Cherohala Skyway in Autumn 10/21/20

Come Join us for an Autumn Ride along the Cherohala Skyway,  10/21/20

Dear Blog Friends,  Welcome to a day along the Cherohala Skyway. This is a National Scenic Byway which is 43 miles long,  and gradually heads up and then down the mountain between Robbinsville,  North Carolina and Tellico Plains,  Tennessee.

 Some people call this road the "Mile High Legend" ---since the elevation from the bottom to the top is about a MILE..   The name,  Cherohala comes from the two National Forests it crosses,  the Cherokee National Forest and the Nantahala National Forest.

This beautiful Skyway is never as crowded with people as the Smoky Mountains --so in many ways,  we like it almost better.  The drive itself is awesome ---and there are many overlooks along the way for one to stretch his/her legs and capture some pictures.  And --the area has MANY hiking trails!!!  We highly recommend it.  Hope you enjoy this Autumn's journey with us today --across the Cherohala!!!!

For more information about this amazing area,   click HERE,

We started our journey at an elevation of less than 1000 feet --and drove to the top of the mountain at approximately 5400 feet (and then back down the other side). So--you will enjoy the pictures at various elevations along the way. 

I love to look UP and see the pretty colors along with the blue skies.

Just a big carpet of color!  Wow --wish you could have seen this in person!!!

Different elevation from the last picture,  and not quite as much color! But---I love seeing the colorful mountain ranges in the distance.

I zoomed in here to see all of the RED trees, always my favorites!!

This picture is 'brighter' since the colors really pop out when the sun and blue skies are there.  (As you can tell from precious pictures,  we did have a little trouble with sunshine and blue skies when we were on the Cherohala.)

We stopped at one of the many overlooks and this is what we saw!!!!

I really think that this picture along the Cherohala Skyway says it all on this day (10/21/20). You see some colors at various elevations,  some blue skies,  some mountain ranges,  and some clouds--along with some sunshine. What more could one want?????

For my last picture,  I'll share a picture from our stop at Indian Boundary (on our way back down the mountain).   I love the colors of this tree hanging out over the water. 

 

Well--that's enough for today.  I used to post many more pictures --but in these crazy, busy times, most people prefer less pictures when looking at a Blog post. So I make myself stop with 10...

I hope you enjoyed seeing DAY TWO of our little Leaf-Peaking Trip.   What a fabulous trip it was this year.   We have taken this trip in the Fall several times --and this year may have been our best one  for colors and great weather.  We spent Day 1 in and around the Great Smoky Mountain National Park and Day 2 in and around the Cherohala Skyway.  Between those two days,  we spent the night at a wonderful old INN  (FRYEMONT INN) in Bryson City,  NC.  Excellent rustic inn --with lots of history!

If you missed my photos from Day 1 (in the Smokies),  click HERE.

Have a great week, my friends, and thanks for 'allowing' me to share my A Fib Story last week.  Hopefully, my story can help someone else.  I am feeling better this week --so hopefully I will be able to get out and do more hiking and walking soon.  

Hugs,

Betsy💝💛💚💕

 

 

 

Oh Those Glorious Mountains

Along the Cherohala Skyway

First of all a very HAPPY LABOR DAY to you and yours... Hope you are with family enjoying the day!!!!!

On August 3, 2016,   George took me on a Surprise Birthday Trip... This was the first day of that trip --so I'll share some pictures as we stopped along the Cherohala Skyway (between Tellico Plains,  Tennessee and Robbinsville,  North Carolina) --and then onto the Blue Ridge Parkway (between Cherokee,  North Carolina and Mt. Pisgah,  North Carolina).  Hope you enjoy seeing these beautiful mountains today!!!!

Along the Cherohala Skyway

George loves this drive also --and is happy for surprising me so much!!!!!  (I LOVE that man.)

Along the Cherohala Skyway  (Wouldn't this be gorgeous in Autumn?????)

Oh how wonderful it was to be here....

Along the Cherohala Skyway

Along the Blue Ridge Parkway

George enjoyed this day as much as I did (if that is possible)... ha

Layers and layers of beauty along the Blue Ridge Parkway

WOW----this old woman is really LOVIN'  the mountains!

I love it when the wildflowers just enhance the beauty of the area  (along the Blue Ridge Parkway)

A nice lady volunteered to take our picture at the highest point along the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Sun and shadows along the Blue Ridge Parkway

Pretty little butterfly enjoying the yellow flowers along the Blue Ridge Parkway

One of my favorite overlooks along the Blue Ridge Parkway

Two people in love enjoying the Glory of the Mountains!

As I look at these pictures,   I am reminded of how gorgeous they are ---both in Summer and what they'd look like in AUTUMN.....  Think we'll just have to go back!!!!!  Okay,  Honey????????

Hope you enjoyed our day in the mountains!

Hugs,

Indian Boundary Recreation Area, Tennessee 8/3/16

Indian Boundary Lake (96 acres with a 3.6 mile lakeshore trail around the lake)

On the first day (8/3/16)  of my 'surprise' Birthday Trip this year,  George took me on the Cherohala Skyway between Tellico Plains,  Tennessee and Robbinsville,  North Carolina.  There is a road off of the Skyway which goes to the INDIAN BOUNDARY RECREATION AREA,  part of the Cherokee National Forest.

We had NEVER been there before--so decided to check it out on that day.  WOW---were we impressed!  We got there early in the morning  (no people around much) and the weather was nice... We drove and also walked around for awhile but did not stay too long.  However,  we were able to get some good pictures to share...

If you enjoy camping and/or picnicking and hiking,  along with beautiful mountain views; a beach for swimming;  biking; fishing;  boating--- and MORE, we highly recommend this area...  AND---we hope to go back in the Fall --just to see the beautiful Fall colors in those mountains.

Click HERE  for the website if you want more information.  Today I'll share some of the pictures we took at the Indian Boundary Recreation Area..  You can click on the pictures for enlargements.

George --with the clouds overtaking the mountaintops in the distance;  Don't you love the reflections?

The boaters had the lake to themselves on this early morning.

Another view looking across the lake

A view of the beach area (and the bridge/dam) across the lake

A close-up of the bridge/dam from across the lake;  We hiked down to that bridge/dam.

Now we are on the other side of the lake --where the beach is.

A view from the beach --looking back over to the other side of the lake (where we were before)

While on the beach,  George took a picture looking toward the fishing pier...

Another picture of the clouds hiding the tops of the nearby mountains;  I love puffy clouds like this!

Our hike to the bridge/dam (from the beach area)

One last picture before we headed on our way;  I was standing at the top of the hill looking down at the beach,  the lake,  the mountains,  and the clouds... What a beautiful sight!

I hope we can go back to this gorgeous place.. The elevation here is 1660 feet ---so it shouldn't be quite as HOT as the lower elevations are...  AND--there are tons of hardwoods and pines for shade....

Maybe it is because this place was NEW to us,  but it definitely was one of my very favorite places to visit on this trip...  Hope YOU can get there someday.

Hugs,

"Leaf Photo Op" Day Trip --10/14/13

On October 14, 2013,  George and I took a FOURTEEN hour Day Trip to check out the Autumn Colors around our area.  We started out in the Great Smoky Mountains;  then we went on the Blue Ridge Parkway (from Cherokee to Waynesville, North Carolina);  finally, we went on the Cherohala Skyway (between Robbinsville, NC and Tellico Plains, TN).  We finished our day by eating a BBQ Dinner at Bradley's Restaurant on Highway 68 --on our way home!

What a fantastic day we had... The photo opportunities were numerous everywhere we went with the best Fall Colors at the higher elevations.... Today I will share just a few of the 800+ photos we took on Monday.  Hope you enjoy seeing our area in Autumn. 

Above is a photo of George and me taken along the Cherohala Skyway.  Be sure to click on the photos for enlargements.

Once we headed up the Great Smoky Mountains (on Highway 441 between Gatlinburg, TN and Cherokee, NC)---notice the colors we began to see! When the sun hits those mountains,  the colors really show off for us!

And look at our view from Newfound Gap (on top of the mountain ).  We love seeing fog in the valley when we are in the mountains.  (We did, however,  run into that fog when we got on the Blue Ridge Parkway later!!!!)

Once we left Newfound Gap and drove over the mountain into North Carolina,  we stopped at the overlooks along the way.  Here is George standing at one of those overlooks.  Aren't the trees gorgeous behind him?

AND--- here is what the mountains looked like in the Smokies --on a gorgeous Autumn day!

This is an interesting photo showing the sun and shadows on the Great Smoky Mountains. This photo was taken from one of the overlooks on the North Carolina side, not far from Newfound Gap (the top).

WELL---after seeing all of that fog,  when we got to the Blue Ridge Parkway (between Cherokee and Waynesville, North Carolina),  we did run through some of that fog... BUT--it was okay since we enjoy taking 'fog' photos also.  This photo was taken at Woolyback Overlook,  elevation 5,425 feet.

Here is a photo showing the colors along the Blue Ridge Parkway.  Can you see the tunnel?????

I like this photo taken along the Blue Ridge Parkway showing the rocks and all of the colors..

Here is one of my favorite photos along the Blue Ridge Parkway.  This was taken at Woodfin Valley (elevation 4,120 feet).

After leaving the Blue Ridge Parkway,  we drove to Robbinsville,  North Carolina and headed up the Cherohala Skyway (toward Tellico Plains,  Tennessee)...  We loved what we had seen in the Smokies and the Blue Ridge Parkway,  BUT when we got to the Cherohala Skyway,  we saw even more Autumn colors!!!!

Here is a picture of me ---trying to get taller!!!!!!  George is 6'4" and I am 5'5"...  There are times that I can't see in order to get the best photos available!!  SO---as I said on Facebook,  "A Girl has Gotta Do what she's Gotta Do"!!!   I'm not sure that picnic table was made for someone to stand on,  BUT.............  ha ha

This photo shows  "God's Paintbrush in Action"--don't you think????  Aren't these colors marvelous?  This photo was taken at an overlook on the Cherohala Skyway at the Shute Cove Overlook (elevation 2,660 feet).

This is a great photo which shows the vivid colors we saw on the Cherohala Skyway.

Here is one of my favorite photos from the Cherohala Skyway.   I love seeing the shadows on the mountains ---and also where the sunshine is popping through.  Wish you could have seen this in person... It just took my breath away!  God is so GOOD.

I love SUNBEAMS...  We were blessed to get to enjoy them off and on during the day.  This was also taken as we traveled along the Cherohala Skyway.

Finally,  here's one more photo of George and me  taken at the Brushy Ridge Overlook on the Cherohala Skyway.  Do you like our Patriotic Shirts????  We got them at Colonial Williamsburg!

WELL----that's our trip in a nutshell.... It was hard choosing which photos to include on this post since we both have SO many good ones... It was a perfect day in every respect --and I'm sure I'll include many more photos from this amazing day trip in the future.

Hope you have a wonderful week.   I am taking a week off from Blogging not only to get some yardwork done --but also to continue enjoying this glorious Fall Season.  I'll be back--hopefully with some more great photos-- on October 28...

Hugs,

Emoticons