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Try the Blue Ridge Parkway For Fall Color Viewing

Soon the leaves will turn gold and red, and the hillsides in Western North Carolina will burst into color. Autumn brings scenic spendor, but in mountain country, it's nothing less than spectaular. The color change starts in the higher elevations, spreading to mid-mountain, and finally to the valleys, and that makes viewing time a lasting one.

Some of the best panoramas are seen from the Blue Ridge Parkway, which runs for 251 miles through the heart of Western North Carolina's mountains at elevations up to 6,000 feet or more. According to the U.S. National Park Service, this roadway is the most visited unit of America's National Park System and offers numerous pull-over spots for motorists to admire the majestic scenery. The best viewing is mid-October.

Grandfather Mountain offers views with easy access that are unmatched in peak season. The sweeping curves of the Blue Ridge Parkway's Linn Cove Viaduct set against the reds, yellows and oranges of the hillside are particularly photogenic.

In the town of Sylva, on Fisher Creek Road, Pinnacle Park provides visitors a brilliant fall kaleidoscope. Or park near the top of Whiteside Mountain, close to the town of Cahsiers, to admire the autumn views and sheer cliffs, or walk the two-mile hiking trail there. And in the waterfall country west of Hendersonville, lovely views of cascading waters alongside vivid foliage are abundant. Along Lake Lure's 21 miles of tree-line shores, the fall panorama can be seen from miles arond.

Halfbacks In Western North Carolina

Finding a native Floridian is quite challenging. Most of us are from somewhere north of here, and on hot summer days we often wish we could go back to someplace cooler and less humid. But we don't want to go all the way back, just far enough to find the cool change of season and slower pace that we miss - just halfway back. Thus the term, "halfbacks." One of the most popular halfback spots for may Floridians is the serene and majestic mountains of western North Carolina. The cool mountain breezes and spectacular scenery, coupled with the casual mountain lifestyle, draws vacationers and second home buyers.