- From the Blue Ridge Parkway, just north of the Linn Cove Viaduct.
Fall break — and it coincided perfectly with the peak color weekend in the Black Mountains. I do not think I have ever been in the mountains at their fall color peak before. It was rather spectacular. We camped at the Black Mountain campground which is at the base of Mount Mitchell. We had a lovely spot right on the creek. It is a super-nice place to camp. There are many trails to choose from.
We hiked part of the Mount Mitchell trail until it met the top of the Higgins Bald trail. The Mount Mitchell trail is a 5.5 mile climb to the summit that starts at the campground. We thought that we really did not have time (and perhaps not the stamina?) to make the summit. It is about 1.5 miles to the first intersection of the MM trail and the Higgins Bald trail, we passed this and continued to the second intersection of the trails. This was obviously an uphill climb but as such climbs go, not a terrible one. The trail is is pretty good shape and goes up a a very manageable pace (although we were pretty sweated for a cool October day!). At this point we turned back and followed the Higgins back down. You would think that they would be very similar… Not so, the Higgins trail goes primarily through a spruce-fir forest and is thus very different. The whole hike was about 6 miles.
There were lots and lots of lovely lavender asters everywhere. The goldenrod were still in profusion and there was a very pretty yellow asterish flower I have not been able to identify. There was quite a bit of squaw root around. The biggest surprise of the day was the profusion of gentians. I had the notion that these were fairly rare, not so here. They were just beautiful, like little jewels all along the paths. I believe the species is Gentiana clausa, closed gentian.
- Closed gentian
We drove home along the parkway until we hit 421 at N Wilkesboro. It was lovely!
A walk a week ... 