We know you’re heading west to see stunning fall color, but look beyond the Blue Ridge Parkway overlooks and you’ll discover more incredible ways to experience the season.
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Smoky Mountain Roots
In the towns and communities in and around the Qualla Boundary, the Cherokee have endured like the ancient rhododendrons with which they share a home.
Wilderness Refined in the Southern Mountains
Among the stone and pine in our southern mountains, monied gentry built their summer homes and established towns that helped define the area.
From Ranch to Retreat in Burnsville
A big-city photographer had a vision to transform a storied Burnsville property into a space for contemplation and reflection — a healing place.
In Search of Fall Color in the Blue Ridge Mountains
An Appalachian State University professor explores the mountains to find the telltale shades of autumn. Then he shares on social media the best places to find the most color in nature.
The High Country: Nature’s Art
The spectacular views in North Carolina’s High Country aren’t just inspiration for writers, painters, and sculptors. Those landscapes — the rugged gray face of Grandfather Mountain, the vibrant fall leaves, the deep green meadows — are brushstrokes on Earth’s own canvas.
Written in Stone: North Carolina’s Rock Formations
According to Cherokee legend, when the Earth was created, the Great Buzzard flew low over the flat land, his beating wings sculpting mountains and valleys below. Today, science offers its own explanations for our state’s geological marvels.
8 Scenic Drives in the North Carolina Mountains
Need inspiration for your fall leaf-peeping trip? During a drive on these winding scenic byways — with plenty of stops for waterfalls, hikes, museums, delicious food, and gorgeous views along the way — the journey is the destination.
Protecting Wonder at Grandfather Mountain
North Carolina’s iconic mountain has been a place of wild beauty for hundreds of millions of years. The Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation is determined to keep it that way.
