Friday Photo Post: Blue Ridge Parkway

Photos by zen♫♪ on flickr

My article on The Best Fall Road Trips included information on autumn in Asheville, North Carolina. In the comments, Rob from Go Budget Travel agreed with Asheville as a great place to visit. A big reason is the beauty of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Driving the Highest Paved Road in North America

Echo Lake

Yesterday I mentioned driving the Peak to Peak Scenic Highway when we lived in Colorado. Another scenic drive that we enjoyed was the 14 mile Mount Evans Road which ends at an elevation of 14,230 feet above sea level. There are several places to stop along the way. If you go, consider packing a picnic and allow time for exploring.

The last four to five miles of the road closes early in September, but you can still drive up to Summit Lake at about 12,000 feet. It is cold and windy at that elevation, so if you go, bring warm clothing.

Summit Lake

Fall Colors on the Peak to Peak Scenic Byway

During the fall, one of my favorite things to do is take road trips to enjoy the trees changing colors. Last week, I mentioned a road trip on Skyline Drive in Virginia. When we lived in Colorado, we took several trips like that. One beautiful drive is the Peak to Peak Scenic Byway from Black Hawk/Central City to Estes Park.

Once we reached Estes Park, we also enjoyed the fall colors and elk watching at Rocky Mountain National Park. The best time for fall colors is usually the last week in September and the first week in October.

Friday Photo Post: Shenandoah National Park

I'm excited because Doug and I will be in Washington D.C. for our anniversary next month. Just thinking about our trip brings back memories of when we lived in Maryland. These pictures are from a road trip we did on the Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park.


At the southern end of the drive, one of our last stops was at the Blackrock Summit parking lot at mile marker 84.8. A short 10 minute walk led us to Blackrock and a fun climb up to some amazing views.