Post by Hermy on May 2, 2006 21:58:07 GMT -5
Hermy and Qappollo's Trip to Mt. Mitchell
On Sunday, me and qappollo and my dog Chance decided to take a, well, Sunday drive. We headed out and up - to Mt. Mitchell, the highest peak east of the Mississippi. Mt. Mitchell State Park is located about forty-five minutes north of Asheville , NC on the Blue Ridge Parkway. MIB, Marii, and I have all worked in the park in the restaurant and it's one of our favorite places to go back to! The Parkway itself is very beautiful, and if you ever get the chance, definitely spend a day driving up there. Even if you don't get to Mt. Mitchell, there are so many other wonderful places to visit.
My favorite place to stop on the way up the Parkway is Craggy Gardens. There are a few different places to pull over in the area, but the best place is the visitor's center.
qapollo and Chance
the visitor's center
As you can see below, the view is amazing.
view from the parking lot
Nestled between two large, rocky tunnels, Craggy Gardens is a rocky terrain that somehow manages to bloom with life. There are many trails, but there is a very easy, pretty trail that leads from the far left of the parking lot. It's a short hike to a covered shelter that offers spectacular views. Unfortunately, qappollo and I did not take the time to venture out there on this trip, so I don't have any pics for you!
After stopping at Craggy, we headed on up to Mt. Mitchell. This part of the drive is my favorite - it's like being in another world! After about 20 more minutes, we turned on to Hwy.128, the road to the summit of Mt. Mitchell. We stopped first at the main office, where a friendly and knowledgable staff greeted us. We spoke with the park superintendent as well as the lady behind the window. There's a lot of great information there - on the park and the Parkway. And please take note of the pictures on the wall that pay homage to Dave Horton. He lost his life while working as a maintenance worker in the park and I never met him, but from all I've heard about him, he was a really great guy.
We left the office and drove on up to the summit parking lot. It's a short hike from the parking lot to the actual peak. There we browsed through the gift shop and the museum. The museum is small, but very informative on things like local wildlife, the weather, geology, and the life ofElisha Mitchell (the man who discovered the mountain) and Big Tom, his friend. Then we headed up the trail to the summit.
not even at the top yet!
What a view!
what you can see without even climbing the tower!
At the peak, there's an observation tower. If you climb the tower, you will find plaques on each side explaining what you're looking at.
Also at the peak is Elisha Mitchell's grave (it's behind the fence in front of the tower).
After the climb back down, we drove to the restaurant. We looked around (late lunch so we weren't hungry) and spoke with the gentleman who now runs it. We stepped out on the back porch (a must if it's good weather) and took in the view. Finally, we were pretty pooped, so we decided to make our way back down to Asheville. We made one more stop, at one of my favorite overlooks to enjoy the high-altitude views one last time.
Hermy and Chance
All in all, it was a great trip. We didn't see any bears (which is a possibility in those parts) but we had great views. A good tip before heading up there is to check the website and see what the weather's like. There's also a webcam that shows the current view - that's also very helpful as it's often so foggy that it's unsafe to drive and there's of course no wonderful views. Also keep in mind that at that altitude, the temperature is much lower, so always take a jacket, even in July.
The park is a great place to visit. There's camping, hiking, nature programs, a good restaurant, knowledgable staff, and of course, the views. If you like nature, it's a must! Also in the area is the city of Asheville, to the south, and Spruce Pine, to the north, if you're inclined to stay in hotels and it's too far for a day trip.
On Sunday, me and qappollo and my dog Chance decided to take a, well, Sunday drive. We headed out and up - to Mt. Mitchell, the highest peak east of the Mississippi. Mt. Mitchell State Park is located about forty-five minutes north of Asheville , NC on the Blue Ridge Parkway. MIB, Marii, and I have all worked in the park in the restaurant and it's one of our favorite places to go back to! The Parkway itself is very beautiful, and if you ever get the chance, definitely spend a day driving up there. Even if you don't get to Mt. Mitchell, there are so many other wonderful places to visit.
My favorite place to stop on the way up the Parkway is Craggy Gardens. There are a few different places to pull over in the area, but the best place is the visitor's center.
qapollo and Chance
the visitor's center
As you can see below, the view is amazing.
view from the parking lot
Nestled between two large, rocky tunnels, Craggy Gardens is a rocky terrain that somehow manages to bloom with life. There are many trails, but there is a very easy, pretty trail that leads from the far left of the parking lot. It's a short hike to a covered shelter that offers spectacular views. Unfortunately, qappollo and I did not take the time to venture out there on this trip, so I don't have any pics for you!
After stopping at Craggy, we headed on up to Mt. Mitchell. This part of the drive is my favorite - it's like being in another world! After about 20 more minutes, we turned on to Hwy.128, the road to the summit of Mt. Mitchell. We stopped first at the main office, where a friendly and knowledgable staff greeted us. We spoke with the park superintendent as well as the lady behind the window. There's a lot of great information there - on the park and the Parkway. And please take note of the pictures on the wall that pay homage to Dave Horton. He lost his life while working as a maintenance worker in the park and I never met him, but from all I've heard about him, he was a really great guy.
We left the office and drove on up to the summit parking lot. It's a short hike from the parking lot to the actual peak. There we browsed through the gift shop and the museum. The museum is small, but very informative on things like local wildlife, the weather, geology, and the life ofElisha Mitchell (the man who discovered the mountain) and Big Tom, his friend. Then we headed up the trail to the summit.
not even at the top yet!
What a view!
what you can see without even climbing the tower!
At the peak, there's an observation tower. If you climb the tower, you will find plaques on each side explaining what you're looking at.
Also at the peak is Elisha Mitchell's grave (it's behind the fence in front of the tower).
After the climb back down, we drove to the restaurant. We looked around (late lunch so we weren't hungry) and spoke with the gentleman who now runs it. We stepped out on the back porch (a must if it's good weather) and took in the view. Finally, we were pretty pooped, so we decided to make our way back down to Asheville. We made one more stop, at one of my favorite overlooks to enjoy the high-altitude views one last time.
Hermy and Chance
All in all, it was a great trip. We didn't see any bears (which is a possibility in those parts) but we had great views. A good tip before heading up there is to check the website and see what the weather's like. There's also a webcam that shows the current view - that's also very helpful as it's often so foggy that it's unsafe to drive and there's of course no wonderful views. Also keep in mind that at that altitude, the temperature is much lower, so always take a jacket, even in July.
The park is a great place to visit. There's camping, hiking, nature programs, a good restaurant, knowledgable staff, and of course, the views. If you like nature, it's a must! Also in the area is the city of Asheville, to the south, and Spruce Pine, to the north, if you're inclined to stay in hotels and it's too far for a day trip.
All the wonderful friends and memories we made... The brown moon, the potato rain, the ghost that threw pebbles, the bear-scare on the trail, the fog, the wind, the rime-ice... 
