Yearn to Wander

Eastern Columbine Next to Craven Gap Trail Marker

The Blue Ridge Parkway, part of the National Park System, offers several hundred miles of natural beauty along the Blue Ridge. It is in the Appalachian Mountains through Virginia and North Carolina. Commercial traffic and establishments are forbidden along the Parkway. That makes for a peaceful experience. Further, many turnouts and lay-bys offer drivers and cyclists opportunities to stop to enjoy the scenery or go for hikes into the woods to enjoy nature not seen along the road. Today, many early wildflowers, and some Morels, enticed hikers off the road and onto the trails to enjoy the early spring in North Carolina. Below I've shown several that we saw today at Craven Gap. Many were identified thanks to a lovely local lady, who knows her wildflowers, birds and butterflies, and shared her knowledge with us. Many of these flowers have western counterparts, too, which added to my interest. Wherever they are, they're beautiful and add to our outdoor experience. Enjoy the pictures!