Under the heat of the summer sun, finding wild fruit on a hiking trip is like finding a fiver in the sofa. The three waterfalls in the Graveyard Fields are easily accessible from the Blue Ridge Parkway. Graveyard Fields, accessible off the parkway at Milepost 418, is also wildly popular for blueberries and pickers. Parkway rules allow blueberry picking, up to a gallon per day. The blueberries are usually ripe in late summer but you better be quick because they get a lot of traffic. Due to the unique vegetation and high altitude of Graveyard Fields, it turns color earlier than other surrounding areas - Generally during the first week in October. The trail traverses through the low brush of Graveyard fields and carries you through numerous blueberry bushes and other short growth brush, trees and wildflowers. The views from the parking lot are, but the trails are not. 26(5)] Water is nature's driving force, a fact readily apparent in the mountains of Western North Carolina.The region's ample rainfall produces high humidity and fuels countless springs, streams, and rivers that in turn support the lush evergreen and deciduous forests. Primarily access is from the Graveyard Fields Overlook at milepost 418.8 of the Blue Ridge Parkway. These wild blueberries taste great plain and they are also a great addition to pancakes and muffins. Show off your Graveyard Fields love with a sticker! The wild blueberries are ripe for the picking along the Blue Ridge. Cemetery Tombstone. The highest point in Tennessee comes complete with a high-rise observation deck dubbed the “flying saucer.” On clear days the view from Clingman’s Dome extends 100 miles over North Carolina and Tennessee. Graveyard Fields is one of my favorite stops on the Blue Ridge Parkway, and I am not alone in this assessment. Fear not on a trip to this outdoor wonderland, the … Our little blueberry was a fan. I’ve had my heart set on picking blueberries at Graveyard Fields this month, but schedules and weather and everything under the sun, kept getting in the way. Lower Falls has a better swimming area, and makes for a refreshing dip after the hike up to and back from upper falls. The history of Graveyard fields is a bit debated. This new painting was inspired by a hike in late August along a trail called Graveyard Field in the Blue Ridge Mountains. I … "Maybe they know the way. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We’re passionate about sharing the powers of wild blueberries & it’s our goal to educate our community about this indigenous plant that only grows in a small section of North America. After one mile, you will see the trail to the Upper Falls. If you are looking for a gorgeous area with rocky outcrops and panoramas, Dolly Sods has what you need. The Yellowstone Prong is the water source for two waterfalls in a mile-high valley filled with wildflowers and surrounded by the 6,000-ft. peaks of the Blue Ridge Mountains. House Cemetery. Autumn Autumn Leaves. I would help her find some ripe blueberries on the bushes then isolate them for her. Graveyard Fields, the location for one of Asheville’s favorite hikes off the Blue Ridge Parkway, is a prime spot for hiking, waterfalls, fall color and summer blueberries. Graveyard Fields, the location for one of Asheville’s favorite hikes off the Blue Ridge Parkway, is a prime spot for hiking, waterfalls, fall color and summer blueberries.How the area got … For those of you unfamiliar with this part of the Blue Ridge Parkway, Graveyard Fields (milepost 418.8) is a popular spot along the parkway. Graveyard Fields is well known for its wild berries. Graveyard fields is full of blueberry vines. Good hiking boots or shoes, Daypack, Dayhiker First Aid Kit, Sunscreen, hiking rain ponchos, some snacks, plenty of water and be sure to bring a bathing suit if you think you might want to swim. There are very few, tall trees and lots of low growth vegetation. A Winter Getaway in Charlottesville & Albemarle County, Virginia, Liberty Mountain Snowflex Centre – Lynchburg, VA. Fall visitors experience vivid colors and the opportunity to collect blueberries. Rocky outcrops and an abundance of flowers and berries draw both locals and visitors out of the city on sunny afternoons. Graveyard Fields is a very popular hiking trail on the Blue Ridge Parkway (Milepost 418.8) south of Asheville. Hailed as one of the most popular outdoor recreational areas in Western North Carolina, Graveyard Fields is home to many waterfalls, bald peaks, and short alpine-like forests. Blackberries and blueberries are only two of the varieties found here. Scenic views, unique plant life, waterfalls, dense rhododendron thicket, gorgeous fall colors. In the Blue Ridge, blueberries usually come to full fruition in mid and late August. It's basically the most popular parking spot on the Blue Ridge Parkway with the possible exceptions of Mt Mitchell and Black Balsam. Root balls from the uprooted trees slowly decayed and overtime left behind mounds of dirt, similar to those found in ancient burial grounds. At the end of the Rhododendron grove, you'll walk out onto a small deck and down a set of stairs where you will cross over Yellowstone Prong, the creek that goes through Graveyard Fields. The wild berries are small and very flavorful. 487 578 61. #rhododendrons #rhodos #rhododendron #graveyardfields #graveyard fields #blueridgeparkway #blueridgemountains #blue ridge mountains #blue ridge parkway #asheville #avl #north carolina #nc #wnc #brevardnc #brevard #blooms #flowers #nature #appalachia #ashevillephotography #camiphoto If you can't find parking, travel on past the tunnel … 961 Free images of Graveyard. Location. Feel free to share, just please credit us! This awesome hike is located in Western North Carolina. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. (Although Graveyard Fields Trail … Wild Berries At Graveyard Fields. Primarily access is from the Graveyard Fields Overlook at milepost 418.8 of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Under the heat of the summer sun, finding wild fruit on a hiking trip is like finding a fiver in the sofa. Today we finally made it there. These cookies do not store any personal information. To reach the waterfalls and trails, cross over Yellowstone prong, and continue on the new wooden walkway. After about a mile, main trail turns left to cross Prong and return, in about a mile, to parking; if going to Upper Falls (1.6 miles from the trailhead), continue straight ahead on spur trail, which crosses a small stream and climbs to the falls. Graveyard field's primary fall color is red, and an abundance it: Here are some videos on Graveyard Fields from our Youtube channel: Click a photo for a larger version! For a nice day-hike, check out the Graveyard Fields loop, which hits two of the three waterfalls in the Fields and meanders through a high elevated valley. Start at the Bear Rocks Trail and take a loop around the park, taking note that the trails are not blazed and read the signs carefully. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. No need to register, buy now! Maps can be found at www.fs.usda.gov. The muddy and eroded nature of the trail continues, though some long boardwalk structures cross the particularly wet areas and small streams. Start at the observation deck and head down Forney Ridge. The extensive fire burned so hot, it sterilized the area, making it difficult for new plant growth. Clubmoss on the Graveyard Fields Loop Trail; St. John’s Wort on the Graveyard Fields Loop Trail; Bluets on the Graveyard Fields Trail; Blueberries on the Graveyard Fields Loop Trail; Dew on Blueberry Leaves on the Graveyard Fields Loop Trail; Rhododendron’s on the Graveyard Fields Loop Trail; Bramble on the Graveyard Fields Loop Trail You can pick them in the summertime at places like Roan Mountain (near Bakersville), Craggy Gardens (MP 364.4), and Graveyard Fields (MP 418). About 40 miles southwest of Asheville, Graveyard Fields provides excellent habitation for blueberries in middle and late August. If you are looking for wide open spaces with a tundra-like feel, stop over. Graveyard Fields offers pristine wilderness, beautiful landscape views, and limitless tranquility. Going early in the day, and on a weekday, as opposed to … Whether you’re out for an hour or a week, your trek can be sweetened with a bit of berry foraging. Graveyard Fields We went on a trip with our kids to play under a waterfall and pick fresh blueberries. Hikers park at the Blue Ridge Parkway milepost 418. The blueberries are usually ripe in late summer but you better be quick because they get a … Parkway rules allow blueberry picking, up to a gallon per day. I don't think it'll be worth going to Graveyard fields on a weekend in August for the blueberries. Graveyard Fields maintains a strong brown color, characteristic of a brown porter, failing to tip its hat to the magic awaiting in the glass beneath the tall, bubbly head. Blueberries grow in sunny areas with acidic soil, often in high elevation alpine climates. Graveyard Fields, a mile-high, mostly flat mountain valley featuring two waterfalls, is a popular hiking area found at milepost 418.8 on the Blue Ridge Parkway—summer wildflowers, blazing autumn color and year-round views of 6,000-ft high Blue Ridge Mountain peaks make the graveyard quite a lively place. Whether you’re out for an hour or a week, your trek can be sweetened with a bit of berry foraging.  Here are a few of our favorite blueberry picking hikes in the Blue Ridge. The trail is quite easy at this point except perhaps navigating around the muddy areas. This six-mile adventure explores the highlights of the popular 3-mile hike on the Graveyard Fields Trail, including its beautiful waterfalls. Tombstone Grave. Graveyard Fields is named for the haunting skeletons of ancient trees punctuating an otherwise grassy field, as seen from above at the Graveyard Fields Overlook. Download this stock image: Young woman picking wild blueberries at Graveyard Fields, Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina - CBKW51 from Alamy's library of millions of high resolution stock photos, illustrations and vectors. It's basically the most popular parking spot on the Blue Ridge Parkway with the possible exceptions of Mt Mitchell and Black Balsam. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. In peak summer, the Craggy Pinnacle Trail turns into a tunnel of rhododendron flowers and hikers pop out of the bouquet to find themselves on summit with 360 degree views. With its relatively open views, cool summer temperatures, cascading waterfalls, and wide variety of hiking trails, Graveyard Fields is one of the most popular outdoor recreation areas in all of Western North Carolina. The hike starts at a trailhead just off the Blue Ridge Parkway (view maps and driving directions), departing from the eastern edge of the parking area.The trail dives away from the Parkway into a gnarled, dense forest of rhododendron and mountain laurel, and then crosses a bridge over Yellowstone Prong. The muddy and eroded nature of the trail continues, though some long boardwalk structures cross the particularly wet areas and small streams. Graveyard Fields is well known for its wild berries. Blackberries and blueberries are only two of the varieties found here. The trail is quite easy at this point except perhaps navigating around the muddy areas. Little known to many, the Blue Ridge has an abundance of wild blueberries, ripe for the taking in the right season. Dolly Sods is a 17,371-acre wilderness in the Monongahela National Forest. The acidic soil and open canopy at Graveyard Fields is ideal for blueberries, which struggle to find adequate sunlight in the dense Appalachian forest. Some say that a huge storm blew through and knocked down most of the trees, others say that extensive logging in the area cleared all of the trees. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Root balls from the uprooted trees slowly decayed and overtime left behind mounds of dirt, similar to those found in ancient burial grounds. Known for the gobs of blueberries, Graveyard Fields is of the most popular hikes on the Blue Ridge Parkway. 180 287 13. Graveyard Fields is know for its bountiful crop of blueberries, seen here in late August. Centuries ago massive wind storms uprooted a once prominent spruce forest in this 5,000’ high, hanging valley. The horizon beyond offers a breathtaking view of surrounding mountains. If you want deciduous forest followed by bogs, swing by. Graveyard Fields, 36″ x 48″ x 3″, Mixed media collage painting on deep wood panel. If you want deciduous forest followed by bogs, swing by. ... • Graveyard Fields, about 40 miles south of Asheville on parkway, Milepost 418. Directions: This trail begins at the Graveyard Fields Overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Graveyard Fields: the hike. To call the overlook a vista is an understatement. There is a large parking lot for the area and a bathroom building. The blueberries are usually ripe in late summer but you better be quick because they get a lot of traffic. Wild Berries At Graveyard Fields. Going right will take you down a short trail to Lower Falls. We love the area and trails, and it’s one of our family favorites, especially during the fall. blueberries. Maps can be found at. She started picking them herself, first with her little pincer grasp, and then with her teeth. The delicious wild blueberries that lure late-summer visitors to Graveyard Fields appear to be back in full force following back-to-back disappointing crops. Graveyard Fields Loop Trail Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina. If you are looking for wide open spaces with a tundra-like feel, stop over. 137 173 7. Craggy Gardens is a Natural Heritage Area 20 miles from Asheville, North Carolina. On the border of North Carolina and Tennessee, Roan Mountain and its highlands are beautiful spots for picnics, day hikes and backpacking trips. 73 51 16. The main trail crosses the Yellow stone Prong and returns to the parking lot. Graveyards fields is a unique and very popular place on The Blue Ridge Parkway. The parking lot spills out and cars park on the grass for a couple hundred yards up and down the parkway. We farm while keeping the berries and their surroundings in their most natural state. Gate Portal Entrance. Blue Ridge Outdoors is your guide to fly fishing in the Southeast, moutain biking in the Blue Ridge and adventure travel from the Highlands to the Piedmont. Graveyard Fields Loop: the hike. Graveyard Fields is also a … Here in the Southern Appalachians though, the wide-open spaces found at Graveyard Fields are a rarity, an exception in the otherwise lush and densely forested slopes. How the area got its name depends on whom you ask. The three waterfalls in the Graveyard Fields are easily accessible from the Blue Ridge Parkway. Wild Berries At Graveyard Fields. If you’re looking for a place to picnic and take a moment to smell the flowers, Craggy Gardens is the place to go. , eat the blueberries intro the etymology behind Graveyard Fields, about miles. Effect on your browsing experience a junction and keep going until you hit bald! That lure late-summer visitors to Graveyard Fields Blue Ridge Parkway sterilized the.. 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