I
spent the 2nd weekend of October car camping at Price Park, near
Blowing Rock. The campground was
crowded, but a bit quieter than I expected.
I slept fairly well, and got up before sunrise on Saturday. The morning’s first stop was Price Lake. I weaved my way through a whole row of
photographers set up near the lake’s outlet next to the road. I was planning to do the same thing, but I
knew of a better spot. I walked down the
Price Lake Trail for five minutes before arriving at a superior vantage
point. I took some more photos there,
before it was time to head into Boone to meet a friend.
We
spent most of the day tailgating before the Appalachian State football game. Highlights of the festivities included nearly
perfect (though windy) weather, good food and beer, and enjoyable
companionship. Also memorable was a
co-ed in a short skirt doing her best Marilyn Monroe impersonation. When she made her appearance, the music from
a dozen stereos scattered throughout the parking lot suddenly ceased. All conversation halted. Beanbags from cornhole
games hung motionless in midair. The
only sound was a faint creaking from hundreds of necks turning. Like I said, it was a windy day.
The
game was almost as good as the tailgating, as we beat the Elon
University Phoenix. Or is it the
University of Phoenix Elons? Whatever. Either way, they are one of our fiercest
rivals. Well, they’re as much of a rival
as anybody that hasn’t beaten us since 1964.
Maybe rival isn’t the right term.
It would be more accurate to say that we just don’t like them, probably
because of their tendency to resort to late hits and other cheap shots in
recent years. Anyway, we escaped the
afternoon with the victory and only a minimum number of injuries.
I
got another early start on Sunday. I
broke camp at first light and headed up the Parkway towards Grandfather
Mountain. My intention was to drive over
to the Roan Mountain area to check on the fall foliage there. Unfortunately, I didn’t make it that
far. I found spectacular color at Rough
Ridge and had to stop. Luckily, it was still
early in the morning, and the hordes of hikers and tourists had yet to
arrive. I made the short hike up to the
overlooks where I found fantastic fall color, blue skies, and only a few other
people.
By
the time I came down from Rough Ridge, it was really too late to start the hike
I’d planned for Roan Mountain. I made a
brief visit to the Beacon Heights area for more photos. Then I doubled-back to the Boone Fork Trailhead,
where I snagged the last parking spot (at 10am). I picked up the Tanawha
Trail and followed it to the Nuwati Trail
junction. Prior to the creation of
Grandfather Mountain State Park, it was necessary to purchase a $5 hiking
permit from a nearby store to do this hike.
Now, you can pick up a free permit right there at the trailhead. I filled mine out and headed up the trail,
looking forward to checking out the colors from Storyteller’s Rock.
I
enjoyed a pleasant walk up the valley.
The final climb up to the overlook was steep, but it was worth it. The colors were quite nice, if not quite as
spectacular as what I’d found on Rough Ridge.
I actually had the overlook to myself, too. I spent an hour or so taking photos and
enjoying an early lunch. Eventually
other hikers arrived, and I headed down.
Rather than heading straight back to the car, I extended my hike up the Cragway Trail. This
climb was a little tough, probably because I’d spent most of the previous day
sitting in the sun drinking beer. My
efforts were rewarded though with more fine views and fall color.
When
I reached the junction with the Daniel Boone Trail I briefly considered hiking
on up to Calloway Peak. That would’ve
meant getting home late, and after being gone for most of the past week, I was
ready to head for home. It was a good
choice, as traffic heading back was awful, and I made lousy time.
Back to North Carolina's High Country
Back to North Carolina
Back to Hiking and Backpacking Trip Reports
Please remember to Leave No Trace!