Elk Knob State Park and Linville Falls, Blue Ridge Parkway, NC

Last week in Vilas, NC, we hiked and visited some places between MP 292-317 on the Blue Ridge Parkway.  I must admit it is so nice to be back in hiking country! This definitely  seems to be a good time of year for this area.  Very few bugs and temps varying dramatically but at least staying under 80.

Wildflowers are everywhere, dainty and beautiful, so I am taking a lot of close up pics to try to convey the variety and will name them when I can.

We heard about a nice hike at a new state park, Elk Knob, that had a nice 360 view at the top of the surrounding area so we had to check that one out:

trout lily

trees just budding here

the Appalachians are showing some spring green

bluets

wake robin trillium

nearby Boone, NC, had a couple good breweries!

 We started out the Linville Falls trail by crossing a bridge over the Linville River which looks like a good fishing place! This fisherman already had 3-4 fish on his string.

Linville Falls

Looking down on the Upper and Lower Linville Falls in the gorge

Upper Linville Falls

Obed Wild and Scenic River, TN

More from last weeks Tennessee adventure!

The Obed river system cuts through another area of the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee.  It consists of sections of four streams:  Daddys Creek, Clear Creek, Emory River and the Obed River. It is a part of the National Park system.  Any time we are near a "wild and scenic river" we know we are going to have a great hike!  Hard to go wrong with this kind of scenery.

We hiked about 6 1/2 miles, saw one waterfall from above, scrambled around another  beautiful waterfall and looked down off the plateau from overlooks to the river below. We believe we did a combination of the Lily Bluff, Bridge Trail and Point Trail.  So much left to hike should we come this way again!

Obed river.  It had rained heavily the day before and the river was high!

off we go!

saw this waterfall from the trail but no way to access

worked our way down off trail to check out this beautiful waterfall system!

back on the trail the waterfall is almost hidden!

lady slipper orchids with a couple of pure white moths hanging on

look down for the river

just a little bit of green here;)

streams flowing everywhere!

the trail even has a small arch

forest trails are soft underfoot with lots of obstacles 

colorful blue and green lizard missing the end of his tail

Another wow moment!

The Big South Fork NRRA , TN

Ahhh, Tennessee has some beautiful scenery!  Hills and elevation are back in the picture for us.  Hiking trails everywhere!!

We spent a week in Heiskell, visited the nearby museum/home of the Manhattan Project and then went hiking!!

Manhattan Project National Historical Park

arial of the "Secret City" site of the Manhattan Project

Beginning to see more wineries!! Had to take home a bottle from
the Blueslip Winery






We were close to Knoxville and found at least one good
brewery there

Just west of the Appalachian Mountains,  the Big South Fork River begins in Tennessee, flows through a 600 foot deep gorge, then enters Kentucky to empty into the Cumberland River.  We did a couple of very nice hikes there and left a lot to explore in the future!

nice little falls on the roadside

Our first hike took us down to the
Twin Arches.  These are the
largest sandstone arches east of
the Mississippi. Several slippery
ladders to navigate but well
worth the beauty!!

view from top of the north arch

walking across the top of the south arch

lots of deteriorated tree stumps covered in their own miniature world of lichen, fungus and tiny plants, just beautiful

mountain laurel

 A trail along part of the Cumberland Plateau took us to this awesome overlook of the Big South Fork