Gallery

Smoky Blues

The Smoky Mountains' namesake "smokiness" comes from all that evapotransporation-and-volatile-organic-compound release from so many wonderful trees. The Cherokee people originally called these mountains "Shaconage"  (pronounced Sha-Kon-O-Hey) meaning "place of blue smoke."

Shenandoah Storm

Never stand outside during a storm, unless there's a chance you might get a photo of a quadruple-lightning strike. Just make sure you're not the tallest thing in the cowpasture.

Gorge Bridge 

The New River Gorge is home to the longest single-span steel arch bridge, and third highest bridge, in the United States. It opened in 1977, and three years later, the annual tradition of "Bridge Day" began when parachutists from a plane onto the bridge, then more parachutists joined to jump from the bridge into the gorge (NPS)

Devil's Bathtub

Nestled in the valleys of Southwest Virginia is perhaps the best swimming hole in Appalachia. Rumor has it, there's still a giant crawdad who lives at the bottom of this pool.

Linville Gorge

Sunrise over the "Grand Canyon of the East." Linville Gorge is a treasure of western North Carolina, carved by whitewater and surrounded by several rocky mountaintops and ridges.

Reddish Knob Sunrise 

as seen from the border of Virginia and West Virginia overlooking Rockingham County