Parkway Rocks

Most people drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway enjoying the view of trees and foliage especially during the season of Fall. And while this is part of the splendor of the Parkway, there is another aspect that many people miss during their drive.

The Parkway boasts numerous rock formations which can be seen both from the parkway itself and in the backwoods area of the hiking trails. Within the rocks are cracks and cervices that contain many species of bugs which contribute to the diet of many animals that roam the mountains. The rocks are intricate in their creation using many colors in the brown palate. Many of the rocks are reddish and some are white with streaks of golden brown running through them. Some of the formations seem to glisten in the sunlit due to their chemical makeup and others are dark in color due to the constant moisture of water trickling down.

Each area of rock along the parkway creates a picture of beauty that in many places is mixed in with the foliage and trees. Many trees grow out of the rocks forming a forest of trees that appear to hang alongside the mountain in midair. It does not seem possible that a tree can grow out of a rock but they do which enhances the beauty of nature and its wonders.

As the weather gets cooler the higher elevations yield another beauty of the rock formations in the form of ice. These rock formations are transformed into sheets of ice creating yet another layer of beauty to their existence. The many seasons along the parkway are not only seen in the foliage and trees, but within the rock formations as well. The miniature and full grown trees go through their transformation each season providing various canvases of nature.

The next time you take a drive along the parkway, stop and take a look at some of the beautiful rocky areas of the parkway. Watch them change each season and look for the birds, butterflies and other small animals that can be seen around them. The Parkway has so much to offer us and the foliage and trees are just the beginning.