Crabtree Falls

Wednesday, June 30, 2021

Birthday Adventure













cloud-covered Cold Mountain












Over to right is Mt. Pisgah.




now some images with our Nikon










For my birthday, Kade and I drove up to the Pisgah Inn and got a beer.  We hung out on the back deck for a while, enjoying the peaceful vibe and mountain views.  Afterwards, we drove just a bit down the Parkway to the parking area at the service road entrance to Fryingpan Mountain Lookout Tower.  From there, we started the hike to the tower.  I would call this an easy-moderate hike for anybody in decent shape.  Once we reached the base of the tower, we had to wait twenty minutes for the clouds to clear - and they only did for a bit.  We quickly walked the stairs to the top.  We couldn't stay long!  You could hear the rumble of thunder and see lightening in the distance.  Scary!  Best to place it safe and retreat back to our car.  But from service road, we were still able to take some amazing photos.  For anybody traveling to Asheville, the tower, along with the nearby Mt. Pisgah, is one of the best places for views on the Blue Ridge Parkway.  It's less than an hour from the city, and the hike up the service road to the tower is only 1.5 miles roundtrip.  If you have the energy, you could also do the 3 mile (rt), 700+ feet hike up Mt. Pisgah (from the trailhead at the parking lot).  If you do both, count on the hikes and lunch or dinner at the Pisgah Inn to be an all-day activity - 6 hours minimum, counting the drive.

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