Linn Cove Viaduct

It was a gray, rainy day in the high country of North Carolina yesterday. A great day for waterfall photography, not always so great for landscapes. Rain does have a way, however, of saturating the colors and making them "pop." This is a shot taken of the sweeping "S" curve of the Linn Cove Viaduct, an engineering marvel, and no doubt the most photographed section of the Blue Ridge Parkway. I lived here for lots of years and drove over the viaduct probably a hundred times, but never took the time to stop at the visitors center (at mile 304.3) or walk the Tanawha Trail that meanders beneath this landmark until last fall. Click here to see the same shot above with fall colors. For most, it's enough of a thrill to drive over the viaduct. Its design makes you aware that you're gently suspended over and floating around Grandfather Mountain. But to truly appreciate it, take the trail that begins at the end of the visitor's center parking lot. You will be completely blown away by the mammoth scale of both the viaduct and the boulders beneath. Below is a photo taken last October from this trail. Click here to learn more about the history of the viaduct.