Fall Foliage Report '23

Photos and words by Sean Rayford

When the light strikes the Blue Ridge Mountains at the right angle and intensity, the reds, oranges, yellows and greens transform into chummed up paper, foam and fabric trees of a model train set. The rock face - spray painted Styrofoam, expertly designed by an elite craftsman. Gramps in the basement.

But when when you feel the sweat trickle down your back, the burn in your legs and lungs, the collective impact of the trail boulders - you know Grandfather Mountain is real.

Aerial Video at Linn Cove Viaduct. Oct. 12, 2023

Welcome to my fall foliage report - for the Pigsah and Highlands regions of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

From the Rough Ridge Lookout trail (Highlands) you get the best view of the Linn Cove Viaduct, the crown jewel of one of the nation’s greatest roads. The final section of the Parkway, completed in 1987, 52 years after work began was a missing link in the 469 mile drive for 20 years.

Graveyard Fields (Pigsah), just south of Asheville, is on the back end of fall color peak, so I recommend the area from Asheville to Boone the next ten days. The elevation changes drastically, so you’ll get a show somewhere along the route.

To reach the Linville area, take I-26 out of Columbia to Asheville (3.5 hrs) and jump on the Parkway and enjoy the rise from the lower elevations on the Parkway, past Craggy Gardens, Little Switzerland and the like. Or, hit I-77 to Charlotte and then 321 will take you to Blowing Rock, with Parkway access — and a short drive to the Linnville Viaduct. Julian Price campground is $20 a night and really convenient. Boone offers more civilized overnight stays.