve lived in Western North Carolina for 15 years now, and had never visited the world famous Biltmore Estate. My brother managed to score a couple of gift passes, so we decided it must be about time to go after all these years. Now I might actually spring for the price of admission just to go back some day.

Built by George Vanderbilt, heir to the Vanderbilt railroad and shipping fortune, this majestic 250 room French chateau style architecture was completed in 1895. It was a family home for George, his wife Edith, and their daughter Cornelia. Following George’s untimely death, Edith remarried, and John Cecil joined Edith at Biltmore in 1924. Beginning in 1930, the Cecil’s opened Biltmore House to the public, as it has remained ever since. The fifth generation descendants are still involved in day-to-day operations, and employ more than 2,000 from the WNC area.

The original estate spanned more than 125,000 acres in the mountains surrounding Asheville. Edith donated a major piece of that landholding for what would eventually become Pisgah National Forest, an adventurer’s haven that we locals thoroughly enjoy. Nevertheless, the estate is still sprawling, with seasonal gardens and greenhouses, massive meadows overlooking the French Broad River Valley, a world renowned winery with lodge and hotel, and large acreage for crops to supply the estate.

And then there’s the house. More than 175,000 square feet, with 40 bathrooms, this treasure was thoroughly planned by George and his architect Richard Hunt. The grounds are also truly remarkable with the landscaping done by Frederick Olmstead, who also designed Central Park on Manhattan in New York City.

Dave and I visited on March 9, 2020 and spent approximately five hours in the house and on the grounds. We barely began to scratch the surface of all the things that are available to do at Biltmore Estate. There are nearly 20 miles of hiking and biking trails, for example. We were seasonally too early for the incredible floral display, a must see, but did manage to catch some of the early bloomers.

I have created a series of photo galleries below to share my experiences at the estate. The first contains images from the ground floor of the house. Following that is another gallery of points of interest from the upper level floors. Be sure to scroll down for the 2nd gallery after viewing the first. Finally, the third gallery contains pictures of the surprises found in the basement levels of this magnificent home.

When you’re done, here is the link to my second report with photos of the gardens and Conservatory. Please feel free to leave any comments below the photo galleries. Thanks for visiting!

The Entry Level

Highlights include the atrium, the grand banquet room as well as other dining areas, the music room (one of George’s favorites), multiple libraries (George also loved books), and places to relax as well, like billiards.

The Upper Floors

The master bedrooms are on the second floor, and guest quarters on the third. There are a number of sitting areas for mingling among the guests and entertaining.

The Basement

The kitchens and laundry can be found in the basement, as well as the food stocks. The number of pantries would fill an apartment complex. There’s room for play too with bowling, and the world’s first lighted pool.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

There was a snowstorm over Roan Mountain the last Friday in February, 2020. Seeing Roan Highlands covered in a blanket of snow is always a highlight of WNC winter. So on Sunday, March 1st I set out for this glorious destination high above the little town of Bakersville. It is quickly becoming one of my favorite things to do in winter. This makes three in a row now.

As usual I was not disappointed. To be honest, it couldn’t have worked out better. The road crews had done a fabulous job of clearing all the back country mountain roads between Burnsville and Carver’s Gap, so the driving part was a snap. It was a bright sunny day, with but wispy clouds on an azure sky, and views that seemed like 50 miles, or more. The only downer were the dozens of jet contrails polluting the sky.

There were only a handful of cars at Carver’s Gap when I arrived, so there were a few intrepid others who had the same idea. It was definitely cold. The air temp was 22° when I stepped out of my Subaru. The wind seemed calm, but that was to change on the summit of Round Bald.

Preparation is one of my hallmarks though, so I had heavy wool socks and snow boots, fleece-lined softshell pants, plenty of layers for my core and a down filled vest with a hood, plus a balaclava and gloves. Sunglasses finished off the ensemble. I probably looked a bit like the Michelin man, but I was ready.

Once out in the snow and on the Appalachian Trail, I could tell that I was first out on this morning. The other cars must have been for overnight campers. Brr! The lower trail was barely packed down by boot steps probably from Saturday hikers. Once I cleared the spruce forest, the wind had filled in any previous footsteps, so it required a bit of post-holing. The higher and more exposed I got, the windier it became. The south side of Round Bald was 4-6 inches deep. Most of it I was breaking trail. To say it was slow going would be an understatement.

The summit of Round Bald was a downright gale. Boy was I glad I had all that cold weather gear on. The snow-covered mountains that surround in every direction were astounding. Perhaps the most beautiful view was of the Hump Mountains off to the northeast. Once on the north side of Round Bald, the snow depth was a foot. The wind was obviously blowing snow from the summit mostly to the north.

I didn’t stay long, and only went as far as Engine Gap, but the two hours I was there was worth every stinging ice crystal slamming into my face. Two other solo hikers passed me on the downside. Climbing back up to the summit of Round Bald was really slow going because of the foot deep snow.

Enjoy the photo gallery below of my adventure to Roan Highlands in the snow. If you are interested in going to Roan Highlands yourself, check out my trail report that includes directions, maps, and many more seasonal photos. Thanks for visiting!

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

August 2005 saw the Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy (now Conserving Carolina) and The Nature Conservancy purchase a 1,568-acre tract of land south of Lake Lure known as “World’s Edge” for $16 million with the intention of transferring the land as the first to be added to the new Chimney Rock State Park. World’s Edge contains a mile-long set of steep slopes on the eastern edge of the Blue Ridge Escarpment, with more than 20,000 feet of streams and waterfalls.

From an overlook point, the land falls away to the southeast providing a stunning view of North Carolina’s Piedmont. On the northwest side, the area provides habitat for rare flowers, diverse forest communities, endangered bats and salamanders, unique cave-dwelling invertebrates, and birds such as peregrine falcons and migratory neo-tropical species. Transfer of the World’s Edge tract to state ownership was completed in 2006.

Primitive trails hug the rugged landscape, offering a view of things to come for the courageous souls willing to get a scrape or two and bushwhack the craggy rim. The state park’s master plan mentions further trail development and visitor amenities on this corner of the property, including permanent overlooks, backcountry campsites, and a day use area. However, with funds being tight in state government, don’t look for any of this to occur in the near term.

In the mean time, you can access World’s Edge from Edneyville, NC via Gilliam Mountain Rd. and Sugarloaf Mountain Rd. to Ottanola Gap. There is limited parking in the cul-de-sac at the gap. Please don’t block access to the private drive that is also there. You can follow the old 4wd road to the first overlook and beyond. For an easy 2-mile out and back hike, continue to follow the road, with stops at each of the 3-4 overlooks along the way. You drop approximately 200 feet of elevation on the way out.

For the more adventurous among you, there is a very primitive game trail from the first overlook that follows the extreme edge of the rim as far as Chinquapin Gap. Be warned that there is exposure of falling from rock outcrops along the rim, and that some bushwhacking will be required. Otherwise, this trail offers the best views of both sides of the rim, including Sugarloaf and Chimney Rock Mountains to the west, and the Pool Creek drainage into Lake Lure Village.

With the photo gallery below, I hope to portray a pictorial essay of what NC residents and tourists have to look forward to in the coming years as the World’s Edge tract is developed for state park access. There is a grand plan for all of the magnificent Hickory Nut Gorge that may take a couple of decades to achieve fruition, but when it is complete this area will rival anywhere in the country for recreational opportunity and breathtaking scenery.

My brother Dave and I visited on February 9, 2020 and were treated to a cloud inversion on the east side of the World’s Edge rim.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

Tucked away in the northeastern corner of DuPont State Forest in Western North Carolina, Stone Mountain is the highest point in the state forest at 3,620 feet. Appropriately named for the exposed granite slab that traverses its summit, Stone Mountain offers a near 270° view of the surrounding terrain to winter hikers. Since the first time I went, nearly 12 years ago, the pines are taking over the summit, so views are harder to come by. Especially in summer, the leaf cover makes it even more difficult. This hike occurred on Monday, February 3, 2020 from 12:00 noon to 2:30pm. Our plan was to take the Rocky Ridge Trail to the Stone Mountain Trail, then on to the summit. Return would be back the same way.

There are two ends to the Rocky Ridge Trail that meet up with the Stone Mountain Trail. The southern end is on Sky Valley Road, is a 3 mile round trip, and rises 660 feet to the summit. The northern end starts on the Old CCC Road very near the junction with Sky Valley Road, adds a mile to the total distance and 500 feet more elevation gain.

The southern Rocky Ridge trailhead has a parking area large enough for a half dozen cars on the left side of Sky Valley Road less than two miles up from Guion Farm. The trail is wide and pleasant, and sandy with an indistinguishable uphill grade. This northeastern section of the state forest is dense woodland with a delightful mix of deciduous and evergreen trees.

You will discover the DuPont State Forest trail system to be quite robust. We reached two trail junctions on the short 1.5-mile hike up Stone Mountain. The first is .4 mile in. The Rocky Ridge Trail bears left and eventually down to the Old CCC Rd. and the Stone Mountain Trail turns right. Then just another tenth mile later, the Switchback Trail bears right and Stone Mountain takes off uphill to the left.

The Stone Mountain Trail begins moderately steep climbing right away and continues uphill until the summit. Unlike the near perfect conditions on the Rocky Ridge Trail, this trail is rocky and rutted from drainage. Just a touch less than a mile in, the trail turns a decidedly northeasterly direction and climbs to a large grassy clearing perhaps two acres in size. Passing through the meadow, we climbed another tenth mile past several large boulders alongside the trail, then began the final climb to the summit.

Those boulders are a nice place to take a breather because the last tenth mile is the steepest. The good news is that it isn’t far as the trail climbs through laurel and rhododendron. Just about the time you think you’ve had enough, you pop out on the summit with large granite outcrops and gnarly wind-swept pines. The summit surface is quite large and flat and affords long-distance views in nearly every direction. Be sure to spend some time exploring the summit. You can walk several hundred feet left or right.

To the left is a northerly view toward Asheville with the Great Craggy and Black Mountains behind. Looking west is the high country of Pisgah National Forest, including the easily identifiable tower-topped Mt. Pisgah. Straight ahead is Pinnacle Mountain with its radio and cell tower. You can also see the clearings in the forest that are the horse farms along Pinnacle Road.

To the right is the most expansive view, stretching far and wide toward South Carolina. There are communications towers barely visible many miles away that sit atop Rich Mountain in Transylvania County. Below you is the southwestern area of DuPont State Forest. When you go, see if you can pick out some of the more notable landmarks.

If you packed a picnic lunch, there are numerous great spots on the granite to sit for awhile and enjoy the picturesque surroundings. The largest of these is to your left, about 200 feet from the initial summit. Just follow the path through the gnarly pines. Speaking of lunch, while on top, we enjoyed following the circuitous path of a lone buzzard hovering on the wind a hundred feet above. Fortunately, his eyes weren’t on us.

The return trip for us was uneventful, but you really must keep your eye on the trail. It is a steep descent with many, many hazards from washout. There are exposed rocks and roots seemingly everywhere, just waiting for their chance to trip you, or worse.

When we got back to the car, the thermometer read 70 degrees. Can you believe that for early February?

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.