Drive up  so the mile markers are dropping.  As you get into the higher elevations you will start seeing the fall colors.  Craggy Gardens : The elevation is over 5.500 feet.  Milepost 364.4: There are easy to moderate hiking trails such as that to Craggy Pinnacle.  You will enjoy the changing colors and crisp clear cool fall air.  The temperatures can be 10 to 20 degrees lower than in Hendersonville .  You will see great views looking towards Black Mountain as well as looking at the mountains to the West.  Depending on weather conditions, you can drive up here and find yourself in the clouds.  The weather can change rapidly up here, so be prepared.  Craggy Gardens Picnic Area, Milepost 367.6:

Drive the Blue Ridge Parkway.  This is a Federal Park, patroled by Park Rangers.  The Parkway is 469 miles long from the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia to the entrance to The Great Smokey Mountains National Park in Cherokee, NC.  About half of the Parkway is located in North Carolina, which is the more Popular side.  The Parkway winds along ridgelines and mountain passes covering many elevations during a long drive.  . Along the way, there are many locations to stop and look out, or to have a picnic and enjoy the setting.  If you are into hiking, the Mountain to Sea trail runs along the Parkway, most of the way, you can find trail heads and markers, or even little paths leading to the trail from many stopping points.  Mountain to Sea Trail

A popular leef peeping spot is Graveyard Fields, which is near the Shining Rock Wilderness at Milepost 418. There is a loop trail and 2 waterfalls along with bright leaf colors from beech and fire cherry trees. 

Mileposts: Along the Parkway, you will see numbered mileposts.  The zero milepost marker is at Rockfish Gap, immediatley south of Shenadoah national Park.  Each mile is numbered progressivley southward on the Parkway to it's southernmost entrance at Cherokee, NC. 

 There are many entrances to get on to the Parkway with easy access from Hendersonville.  1) drive north on US 25 - which becomes Hendersonville Road through Fletcher, Skyland and Arden.  About a mile past EarthFare shopping Center, will be the entrance to Blue Ridge Parkway on the left.  2) Another entrance is NC 191 in Bent Creek. right next to the Arboretum -Take I-26 West and Exit at Long Shoals Road, make a left onto Long Shoals Road - drive this to the end, then make a right onto NC 191.

Map of Blue Ridge Parkway

• Looking Glass Rock

Looking Glass Rock is wonderful area to view the Fall foliage.  Take the Blue Ridge Parkway south to Mile Marker 417.  This look out area is at an elivation of 4492 feet.

 Looking Glass Rock is located within Pisgah National Forest about 5.5 miles (9 kilometers) northwest of Brevard and 25 miles (40 kilometers) southwest of Asheville. It is named for the way its granite face reflects the sunshine, it rises from the valley floor to an elevation of almost 4000 ft.

There is a nice, but strenuous hike to the top of Looking Glass Rock if you drive around to the other side of Looking Glass Rock in the Brevard area.  You will find a very walkable trail to the top to enjoy the great views, looking back toward the Blue Ridge Parkway and surrounding mountains of Transylvania County. The Looking Glass Rock Trail is extremely popular and can be a bit crowded on warm weather weekends. It is a moderate/strenuous trail climbing 1700 ft over 3.1 miles to its peak where panoramic views can be seen. 

Be sure to bring atleast 20oz of water, although more is recommended. Along the way you will pass a helipad. The trail is somewhat heavily used, and there is a good amount of erosion on the switchbacks. Be sure NOT to shortcut the switchbacks! Top rockface at the top presents a fantastic view of the Shining Rock Wilderness. You can see overlooks on the Blue Ridge Parkway, but can't help laughing at the hokey parkway drivers view compared to yours. Definetly worth the hike. The return hike down takes half the time of going up.

* Pets must remain on a leash at all times
* Don't shortcut the switchbacks due to trail erosion
* No campfires are permitted in Shining Rock Wilderness
* There is no garbage service on the trail, be sure to pack everything out

Directions to Trailhead:
From Brevard: Take U.S 276 along the Davidson River north past the ranger station for 3 miles. Turn left on Forest Service Road 475, which takes you to the fish hatchery. Trailhead parking is 0.5 miles on the right, before you reach the fish hatchery. There is a maximum parking space for 15 vehicles.
To begin your hike on the Looking Glass Rock trail, you will hopefully find a parking space located at the trail head in the Pisgah National Forest. This is a very popular and easily accessed trail therefore, come early or be prepared to walk some distance to get to the trail head. As you start up the Looking Glass trail, which climbs approximately 1700 feet over a three mile course, you will traverse a hemlock forest which is clear of most under brush and is typical of forests at this altitude in the Pisgah National Forest. Following along side a small stream which features several small cascades, a moderate climb awaits as you continue your ascent. Portions of the trail engulf you in rhododendron and mountain laurel seeming to almost form a tunnel.

A series of switchbacks work their way up the mountain and the surrounding woods once again open and are thinly populated with hemlock. Looking Glass trail does not become overly steep at this point due to the fact that there are so many switch backs. As the switch backs continue they also tighten as you near the top. About half way through the winding series of turns you will find an opening which provides a glimpse of the cliffs which await you.

A prominent feature on the trail, near the two mile point, a helicopter landing pad will be found. Marked with the recognizable "H", the local rescue squad has established this as a landing zone for rescue helicopters to evacuate injured hikers and rock climbers from the Pisgah National Forest. You can follow the trail, which heads off to the left, which will take you to the Lower Cliffs of the Looking Glass. To follow the main trail, hike to the right and continue to follow the yellow trail markers as you hike toward the top.

The summit itself is not spectacular as you are met by pine and scrub under brush. However, continue through and you will reach the Upper Looking Glass Cliffs. Spectacular views await as you will be facing the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Shining Rock Wilderness Area.

• Timing the Leaf Peeping:

Leaf peepers hoping to find the perfect time for fall foliage this year might be surprised to learn that experts in the Southern Appalachians don’t always know when the leaves will peak. “So many factors can effect color development,” explains Dan Pitillo, a retired Western Carolina University Biology Professor with 40 years experience in observing Appalachian tree species.

“Weather patterns during September play a prominent role in determining brilliance and length of this year’s show,” he said. “The color usually develops five to 10 days after the first light frost, so timing of the onset of color will be predicted by this.”

Blue Ridge Parkway Management Assistant Phil Noblitt agrees. “Stress is the main factor,” he adds. “In general, an early fall with cool, but not freezing, nights and sunny days will jumpstart the onset of color, but on the other hand, an unusually warm September and October will tend to delay it.”

“The good news is that the trees seem to be in fine shape,” adds Gary Walker, a biology professor at Appalachian State University. “The mountains have not experienced any major weather patterns earlier this year that would hinder the leaves from producing lively colors.”

Due to the differences in elevations, the mountains of Western North Carolina typically enjoy a lengthy fall color season. Ranging from 2,000 feet in the valleys to 6,684 feet at Mount Mitchell, the highest peak east of the Mississippi River, the mountains surrounding Asheville boast a range of microclimates and tree species that create one of the most extended fall foliage seasons in the nation.

“This means it doesn’t happen all at once,” Chimney Rock Park Naturalist Ron Lance explains. “The higher mountains peak about two to three weeks ahead of the lower mountains. So it’s easy to see a display of fall color any time during a five or six week period, just by adjusting the choice of leaf-peeping drives.”

send us your ideas so we can pass them on  info@myhendersonvillenc.com 

• Canoe the French Broad River

Colors of Fall on the French Broad River:  Headwaters Outfitters, US 64 Rosman.  dir: take US 64 West through Brevard and keep going to Headwaters Outfitters on the right, just before the bridge over the French Broad River.  They offer a guided 3 hour canoe trip.  Saturday  Oct 6, Oct 13, Oct 20, Oct 27.  Bring your lunch for a picnic.  $50 per person  Call for reservations 877-3106  www.headwatersoutfitters.com 

• The Biltmore Estate "Fall Harvest Festival"