Blue Ridge Country March/April 2022 - 50

riding in mining rail cars, the tour operator-and
animatronic humans!-told
the story of how the techniques of coal
mining changed from the early to mid1900s,
including the struggles of miners
to unionize.
That evening we dined in what had
been the principal's office and slept in a
former classroom of the 1926 Benham
Schoolhouse, now converted to an inn.
NORTH CAROLINA
For this one, you almost don't even have
to get out of your car, as you can see the
view through your windshield as soon as
you turn off the Blue Ridge Parkway at
milepost 328.3, about five miles north of
Little Switzerland. The view from the Orchard
at Altapass is, in my opinion, one
of the parkway's most easily accessible
sweeping vistas, but it can only be truly
appreciated by walking one of the trails
wandering through the apple trees.
Apple growing has a long tradition
in the Blue Ridge Mountains and the orchard
is now operated by the nonprofit
Altapass Foundation. In addition to the
trails, the public is invited to participate
in hayrides, attend mountain music concerts,
purchase or pick their choice of
more than 40 varieties of apples or shop
in the retail store and snack bar. (Don't
miss the apple pie a la mode.) It's a great
place for the family to spend an entire
day hiking, picnicking, and learning
about the heritage of the mountains.
There are more than four more miles
of trails (all offering eastward-looking
viewpoints of their own) that course
through the orchard.
The orchard's pathways are also part
of the parkway's TRACK Trails system,
developed to help children and families
connect with nature. Brochures, providing
fun and informative activities to do
while on the trails, are usually available
at the trailhead. If not, download them
from kidsinparks.com. Although there
may be some confusing intersections
The trails and
views at North
Carolina's
Orchard at
Altapass
(Milepost 328.3
of the Blue
Ridge Parkway),
are many and
varied, and often
complemented
by nearby apple
trees.
where you may not be able to tell just exactly
which way you want to turn, there
is no possibility of getting lost. All of the
pathways are on easy to moderate grades.
At a little more than two miles, the
Loop Trail is the longest and provides
ample opportunity to gaze up to Jackson
Knob soaring high above Peppers Creek
Valley. Across the narrow valley created
by the North Fork of the Catawba River is
the long ridgeline of Linville Mountain,
with prominent Dobson and Bald knobs
rising up on its southern end.
Laurie is a better birder than I am and
she was able to point out at least six different
species of warblers, some thrashers,
two types of woodpeckers, a couple
of vireos and even several broad-winged
hawks riding thermals rising from the
valleys below.
By the way, be sure to pronounce the
" a " in Altapass as you would in the word
" apple " and not as you would in " all, " or
the locals will surely know you are a visitor
to the area.
WEST VIRGINIA
Strains of " The Lark Ascending " were
passing through my mind as I gazed
onto the scenery spread out before me
from the Cranny Crow Overlook in Lost
River State Park. Yes, I know it was written
to evoke England's countryside and
incorporates bits of British folk songs,
but even the composer, Ralph Vaughan
Williams, said it was a " pastoral romance
for violin and orchestra. "
About 1,000 feet below the viewpoint
is a narrow valley with Howard's
Lick Run flowing down the middle of it.
Lush forested slopes gently rise to nearby
broad mountain crests covered in green
pastures. The lowing of livestock is carried
on the wind as your eyes are drawn
to a succession of ridgelines receding to
the horizon. There's no doubt that these
green ridgelines and high open meadows
of five counties in Virginia and West
Virginia are pastoral, bucolic and just
downright romantic. As I wrote in my
book, " 50 Hikes in West Virginia, " you
can't help but envy the residents of these
farmlands that get to enjoy this landscape
from their homes every day.
It's a 4-mile round-trip outing to
Cranny Crow that starts by ascending the
50 BLUERIDGECOUNTRY.COM
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Blue Ridge Country March/April 2022

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