11-8-17  on our way to The Biltmore, by way of more waterfalls and the Blue Ridge Parkway!

Ken and I found this route when we were making our way to the Biltmore in the summer after checking out Pearson's Falls.  I was so impressed, I suggested to Angie that we go this way today, too.  So we headed NE on hwy 64 to Brevard, had breakfast there, then north on hwy 276 into the Pisgah National Forest.  This 15 miles or so of hwy cuts over to the Blue Ridge Parkway and passes a bunch of waterfalls along the way.
About 5.6 miles up the road is the first one---Looking Glass Falls.  So convenient since it's right on the side of the road!  The name comes from nearby Looking Glass Rock, which resembles a wintertime mirror (or "looking glass") of sunlight, as water freezes on its sides and reflects the sun, and from the name of the stream from which the falls plunge, Looking Glass Creek.

 How it looked in Aug.

Pretty both times, but I love the Fall colors there now.

 Steps to the lower viewpoint.

 from the lower viewpoint looking down Looking Glass Creek.

 from the view point by the plunge pool.

 I was surprised to read this used to be part of the Vanderbilt's property (the Biltmore Estate).

 back up to the road

 love all the leaves on the ground.

 a short distance along hwy 276 is the next waterfall---Moore Cove waterfall.  The name comes from Moore Cove, and was named for Adam Q. Moore, who purchased the property. In 1891, the property was sold to George Vanderbilt for $155 to become part of the Pisgah National Forest.

 Angie and I took the moderate-difficulty ¾-mile trail to the falls.

 Loved checking out all the various leaves.

 It was a pretty walk

 someone's short cut---we took the long way around.

 orange lichen---don't often see it that color.

 one of the flat areas of the trail

 crossing over the creek

 more vibrant colors made more vibrant by the rainy conditions.  Did I mention it was a wet hike??!  Angie was smart and had a raincoat and boots.  I thought my jacket was somewhat rainproof, but I got pretty soaked. 

 a little falls along the way

 love the texture of these leaves.

 Finally made it.  Unofficial paths lead to the top of the falls and are treacherous.When Ken and I were at Looking Glass Falls a couple miles down hwy 276 last Aug., someone fell to his death here.  There have been at least 2 other deaths here, too.

 hiking back to the car

 more of the orange lichen

 almost to the creek again.

 heading back up

 took us about 1 hour and 20 minutes to hike there and back, but we were stopping and taking pictures along the way.   We did see a few other hikers out there, but it certainly wasn't crowded today.

By now it was after noon, so we decided not to hike to anymore of the waterfalls along 276 and head straight to the Blue Ridge Parkway.   I had bragged about how beautiful the views were along the Blue Ridge, but we didn't have much of a view today!

 From our trip in Aug.

 back to today----

 now and then we'd see color right by the road

 as we got lower in elevation it lightened up a bit.

 but we never did get a view of the valley.

Not quite the trip I had anticipated, but still fun.
Now on to the Biltmore----------------