The small towns that make up the High Country all have their own welcoming personality. Home to Ashe County Cheese, the Florence Thomas Art School, and an outstanding public art display, downtown West Jefferson is worth checking out! Today, heavy rains dampened many...
Today on Grandfather Mountain, bright color could be seen here and there, especially on mountain ash trees. The fruit of the tree is a clustered berry that ripens to a vibrant scarlet in the fall. The tree is fairly common in the higher elevations of the High Country,...
Few trees are as colorful as a fall sassafras, which shows a wide variety of hues, often all on a single plant. The leaves are not all the same, either. Some have a single lobe, looking much like a mitten, while others have multiple lobes or none at all. In autumn,...
Smaller maples in the Blowing Rock and Boone area, like those planted along streets and commercial areas, often show striking color well ahead of most trees around them. Those along Rivers Street at Appalachian State University, on the ridge behind Basil’s...
Fall foliage is on the way, but it will still be a few days before we see consistent color displays near Blowing Rock. As an example, here’s a view from Price Lake on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Today was a still day that offered a glass-like surface on the water,...
A walk around Bass Lake is recommended any time of year, but it’s a particular favorite in fall. When you go, you’ll want to carpool if possible, as parking at the lake can be very limited on autumn days. Today was busy, too, as the crisp air and blue...
