The steep ridges near Craggy Gardens drop down to one of the largest, most pristine watersheds in North Carolina. This is the view from the Blue Ridge Parkway in late September.

Looking off the west side of the Parkway from Craggy Gardens, you can see I-26 snaking off in the distance towards Tennessee. The colorful shrubs are mountain ash. Bears love the stuff and in some parts of the Smokies at this time of the year, you'll spot huge piles of red bear crap along the trails.

Craggy Gardens. late September.

Glassmine Falls on the east side of the Blue Ridge Parkway between Craggy Gardens and Mt. Mitchell State Park. The falls are inside the protected watershed.

The Black Range, as seen from the Blue Ridge Parkway. The highest point is Mt. Mitchell, the tallest peak east of the Mississippi.