Journey of Joy - Week 4: On Mountain Time

Western North Carolina has some of the most spectacular scenery in the US, plus a laid back culture and some great music at the local pubs. I have been lucky to sample a full array of sights and sounds near Franklin. Here are some highlights of the natural beauty, even in the dormancy of mid-February.

Sunset Rock - overlooking Highlands, NC

Lynn's trusty Subaru wagon made it up the rutted and snow-covered dirt road 

Short walk through the woods and Voila! views

Lynn spent her summers hanging out on these rocks

Whitewater Falls - Pisgah National Forest:

Tallest waterfall East of the Rockies - 441'
http://www.blueridgeheritage.com/attractions-destinations/whitewater-falls

View from the falls overlook south to Lake Jocassee in South Carolina
http://www.romanticasheville.com/whitewater_falls.htm

Bartram Trail hike - Franklin, NC

2.5 miles each way - piece of cake!
http://www.stayandplayinthesmokies.com/vendor/bartram-trail-wallace-branch-to-william-s-pulpit-franklin-nc/

Another waterfall to add to my list - 1/2 mile from trailhead

Who wouldn't want to follow such an inviting trail?

Summit was named for a long-ago reverend

Girls night out at the Rathskellar - Fiddlers' Kids

Sunset from Lynn's deck

Teenage cousins playing Mumford & Sons and old-time mountain tunes
http://www.rathskeller2000.com/

Little Tennessee River Greenway - 4 mile rec path in Franklin, NC

Whiteside Mountain hike - with Bob Dodd, local guide extraordinaire

We both spied the "gnome holes" in this gnarly old tree

Lower Cullasaja Falls on Rte 64 near Bob's house

Needle ice along the trail
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Needle_ice

100-mile views all the way up

Spring is still aways off, even here in NC

 Imagine whole mountainsides covered in rhododendrons this spring!

Happy winter hikers!

Rock outcrop at the summit - nothing but empty space below me

On March 3rd, we left the NC mountains and headed for a month in sunny Florida! Road trip Chapter Two, coming soon to a blog near you...