Fall on Virginia Highway 58

On our second day on the fall photo safari, Ernie and I covered VA highway 58 from Volney, VA, to Damascas, VA. A beautiful drive. We began the morning before sunrise on the top of White Top Mountain, which rises 5,300 feet above sea level. We hoped for a long distance view across the mountains, but the clouds were low and the cold winds were gusting. We quickly abandoned the summit (see Shaped by the Wind) and headed back down. However, the light was better on the descent, and the rain had made the colors in the leaves "pop," so we got some nice shots along the road. We headed towards Damascus and saw the Beartree Recreation area, which is part of the Mount Rogers Recreation Area. We turned down the road to discover Beartree Lake. Although the ranger there told us we had missed the peak by one day, we had to wonder what the peak must have looked like if we had missed it. We had lunch in Damascus and headed back, only to discover Green Cove Road and Grassy Creek Road. Grassy Creek Road has several sections that were cut though solid black rock. With the yellow trees, we got some great shots.

Hope you enjoy the pictures.