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The area where I live is in a unique position, adjoining a large lake with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on one side of the lake and the Nantahala National Forest on the other side. We live within and our property adjoins the Nantahala National Forest wilderness area. We are also near the Nantahala River, a popular destination for whitewater rafters and kayakers from all over the country. The word Nantahala is derived from a Cherokee word, meaning “Land of the Noonday Sun”. It was named this because in some spots, the forests and gorges are so deep and thick, the sun only reaches them when directly overhead at midday. It is the largest national forest in NC, with elevations ranging from 1200 to 5800 feet. We live at an elevation of about 1700 feet. The Appalachian trail winds through this area, on it’s way to the Smokies. The A.T. is a more than 2000-mile long hiking trail, extending from Springer Mountain, Georgia all the way to Mount Katahdin, Maine.
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Fall color is reaching its peak right now in the 2500 to 4000 foot elevations, and since we have such a wide range of elevations and so many different species of hardwood trees, leaf color will continue to be beautiful on into November, especially in the lower elevations. Click any photo for a larger version.
More fall color photos:
Great Smokies Fall
Rainy day color
Beautiful Fall
A little fall color
No one needs to tell you how blessed you are to live surrounded by the mountains and lakes. I rarely see such beautiful landscapes. On our way north over the weekend, I wanted to capture the color of the Blue Ridge Mtns. but it was raining buckets. Oh, well. We’ll take the rain!
What beautiful fall colors! Your pics are great, what a nice place to live. I have never been out that way, but hope to experience it someday.
We live in Washington state and we also have our share of national parks and forests. Isn’t it great? You always have something to do.
Hi Mary, I do feel blessed to live here within the mountains, and this time of year it is especially pretty.
If only we weren’t in the middle of this darn drought.. I’m glad to hear about the rain in the Blue Ridge Mtns, and I hope your area got plenty too. We got a little more than an inch and a half last week, not as much as surrounding areas, but I’m grateful for it and for the rain everyone else got too.
Thanks annej5. Yes, it’s great to live in the midst of the forests. I checked out your blog, and you definitely live in a beautiful place also!
Thank you for visiting my blog. :)
Great information.
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