Entering the Blue Ridge Mountains south of Elizabethton, Tennessee, we ascended along the Doe River, following its channel into Roan Mountain State Park and beyond to the high peaks that surround Roan Mountain. On this chilly morning, frost and light snow coated the summits, most of which exceed 5500 feet in elevation.
Our next stop was Elk River Falls, just south of the North Carolina line. This river is part of the Tennessee River watershed and its scenic falls, east of Elk Park, is reached by a short hike. From this beautiful cascade, we moved on to Grandfather Mountain State Park, advertised to be the most popular tourist destination in the State; that claim was confirmed when we found a long line of cars at the entrance and learned from a road sign that visits to the Park must now be scheduled in advance (yet another indication that we are loving our Parks to death).
Diverting to the Blue Ridge Parkway, we enjoyed a short loop hike to Flat Rock and stopped at several spectacular overlooks as we traveled eastward. Throngs of tourists crowded most of the viewpoints, apparently drawn to the Parkway by the brilliant autumn colors; solitude was not an option on this cool afternoon. We will be attending a cultural festival near Ferguson, North Carolina, over the coming days before resuming our travels along the Blue Ridge.
