Fall Foliage Road Trips: Mid-Atlantic States

And we're on the road again!  This time to the Mid-Atlantic States - I know what you're thinking, we're heading South and you expect to see foliage??  But yes, yes, I do. Virginia, North Carolina and Maryland have some of the most beautiful Fall Foliage!  I also want to add in there Tennessee and Kentucky, because I think their Fall colors also rival the Midwest (which I will probably always think are the best, except for maybe Paris, but that's a different category).  Anyway, grab your tea or coffee or other hot beverage of choice and let's go!

Blue Ridge Parkway, Shenandoah National Park, Virginia

The Blue Ridge Parkway is 469 mile long National Parkway that runs mostly along the famous Blue Ridge, which is a mountain chain of the Appalachian Mountains.  It begins near the Southern terminus of Shenandoah National Park's Skyline Drive in Virginia at Rockfish Gap and runs to U.S. Route 441 at Oconaluftee in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park near Cherokee, North Carolina. The roadway is not maintained during the winter and is therefore usually shut down late fall until early spring.

Mt. Mitchell in North Carolina

Mt. Mitchell (elevation 6,684 ft) is the highest point in the Appalachian Mountains and in the Eastern part of the United States.  The nearest high point East of the Rocky Mountains is Harney Peak in the Black Hills, SD.  The Mountain is in Mount Mitchell State Park and surrounded by Pisgah National Forest. 

Maryland..er..D.C.

I know this isn't a typical picture on our usual back woodsy road trip that we were on, but I had to give a little love to the bigger cities. I do know that Washington D.C. isn't considered a state and it's not really in Maryland, but yet it was formed from the land that was originally Maryland, so for this post, that's what I'm going to categorize it as. Anyway, doesn't our Washington Monument look beautiful among all that orange!

Big South Fork of the Cumberland River, Tennessee

The river is 76 miles long and is located in both Tennessee and Kentucky.  It's a major drainage feature for the Cumberland Plateau, a major tributary of the Cumberland River System, which is also known as a worldclass canoe and kayaking stream.  The river runs primarily North through many remote areas.  Imagine the wildlife you could see along there!

Nernix, Kentucky

I couldn't find out much information about Nernix, Kentucky, but the fall foliage is sure beautiful.  I don't think they are known for it, but they should be ;) Louisville is suppose to have some beautiful shots, too, but I loved this aerial photo.