Little Switzerland and Linnville Falls (Blue Ridge Parkway 3)

Never having driven the Blue Ridge Parkway before, we had no idea how many miles we would cover in a day. We didn't want to make a hotel reservation and then have to hurry past interesting places, or end up at the hotel long before we were ready to end our day. So we took our chances. The first day, time to find dinner and a bed found us at a place called Little Switzerland. All I will say is the next day we guessed how far we'd drive and phoned ahead for reservations.

But the morning rewarded us. Rising and getting out for breakfast before the sun came up allowed me to get this shot. The dawn colors combined with the valley fog to produce a shot I will print and keep.

Plus, I got sun dogs a few minutes later! This was the first time I had photographed sun dogs, although not the first time I'd seen them.

The hotel thoughtfully provided old towels for guests to wipe the dew off their car windows before they left. That was appreciated.

Linville Falls are a short hike from the parking lot and visitor center. They begin as two small water falls,

which empty into a chute carved in the rocks

to emerge in a two-stage falls below. The trail to view the upper falls is rated easy, the trail to view the lower falls is rated moderate, and a trail that takes you into the gorge to view the falls from below is rated difficult. We skipped the trail into the gorge.