Resting with a great Fall view

Not as high as the Rockies but very beautiful. Here are some links and Pic's for your pleasure.

Mount Mitchell (North Carolina) 6,684 feet



Waterrock Knob - An ideal spot for watching sunrise and sunsets across the rugged mountains, Waterrock Knob Visitor Center sits at almost 6,000 feet elevation. Exhibits, book sales, and a trail leading to the summit of Waterrock Knob await the Parkway visitor.



Mount Pisgah - In the late 1800's industrialist George Washington Vanderbilt, while building his grand Biltmore Estate in Asheville, purchased Mount Pisgah and thousands of surrounding acres for a private hunting retreat for family and friends. The nearby 16-mile Shut-In Trail (a National Recreation Trail) is part of a longer route that Vanderbilt originally created for his hunting parties. Today the area adjoining the Parkway is part of the Pisgah National Forest and is still playing host to nature enthusiasts. Mount Pisgah has the distinction of having by far the highest elevation of any developed area along the Parkway. Be aware of rapidly changing weather conditions. Campground, picnic area, an extensive trail system, and closeby to the US Forest Service's Cradle of Forestry. Pisgah Inn, at almost 5,000 feet elevation, offers views and solitude like no other place on the Parkway. Click here for more information or for reservations.


Craggy Gardens - June and July are the months to visit this spectacular showplace of Catawba rhododendron and other late-blooming wildflowers. Long after the blooms have been spent on the lower elevations, the violets, blackberry, May-apple, and Turkscap lily come into their own in this high-altitude portion of the Parkway. This heath bald is only one of many throughout the Southern Appalachian Mountains; the name refers to the bald appearance of the mountaintop, which is in reality covered with grasses or mountain shrubbery. There is a visitor center, picnic area, and a variety of trails including the Craggy Pinnacle Trail, offering a panoramic view of the surrounding heath bald and rhododendron display.


Crabtree Meadows & Museum of North Carolina Minerals - Crabtree Meadows marks the last stretch of the Parkway through the Blue Ridge Mountains before it turns westward into the Blacks, Craggies, Pisgahs and Balsams before entering Great Smoky Mountains National Park. In the early summer, the Meadows becomes a showplace of wildflowers, including the hawthorne, beard tongue, mountain laurel, and gentian. The enterprising visitor can even hike the steep trail down to Crabtree Falls - as long as they are prepared for the quite strenuous climb back up! Campground, Picnic area, restaurant and gift shop, and a number of off-Parkway motels and bed-and-breakfast inns are available.

How'd I forget this? Biltmore Estates



Blowing Rock NC
Fast Facts about Blowing Rock:
Jan Karon's series of "Mitford" books was based on Blowing Rock
Annie Oakley once ran a shooting range at Mayview Manor
Readers of Blue Ridge Country and Our State magazine have voted Blowing Rock their favorite destination
The Green Mile was partially filmed in Blowing Rock
Ripley's "Believe it or not" states: "The Blowing Rock is the only place in the world where it snows upside down."



Chimney Rock Park



Grandfather Mountain





The list of beautiful places to visit are endless. Most all the roads leading to and from are a blast to ride as well. Bring your bike and lets ride.