bedgmon Loc: Burleson, Texas

Thank you Bill. I will put it on my list!

bedgmon Loc: Burleson, Texas

I will certainly place your advise on my list! I have 4 days planned during the week trying to stay away from the weekend for the Parkway. Thanks!!

bedgmon Loc: Burleson, Texas

Awesome ideas. We most certainly will visit Monticello! As a retired educator, I enjoy seeing Universities. Thank you!!

bdk Loc: Sanibel Fl.

My hint is WATCH THE WEATHER, my last trip it was lightly raining, got foggy once we got on the PKWY and we really saw nothing . Go on line and look for waterfalls, there are a few, I haven't seen them. wife never wanted to hike down to them. and I think but not positive but if you have a senior pass its free.

bedgmon Loc: Burleson, Texas

Oh I hope my luck holds out. It will depend on the distance whether we hike. Thanks!

bobben49

Take the short detore off of the Parkway to Mt Mitchell just North of Asheville. There are some great views from there1

John N Loc: HP14 3QF Stokenchurch, UK

Lots of nice trails, but the ones featuring waterfalls may have reduced to a trickle by October. I believe accommodation along the route is at a premium, so don't rule out dropping of the parkway to stay in local motels etc. Don't know what your budget is but I was stretching mine over a 3 month tour of the U.S.

Many viewpoints so lots of photo opportunities - take two, one to include place name of overlook / viewpoint. This was one of the best parts of our tour (possibly 2nd only to Williamsburg) and I'd suggest taking even more time than some previous recommendations. I wish we had, but Uncle Sam limited us to 3 months (subject to interviews and enhanced visa's).

Gitchigumi Loc: Wake Forest, NC

You are getting good advice. But, one thing to know is that time year is "peak-season" and there are throngs of folks up there seeing the leaves. Particularly on the weekends. Which means you need to make hotel or other reservations well in advance. And, be prepared for the parkway, along with most scenic vistas, attractions, and overlooks to be crowded.

If you are ready for all that, you enjoy and have fun! It is a wonderful place to be, especially in the Fall.👍😎👍

jimglaze Loc: Asheville, NC

Check out Asheville, NC! Great restaurants, galleries, Art Deco buildings (including City Hall). Biltmore Estate's gardens were designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and were his largest project (he also designed NY's Central Park, and landscaped campuses at Boston University, Yale, and Stanford). The Blue Ridge Parkway runs through town (and borders Biltmore Estate) and has three exits. Nearby (less than 40 miles) are Mount Mitchell, highest elevation east of the Rockies, and no hike needed, and Graveyard Fields (great trail with two waterfalls and parking lot adjacent to the Parkway), and many, many waterfalls. You could easily spend a week in Asheville and not exhaust the photo opportunities in and around town). Disclaimer: I live here :)

pkricker Loc: Woodstock, NY, USA

Cades Cove. It takes a while to get around it at that time of the year but it's well worth it. The autumn scenery is some of the best I've ever seen and I'm from the Catskills. There are historic buildings along the route and at the end of the loop is an old mill and several barns and a house that are wonderful. Have a great time!

dave.m

as a regular visitor from UK (before retirement) when working in Reston, I have driven the Blueridge Parkway a number of times in several seasons. In October because of the fall foliage its beautiful and you may join a 'procession' through this amazing area. But here's the thing I found - and would love suggestions from others for my next trip - the views are incredible but I found it very difficult to get a 'wow' photograph. First thinking is a really wide angle to 'get it all in'. Problem I found was that the horizon was 'flattened' by the wide angle view and below the horizon ended up looking like a 'load of trees'. (Please don't beat me up on this - its an fabulous drive and the number of times I've been back confirms it to me - just looking for advise from an expert landscape photographer.)

Things I found that helped: get a phone app that shows sun direction and altitude, as shooting with a high sun has little variation in foliage colour, and into the sun reduces contrast and colour on 'big sky' images. Don't overlook the telephoto lens, as an interesting part in some detail can be better than a broad vista.

If anyone will lend me a Harley I'll run a recce trip and tell you the best vista points :)

joepeva Loc: TN

If you are traveling from the west one thing to consider is the Piegon Forge/Gatlinburg area can get pretty congested at times especially in the fall. An alternate route and a very pleasant one is to enter the park from Townsend, Tn following the Lamar Alexander Parkway/Little River Road to Hgw 441 which is the road to Clingmans Dome/Newfound Gap/Cherokee that others have mentioned. You can pick up the parkway at Cherokee. Enjoy!

MTG44 Loc: Corryton, Tennessee

Make sure you stop in Asheville N.C. and visit the Biltmore. Also Mt Mitchell. You can always see Elk at the Cherokee entrance toSMNP.

TimD

We are fortunate to live within driving distance of both thee BRP and GSM. My advice especially for that time of year is to make reservations for accommodations well ahead of time. Also try to see as much as you can during the week, as the weekends are very crowded with leaf watchers. A couple of places you don't want to miss in NC are Biltmore, near Asheville; Mt. Mitchell along the Blue Ridge Parkway (highest peak East of the Mississippi); and Grandfather Mountain near Blowing Rock, NC. For accommodations, check out Pisgah Inn near Asheville - one of the few directly on the parkway; and Azalea Garden Inn in the town of Blowing Rock - they have some award winning gardens and the town itself is a great place to spend a day.

ABJanes Loc: Jersey Boy now Virginia

Viewing the Blueridge Vistas can be amazing at sunrise, get up early and don't miss them. The blue gray coloring is stunning.