Fall arrives in Western North Carolina

{By Kelly}

I've traveled from Florida to Western North Carolina nearly every year for the past 33 years. My grandmother has a home in Hendersonville, NC and each visit brings new discoveries in the surrounding mountains. Here are a few of the places I explored at the end of September, first week of October, 2014.

All photos © Kelly Beard, The Riveted Roost

Dawn on the Blue Ridge Parkway, Pisgah National Forest, near Brevard, NC

The mountain peaks in the distance look like islands rising from the sea

A view of Looking Glass Rock from the Blue Ridge Parkway

A view of Graveyard Fields from the Blue Ridge Parkway

Graveyard Fields, Blue Ridge Parkway

It was late September, but early traces of fall could be found at higher elevations, like Graveyard Fields, milepost 418.8 , along the Blue Ridge Parkway near Brevard, North Carolina. It sounds creepy, but the name originates from a time when a severe windstorm felled hundreds of trees in the area. Over the years, moss covered the stumps, resembling graves. With time, the forest has begun to recover, but a large meadow remains, which you can see from the parkway overlook. There's a parking area and restrooms at the trailhead of the Graveyard Fields Loop, which leads to two major waterfalls on the Yellowstone prong of the Pigeon River. I started my solo hike down the paved trail just after dawn and was greeted immediately by wildflowers, a pleasant surprise for this chilly time of year.

The paved trail leads down to a bridge, just a short distance away, that spans the river. After crossing, the trail forks, leading to the lower falls to the right, or the upper falls to the left.

Selfie at the Lower Falls

After visiting the lower falls, I headed towards the upper falls. This boardwalk led me through the meadow, offering a familiar, beachy feel.

"One day I undertook a tour through the country, 
and the diversity and beauties of nature I met with 
in this charming season expelled every gloomy
 and vexatious thought..." -Daniel Boone

Upper Falls

These leaves reminded me of gold coins, rubies and emeralds, spilled into the stream

Meandering around the mountains...

Sky Top Orchard, Flat Rock, NC

View from the Blue Ridge Parkway near Asheville, NC

Mountain sunset, Hendersonville - en route to Oskar Blues Brewery in Brevard

Early morning exploration... found this barn in Penrose, NC near the French Broad River

Cascade Lake, a hidden gem

I've driven past the sign for Cascade Lake Recreation Area too many times to count and I've never taken the time to check it out... until now. I'm certainly glad I did because it is a beautiful lake with a lovely campground (open April through October), perfect for a getaway with the Riveted Roost. It's located in the Pisgah Forest, between Hendersonville and Brevard, NC. The beginning of October is a wonderful time to visit - when the air is cool and the leaves are turning. Summer visitors can take advantage of the swimming area or rent a canoe and paddle from the lake into Dupont Forest, all the way to Hooker Falls.

Cascade Lake spillway

A perfect campsite, complete with a dock on Cascade Lake

Swimming and recreation area at Cascade Lake