Autumn - Blue Ridge Style

Virginia Creeper turns a vivid pink

I was born and raised in the beautiful state of Hawaii, which means the first time I saw an actual fall was when I was 19 years old and living in Ohio.  It was pretty, some red maple trees and all, but I didn't really get the fuss.  Then, last year, my sister and I came to North Carolina in October and fell in love.  If you have every wondered where our name - Red Leaf River Inn - comes from, this is it.

Driving down the Blue Ridge Parkway

The beauty of a Blue Ridge fall isn't just in the brilliant red maples.  It is in the 120 odd varieties of trees that make up the mountain range, each turning its own unique shade of vibrant red, burnt orange, deep brown, or glowing gold.  It is the stark outline of bare tree branches against a vividly blue sky and the rich scent of evergreens.  It is the gentle chill of the coming winter and the brilliance of the sun burning away the fog that clings to the valleys of the mountain range.

So get out and take a drive, or maybe just a step outside and enjoy all the beauty of  a WNC fall!

View near Waynesville from the Blue Ridge Parkway

Sun rising off the parkway

Gold, orange and yellow feature heavily in a Blue Ridge fall

Early morning fog gathers in low spots

Burning Bushes start the fall show at the Inn

Looking down toward the stream

Fall at the Red Leaf River Inn

We anticipate reopening the Red Leaf River Inn in the Spring of 2015 and hope you will follow along as we renovate and restore this beautiful property in Waynesville, NC.  Find us on Facebook and Google+, follow us on Twitter @RedLeafRiverInn, or visit us at our website.