Blue Ridge Parkway
June 2005 - Trip Report

Sat., June 4 Dulles / Shenandoah National Park / Skyline Drive / Big Meadows
We found each other fairly easily at the Courtyard by Marriott. As Tim, Don and Jan, and – due to mechanical problems with the aircraft -- Peg had all taken red-eye flights, we were not too lively. We also then had to start the trip in a most unusual way – grocery shopping. Amazing how fast five people splitting up the list can get that done; soon we were on our way.

Tim helped navigate as we left traffic and congestion behind and drove into the mountains, picking up Shenandoah National Park’s Skyline Drive. Our first stop was at the visitor’s center, where from the porch we heard calling Winter Wren and watched an Eastern Wood Pewee. We (particularly Peg) prepared ourselves with books and maps for the week to come.

As we wanted a stretch, we chose to hike what proved to be a good trail with a mix of habitats and history: a small cemetery, the remains of a cabin, an old, crumbling split rail fence. The Tulip Trees were in full bloom, something Peg had really wanted to see. We had looks at two beauties in the same tree: Indigo Bunting and Scarlet Tanager; Jan had spotted these after she walked ahead to avoid our frenzied photographing of a Copperhead on the trail! It had clouded eyes as if shedding, and seemed in no hurry – what a way to begin!

We then headed on, stopping at a variety of viewpoints, all so tantalizing we made it to Big Meadows just in time to check into our rooms, and make the 8:30 cut off for dinner! The wood-paneled dining room, with lovely views and lighting, was a treat for our welcome meal. After all our planning, we had arrived!

Sun., June 5 Dark Hollow Falls / Stony Man Mountain / Peaks of Otter
We started with an early morning walk to Dark Hollow Falls. It turned out to be quite a hike, but lovely; later, seeing a very full parking lot at the trailhead we were so glad we’d done it early in the morning. The vegetation was most impressive, with huge trees arching over the trail and a lively stream by our sides. We found a singing American Redstart male, and Gray Catbirds came in right next to the trail. Eastern Towhees showed off their suits of color, and a pair of Dark-eyed Juncos flitted ahead on the trail. We worked on sorting out our trees, the various pines and oaks, in addition to numerous broad-leafed shrubs of the understory. Mosses, ferns, lichens, and wildflowers – a naturalist could spend a week on every trail!

En route back to breakfast Jan spotted a pair of rhododendrons in the parking lot: a Flame Azalea and one early blooming rhododendron we would not see again. Out came the cameras, as they had for another rhododendron, the “Pinkster” seen earlier in the day.

We then spent the morning visiting a series of viewpoints, each with its own charm. At Stony Man Mountain we opted for another walk – a great 1½-mile loop up to a bald knob with superlative views on this sunny day. We found Mountain Laurel in bloom and another small shrubby heath near the top. Tim led the pace, really relishing the walk and the sense of space from the top.

The day seemed to get away from us with so much to see, and (as would later prove to be our pattern) we raced a bit to get to Peaks of Otter before the dinner service ended. As it was late in the day, all seemed content to forego a few overlooks and just drive the lovely winding road through massive trees -- trees as far as the eye could see, at every level imaginable. We saw a number of White-tailed Deer and the hint of a wonderful sunset. Then, near mile 76, an unbelievable pageantry of Catawba Rhododendron began. We hit it just at the peak, with every shade of white to pink to rich magenta on display. We couldn’t stop at this time for photographs, as dinner called. We made it with time to spare, enjoying the full reflection of Sharp Top Mountain in Abbott Lake as we dined. What a lovely location! Our waitress was also charming, sharing with us photos of her show horse and her evaluation of Yankee bread….

Mon., June 6 / Peaks of Otter / James River Gap / Glasgow
The Catawba Rhododendron next to our rooms was at the peak of bloom, a colorful haven for a friendly pair of Carolina Wrens. An Eastern Phoebe ducked in and out of the ice machine alcove -- not the most peaceful nest site, but great for our viewing. We started our day with a walk around the lake, taking a look at the old “Polly’s Ordinary” store just east of our abode. The lake was as calm as glass, and while we found no herons, we eventually spotted a good number of species, including a secretive pair of Louisiana Waterthrush and close-ups of Tufted Titmouse and Brown Thrasher. No one could spot the Wood Thrush playing his flute in the trees, so we had to be content with the sound. A Common Yellowthroat made a quick dash between two patches of cattail, we found our first family of Carolina Chickadee, and spotted a nest of Northern Flicker.

After a hearty breakfast with a local flair, we headed out for the day. We had gorgeous weather and fine vista points, a grand time photographing and looking at the abundant blooming rhododendron, and poor luck seeing our warblers. We worked hard at that, taking in the calls, but finding little to view in the immensity of the forest. The intricate layers of vegetation in the region posed quite a challenge to our mostly western eyes! Jan and Sandra got a quick glimpse of a female Cerulean Warbler and Peg routed out the Ovenbird, but for the most part our efforts today produced few results. Sun-warmed, ripe strawberries on the ridge appeased us, as did a grand array of wildflowers.

On to the James River Gap area, which we had missed the day before. Despite the heat (nearly 90 degrees!) we found a lot to admire here, and plenty of shade for respite. In the parking area we spotted a Black Racer, a very plump American toad, and blooming Black Locust lovely in the light; later we saw a family of Blue-gray Gnatcatchers and, for Peg, a Yellow-breasted Chat right above the van! In the picnic area Sandra spotted a Yellow-throated Warbler male – very bright and lovely. We walked back along a small creek where we found an Eastern Phoebe, Carolina Wren, and a basking Painted Turtle. We enjoyed the history display, the Trail of Trees with its tales and labels, and marvelous views of the river. Two fighting Ruby-throated Hummingbirds nearly took off Peg’s cap.

We needed fuel and ice cream, so off we went to Glasgow, which turned out to be a beautiful route, descending dramatically off the parkway into a narrow river valley. Turkey Vultures by the score were resting on the riverbank. Don treated to cookie-covered ice cream bars, and soon we were on our way back. A deluge of rain hit during the drive back – good timing after a most splendid day. Back at Peaks of Otter, Frances Kemper and her husband Al greeted us with big smiles as they perched in the rocking chairs on the porch. At dinner we welcomed Frances to our group and enjoyed some lively conversation.

Tues., June 7 Roanoke River / Rocky Knob / Mabry Mill / Doughton Park
Don read us sections of the Blue Ridge Parkway guide as we drove the gentle country between Peaks of Otter and the Roanoke River. At the Great Valley Overlook, we got our first looks at Yellow-billed Cuckoo, followed by a smashing look at a Scarlet Tanager up the hill. Frances showed us the brilliant blooms of Fire Pink, and promised more to come.

Mid-morning we walked a thickly forested trail at the Roanoke River – an elfin world with a dozen or more species of ferns and the delicate sweet potato vine. Tim found a vibrant red spider, and Frances showed us the Wild Ginger’s “little brown jug” flowers. Last night’s storm had left huge tree limbs on part of the parkway, and the river was a raging muddy torrent.

At Smarte View, Don wisely urged us to use the covered picnic areas, so we dined comfortably despite the rain. As luck would have it, the rain quit just in time for a productive round of birding with views of Eastern Bluebird, Great Crested Flycatcher, Yellow-throated Vireo, and more.

Peg came to a sudden halt on the road, not for a bird, but for what turned out to be an ongoing mass of Flame Azalea. What a beauty! Sandra caressed the petals studying all details, while Don and Peg clicked away with their cameras. Even our local participant, Frances, said, “it doesn’t get any prettier than this….” At Rocky Knob we enjoyed a short walk to explore, with views of distant hills and lots of Mountain Laurel.

A slight mist was falling as we pulled into Mabry Mill, where a picture perfect Catawba Rhododendron framed our photos of this historic site. Jan commented on the cooperative poses of the domestic ducks. Afterwards we enjoyed a coffee and our first view of local crafts in the gift store. On to Doughton Park, and our lovely lodge at the Bluffs.

Wed., June 8 Fodder Stack / Northwest Trading Post / Cascades Trail / Trout Lake
Jan’s birthday was today, what fun! At breakfast she found some flowers and presents, but the beautiful display of rhododendron and azalea throughout the day was her favorite present. We walked a trail right from our hotel at the Bluffs, tearing ourselves away from the lovely meadow view; we walked a trail right from our hotel and along a ridgeline to Fodder Stack. Distant views were quite complex and remarkable – highlighting steep terrain. But the more proximal sights -- moss and lichen gardens, augmented by a diverse array of wildflowers and rhododendron blooms above – phew! Such beauty is hard to describe. Peg admired the ancient rock at our feet; Sandra commented on lives once lived in the distant cabin on the valley floor. We all got good looks at Black-throated Blue and Black-and-White Warblers, and Jan finally got to see the elusive Ovenbird -- which had become something of a joke as we heard it at every location! A Hooded Warbler came in to pose as we wound our way back.

Packing our things, we headed down the parkway, stopping for some shopping at the Northwest Trading Post. They had quite a selection of utility grade baskets, and some good homemade banana bread that soon augmented our picnic lunch. While having lunch at E.B. Jeffress Park, we were happy to find some great company: a male and female Cerulean Warbler right above our tables. We also spotted a Black-and-white Warbler down the bluff a bit, and a vocal Blue-headed Vireo overhead. A family of White-breasted Nuthatch also entertained us, the young begging and the adults attending their calls.

We then walked the Cascades Trail to a view of the falls “at warp speed,” as Tim laughed later in the day. Indeed, with so much to see, the days got away from us, and we often arrived in time for the last seating of dinner.

Rain came in as we made our last stop at Trout Lake – here we got the scope on a Veery and finally had our first look at Canada Warbler. We also viewed a scraggy looking Yellow-bellied Sapsucker through the scope, watching in fascination as it chased away a hummingbird that was trying, perhaps, to pirate some insects caught in the sap while it rained!

Thurs., June 9 Linville Falls / Linville Caverns / Price Lake
This morning we walked through lush forests of the Linville Gorge area. Our first stop was at River’s Bend, where -- despite the barking dog of a resident fisherman -- we found a family of Louisiana Waterthrush, comically feeding young right out in the open. The loudly begging youngster had already perfected his Spotted Sandpiper imitation bob.

At the visitor’s center, we found a workman painting and making the last of the repairs to damage caused by last year’s hurricanes. The woman in charge showed us photos of the building with water up to eight feet! Taking advantage of the “edge effect” created by the parking lot, we got fine looks at Blue-headed Vireo, and Jan spotted a Downy Woodpecker amid a large flock of Cedar Waxwings.

We then walked through some of the most beautiful hemlock forest imaginable. It was sad to think that these trees, too, would fall to the Wooly Adelgid outbreak – for now their power and majesty seemed beyond threat. The understory was thick Rhododendron maxima, still to bloom. We found quite a few new birds in this habitat, including Golden-crowned Kinglet and Red-breasted Nuthatch. Tim was familiar with the kinglet’s call, and with diligence we finally found them! Peg and Don worked at getting waterfall photos from several viewpoints; we all marveled at the twisted compressed rock marking a major fault line related to Grandfather Mountain, which we had glimpsed earlier in the day. We enjoyed lunch at the river, finished just before a drenching rain began.

After lunch, some of us opted to explore Linville Caverns, with its stalactites, stalagmites, columns, cave bacon, and other features. A young guide made it fun with stories and few tall tales. Driving back up the hill to our lodgings, we nearly ran over a bold Ruffed Grouse that seemed determined to display in the road. We were relieved when he moved into the brush – his cocked tail and puffed-out chest was no match for trucks coming uphill!

After a short break at the hotel, we headed north for two fine walks to see the “balds,” barren reaches where the density of quartzite rock supports little vegetation. Grandfather Mountain remained shrouded in clouds, despite Frances’ best efforts to show us see his fine form, so we had to make do with views to the east of misty hills framed by Mountain Laurel. A nice treat was a close-up view of a Blackburnian Warbler bright in breeding plumage.

Further up the highway, at Price Lake, we watched acrobatic Barn Swallows pick up mud for their nests. Bass Lake held the prize though: near a center island we found a dozen or more Wood Ducks lounging under the arching branches of blooming rhododendrons – too much! Peg got the scope lined up on four of these beauties.

The most unusual sighting of the day, near Rough Ridge pullout, was a quick but thorough look at a BOBCAT. It had leaped onto the rock wall of the parkway, intending to cross the road. Upon seeing us it did a rapid about-face, only to be mobbed relentlessly by a flock of American Crows. Such a sighting on the Blue Ridge is quite rare. Frances commented on how healthy it looked, noting its rich tawny color. We continued on into Blowing Rock for dinner at the Best Cellar, where seafood and veal were the dishes of choice.

Fri., June 10 NC Museum of Minerals / Mt. Pisgah / Mt. Mitchell / Folk Art Center
Sandra resisted having pie for breakfast a second morning at our nearby local café, opting for oatmeal instead. The café was packed, providing some good people watching to start our day. We started south in dense fog along a detour road today, as flood damage to the parkway from the previous fall was still being repaired. We ducked into the really interesting North Carolina Museum of Minerals, which had some excellent displays and a film on the geology of the area. An Eastern Phoebe had her nest on a light fixture – surrogate incubation!

At various overlooks the fog blocked distant views, but we had some good looks at birds. Indigo Bunting, Eastern Wood Pewee, and our faithful Red-eyed Vireo were present, as well as a feeding Ruby-throated Hummingbird. As we drove we listened to the songs of several local birds on tape, ready now with reminders of important calls.

We opted to venture up in elevation to Mt. Mitchell, despite the gathering clouds and fog. It was a misty world that held flocks of Pine Siskin in the spruce and fir trees, and some lovely blooming rhododendron. We enjoyed the museum and weather station exhibit at the top, and Frances discovered we could buy vanilla cappuccino, which really hit the spot!

Late afternoon we stopped in at the Folk Art Center, an incredible collection of local crafts, both on display and for sale. Toward the end of the day the weather deteriorated, so we were happy to duck into cozy rooms at the Mt. Pisgah Lodge, followed by an excellent dinner.

Sat., June 11 Cradle of Forestry / Balsam Mountains / Looking Glass Mountain
Rain continued for much of the night and into the morning, dampening our spirits a bit, but not the activity of Chipping Sparrows, Robins and Cedar Waxwings feeding in the lodge’s parking lot. We headed out in some really challenging driving conditions, hoping that a drop in elevation that would take us out of the fog. And it did!

We had pretty good conditions for a walk on a lovely trail near the bottom of the switchbacks that led to the Cradle of Forestry Visitor Center. A Black-throated Green Warbler tempted us sorely, but we just could not see it in the crowns of over 100-foot tall, fully leafed out Tulip Trees. We had to content ourselves with some great flower finds, including the neat little Indian Cucumber. Jan was compiling quite an impressive list for our trip; new finds remain a joy! We had our picnic near a precious old log cabin, built to house George Vanderbilt’s forest rangers in the 1920s.

From there we went to a reported spot for Peregrine Falcon, walking a trail to a very imposing dome of rock where climbers were active and vocal. We did have some great birding and sightings of blooming Wintergreen on the way. As we also wanted to explore areas farther south on the parkway, we turned around, treated to views of Black-throated Blue Warbler and Alder Flycatcher on the way back.

We had a bit of open sky and views of Looking Glass Mountain (the impressive dome of rock visited earlier in the day) before the fog moved in. We opted to take a hike up to a second known Peregrine nesting site. We had panoramic views of the countryside, and Peg found a Brown Creeper before the thick fog moved in. To the song of Veery we packed it in. No sense continuing south, as it was pea soup fog when we got to the parking lot. This was our endpoint – we almost covered the entire 469 miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Having had such a grand time exploring, we vowed it would be good to return to complete the rest – perhaps on a fall hiking trip in October of 2006. We shared favorite moments of the trip at our final dinner, a good one at Mt. Pisgah Lodge.

Sun., June 12 Departures
We had hoped to bird the campground areas near the lodge this morning, but with pouring rain from a tropical storm now spinning off the Gulf Coast, we opted to peruse the Folk Art Museum and Craft Store near Ashville in more detail. Then it was time to catch flights home from the airport in Asheville. Peg and Frances would drive five hours north to Lynchburg, where wonderful birds, a very cute box turtle, and happy-to-see-us husband Al greeted us. We had a wonderful home-cooked meal and got Peg reorganized for her return to Dulles airport and home the next day. Thanks to all who helped with this scouting trip – our first in Shenandoah and the Blue Ridge.

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