Fall has disappeared and though it is oddly warn in NC, winter is slowly moving in. I’m mourning the loss of the beautiful leaves while also wishing for snow. And as another year comes to an end I’m reminiscing hard as we tend to do in this season. One of my favorite sessions I photographed in the early stages of my business was this engagement session at Rough Ridge. For some reason I never shared it so while I’m feeling a bit nostalgic and missing fall I thought now would be a great time.
Rough Ridge is along the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina, and we made it there on the cusp of peak season in early October. It’s a short hike through the woods with an unbeatable view and on of the best display of the fall leaves. It is very accessible and can get quite busy so I always recommend going on a weekday and as early in the morning as possible.
On the drive to Sophie + James’ session, it ended up pouring rain and I was getting so worried. But as is typically the case in the mountains, the weather shifted quickly and it magically cleared up in time, leaving us with some beautiful evening light. But it is a good reminder how varied the weather can be in one day.
Weather tends to be unpredictable in the mountains, so my best advice is to be prepared for anything!
Now keep scrolling to see how beautiful Rough Ridge is in the fall, and some tips if you plan to visit!
If you do plan to visit in the fall, which I highly recommend, be mindful that it is BUSY season. The trails are busy, the road along the parkway is busy and hotels/restaurants fill up fast. Be sure to plan ahead if you are coming in from out of town. And pro tip, you can track the fall foliage to time your visit to see the best display the parkway has to offer! And if you’re looking for things to do there are some great resources for Boone and Asheville.