Traveling on a beautiful Friday afternoon, I arrived to the Forest Ranger’s office to obtain my camping permit. My backpack was neatly stuffed for a short outing to Linville Gorge, also known as the Grand Canyon of the East.

“We ran out of permits by 10:30 this morning,” the woman told me.

“Are you serious?!?” I asked. “I didn’t think you would be this busy on the first weekend of May.”

“We didn’t either.”

We discussed other camping options where I could still experience the gorge. She suggested I not go.

“If you don’t want to be around people, I suggest you go somewhere else. It’s a jungle gym there right now.”

This news was a major let down for me. My plans got abruptly changed from backpacking some trails of a scenic gorge to car camping along Curtis Creek. But, as with other excursions, I made do with what I had. The weather was perfect, the scenery was incredible, I still had a big smile on my face.

I followed a dirt road that meandered away from I-40. A long dust trail hovered behind my car.  At the bottom of the mountain, I found a cozy spot along the creek to set up camp. I was surrounded with sounds of running water and tiny waterfalls, the musty smell of composting wood, the sights of abundant moss draped densely over rocks and logs.  I pitched my tent and continued following the road up the mountain.  Five miles from my camp site, I arrived to the parkway near the entrance of Mount Mitchell State Park.

One of my first scenes from the Parkway

My favorite lookout near Mount Mitchell

Trail Scenery on the Blue Ridge Pinnacle

Looking over the Curtis Creek tract where I camped. This 8,000 acre area was the first U.S. Forest Service tract that was acquired under the Weeks Act. The act, which was signed by President Taft in 1911, authorized the government to buy land that would become eastern National Forests.

The sunset from Mount Mitchell

The Blue Ridge Mountains, doing their thing

Sunset from Mount Mitchell

I woke up at 5am on Saturday morning. I threw my camping gear in my car and headed towards Linville Gorge via the Parkway. I had the Parkway to myself as I got to watch the sunrise from first light. The early-morning peacefulness was magnificent. The bands of colors on the cloudless horizon, the soft light of the rising sun, the cool, morning mist that floated in layers throughout the quiet, morning air. It was one of those moments when I wish I could freeze time.

When I arrived to the gorge, I also had the trails to myself, at first. The sights at the gorge were beautiful, with views of the river lined with sheer, rock cliffs. The trails were loaded with wildflowers, and I could constantly hear the roar from the three-tiered, ninety-foot Linville falls.

It was not a great day of photography for me, for by the time I hiked to the different overlooks, the sun already shined brightly on parts of the falls and cliffs. This caused a sharp contrast between the bleached brightness of the white water and the dark shadows of the cliffs and trees.

Dugger’s Creek Falls. Dugger’s Creek is a short trail near the Linville Falls visitor center. This tiny waterfall spilled over a ten-foot ledge and was nestled in a hollow of moss-covered rocks and rhododendrons.

The weather was perfect that entire weekend with daytime temperatures in the upper 70’s and abundant sunshine. I spent the morning at Linville Gorge before working my way to Asheville. As I approached Asheville, the parade of bicyclists, motorcycles, and vehicles grew heavy. This was my first time visiting the Blue Ridge Parkway near Mount Mitchell. One thing I learned with this trip…if you seek a quiet, wilderness experience, don’t visit a gorgeous area of the Parkway on a weekend.