October 31, 2018
Living near the beautiful state of West Virginia, allows us opportunities for day trips, in the most beautiful season........ FALL. BABCOCK STATE PARK is breathtaking!
The last day of October was filled with sunshine, cool temperatures, and fall colors.
It even included SUNGLASSES.
Be sure to put this on your bucket list of 'visits-near-by'.
On our way home, we stopped in Lewisburg, West Virginia.
I'd give 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 five stars to the STARDUST CAFE
The BLUE RIDGE FOLKLIFE FESTIVAL is always the 4th Saturday in October.
It is held at Ferrum College.
I didn't realize that this was the 45th celebration..... as this was my first trip!
What a celebration of rich heritage and traditions!
A good ole' mud stomping good time today.
A perfect fall day for...
people-watching,
crafts,
food,
tractors,
antique cars, wooden coffin makers
FRIED APPLE PIES
coon dog race
wheat threshing,
hog butchering
corn grinding...... and more.
October 19, 2018
Day 3 of wild and wonderful West Virginia.
Seneca Rocks.
This is a natural wonder that sits 900 feet above the North Fork River, located in the Monongahela National Forest. There is a hiking trail to the top of this landmark!
Next time, we will hike the trail.
"I guess it is only fair, we (Va.) got the Dragon's teeth..... WVa got its backbone!" 😀😀😀
October 18, 2018 Davis West Virginia
Who needs to go to Alaska, when this hidden gem is in the Wild and Wonderful State of West Virginia! "In the mid-1800s, the Dalhe family used open grassy fields called "sods" for grazing sheep in this area, which now bears the name DOLLY SODS WILDERNESS. The region, located high on the Allegheny Plateau, is known for its extensive rocky plains, upland bogs, and sweeping vistas."
The Dolly Sods Wilderness in in the Monongahela National Forest, in Grant, Randolph and Tucker Counties, West Virginia.
Dolly Sods is VERY MUCH OFF THE BEATEN PATH, and if you're not careful looking for the turn off, you drive right past it! The main road leading in to the designated area is approximately 5 miles.
Did I say windy and cold?????
We had on everything we could muster up that we packed, due to the wind.
Not prepared for the extreme temperature drop from the day before, nothing stopped us from taking in the sights.
Oh the sweeping vistas!!!
Rock, and more rocks..
And windblown trees...
And more vistas, and photographers 😀😀😀
Pack a lunch, or plenty of snacks, because this excursion requires several hours. The landscape is distinctive. The vast plain of huckleberry and blueberry bushes were not quite their usual blaze red autumn color, but oh what a site!
We are at the bottom of Elakala Trail in the photo above.
What can I say....... The beauty and tranquil hike was worth every slippery step. Elakala Falls are a series of 4 waterfalls of Shays Run that are within BLACKWATER FALLS STATE PARK.
This was a short hike to view these hidden falls. Short, but slippery and steep. We used hiking sticks as well as camera tripod for balance. The walk through the enchanted forest to the falls was equally beautiful.
The next portion of our hike in the state park included steps(handicapped for most of the way) to these magnificent falls.
Don't let the muddy red color in the photo fool you!
The amber color in the falls is not muddy water, but is the tannins that have leached out of the decaying leaves, fallen hemlock needles, and red spruce.
"River of Amber", but called Blackwater because of the dark, reddish brown appearance of the water, much like the color of tea.
West Virginia Beauty, INDEED!
Here is the 62 foot cascade......... the park's namesake and #1 attraction ↓
The 2 mountain ranges shown above, coming together is seen from the Pendlepoint Point Overlook.
And below is the bridge cross-over into the state park.
We saved the best for last....
I wish it had been a wee bit warmer and a little less windy....... but non the less, the short hike to LINDY POINT took us to the most scenic overlook in Blackwater Falls State Park.
WOW.... just wow.... so this is what they mean when they say "ALMOST HEAVEN, WEST VIRGINIA". Nestled at the bottom is Blackwater Canyon from 3,000 above. Yes, this is an enormous free-standing rock "chimney" surrounding the platform!
Not a bad view, here to end our day!
