Chimney Rock

Chimney Rock State Park is in Chimney Rock, NC, around 25 miles from Asheville. It's a short drive, an hour and a half from Charlotte, and as such quite a popular destination. It boasts of hiking trails of all skill levels, spectacular views, and a 404 ft waterfall, Hickory Nut Falls.

Its most notable feature is a 315 ft rock formation which resembles a chimney. It is accessible by elevator as well as a moderate hike. It provides a spectacular view of the park and the surrounding countryside.

The view is lovely in summer when one can see the lush green countryside for miles around. It also provides a good view of Lake Lure.

In fall, the scene is changed to a very colourful panaromic view from the rock. All the green is replaced by reds and yellows.

A man-made tunnel leads the way to an elevator that took us to the top of the rock. At the top we have a few trails leading up to Chimney Rock, Devil's Head, an overlook and the top of the falls.

The view from outside the restaurant at the top of Chimney Rock. In fall it presents a very colourful view.

Some more views of the surrounding areas in fall. This is the best time to visit if you want to enjoy the spectacular fall colours of Piedmont.

The stairs to the top of Chimney Rock. The US Flag flutters proudly at the top.

A shot from an overlook with the flag fluttering around in summer while the countryside is lush green.

Same shot taken during fall. The green is replaced by reds and yellows in the same view of the surrounding countryside.

It is a very popular tourist destination, both during summer and in fall. In summer people flock to take a swim in the cool water of Hickory Nut Falls while in fall the panoramic view is stunning. The number of cars parked will give an idea of the number of visitors to this park.

A short hike took us to Devil's Head which is a natural rock formation shaped in the form of a head. Guess erosion can do wonders with rocks.

At the bottom of the rock, another moderate hike takes you to the 404 ft waterfalls, Hickory Nut Falls. It is one of the highest falls I have seen in this area.

The Chimney Rock State Park is home to a lot of rare flora and fauna. Managed to capture some wild flowers on the trail.

The Hickory Nut Falls is a popular destination in summer. Many people prefer to cool off the summer heat by taking a dip in the cool waters of the pool at the bottom of the falls.

The waterfall is so high, I found it difficult to capture the full height at 28mm which is the available wide-angle for me. So I started taking portions of the waterfall instead.

The water was a lovely silky white and we spent quite sometime capturing multiple shots of the waterfall before starting on our way back to Charlotte.

Crabtree Falls

Having spent some quality time at Linville Gorge, the next destination on our itinerary was Crabtree Falls. Again it was Ela's idea. As always, it turned out to be a good decision. A moderate hike from the place where we parked the car took us to the waterfall. Truly exquisite, the waterfall is a photographer's delight. I just wish I had a wide-angle lens to capture this beauty.

The return journey was quite adventurous. We decided to step away from the trodden path and find our way back through uncharted territory. The forest floor was covered in fallen leaves and there were no trails or as much as an indication of the way forward. The trek was tough but thoroughly enjoyable. And we made it back to the car, safe and sound albeit completely out of breath.

Linville Gorge and Linville Falls

One week later, another nice warm October day. Late fall, but the bitter days of winter still a month away, or so it seemed. Too good a day to spend at home. So the four of us - Sandy, Ela, Pattu and I set out on a trip to the Linville Gorge. We were hoping to catch some fall colours. Being an experienced campaigner and a frequent visitor to the mountains, Ela did advise us to dress snugly. But none of us paid much heed. Sandy's Mustang was our ride for the occasion. It's a fantastic car, climbing up the mountain trails like a wild mustang riding over rough terrain. The first hint of cold in the air hit us while filling gas at a roadside filling station. It was a subtle hint , nothing much to be bothered about, and we moved on.

Reaching the town of Linville around noon, we opted for a sumptuous country meal before starting on the hike to the gorge. The trail we followed was moderate and well trodden by hikers over the years.

The trail passed through the woods which I agree were lovely, dark and deep. But somehow didn't remind me of any promises I had to keep.

At places, the trail was extremely beautiful, exhibiting the full splendour of fall. Colours of bright yellow and red adorned both sides of the trail.

We caught the first glimpse of water as we climbed down these steps cut into the path.

And then there it was!! Facing us was the Upper Falls.

The water flows through here and then disappears down a hole into an underground passage finally emerging on the othe side as the Linville Falls.

The Linville Falls creates a beautiful sight, the water from the waterfall crashing down to the rocky bottom. It creates a creek which flows down the Linville Gorge.

The mountain stream continues to flow down the beautiful gorge.

The view of the gorge is breathtakingly beautiful. We found it impossible to resist the urge to stop and devour nature's beauty. Sitting on the ledge, our feet hanging down over hundreds of feet of nothingness, it was exhilarating to say the least.

We had a distant glimpse of the peaks of Mt. Mitchell. It seemed to be getting the first snow of the season. Ela came up with a sudden idea insisting we had to drive to those peaks on the same day. It was too good an opportunity to let pass. We concurred. In retrospect, it was a great decision. But that's another story for another time.

On the way back to the car, I caught the sun once peeking through the woods.