2011-05 Bald Rock, "Pretty Place" and DuPont State Forest

We took several drives up Hwy 276.  This is a very winding road that climbs sharply up to Caesar's Head and then continues on through Brevard, NC.  We saw the beautiful red Rhododendron shown above at the Chamber of Commerce in Brevard. 

Not far after leaving the campground is a roadside pull off we subsequently learned was called "Bald Rock".  We had seen a number of cars stopped there but did not know why.  So one day we parked and took a short stroll to discover a large rock outcropping with long distance views.  We were glad we stopped to explore.

In the distance you can see Table Rock:

Past Caesar's Head just before you come to the NC border is road leading to Camp Greenville YMCA.  Monique had driven there once before with a group of ladies on a church retreat to see "Pretty Place".  She knew it was a place I would want to see.  "Pretty Place" is the name given to the YMCA camp's open air chapel that has a fantastic overlook.  It is generally open to the public unless there is a wedding or other scheduled activity.

 

Continuing along Hwy 276 after crossing into NC there is a road leading to the DuPont State Forest.  This property once belonged to the DuPont Company and has recently become a NC State Forest.  There are a number of beautiful waterfalls.  Here are the two we visited:

This is just a gorgeous area.  We went to Hendersonville, NC each week while at Solitude Pointe so James  could get his allergy shots.  Usually we traveled Hwy 25 which is a relatively new 4 lane highway.  There is limited development along this route, and it is a beautiful drive with long mountain vistas.  Twice we traveled along Hwy 276 and then past DuPont State Forest.  This was a longer route but equally beautiful with part of the route through the state forest and part through pretty mountain valleys.  We certainly recommend these areas in SC and NC to visit and tour.

08-09 Mt Mansfield, VT

Friday we made our trip to the Green Mountains. It was a gorgeous drive over. As we drew nearer to the mountains, we understood their name. The mountains were just a mass of green. Initially we saw no rocks or houses to break up the solid green. Eventually we did see rock formations but no houses on the mountainsides until we reached our destination.

We headed to Mt Mansfield which is the tallest peak in Vermont at 4,395 feet. It is near Stowe, Vermont and includes many wintertime ski runs. We stopped for lunch at this new ski resort.

You can ride a gondola to a point near the peak of the mountain.

We chose instead to drive the car up a toll road which at $24 was half the cost of the gondola ride. Plus we got to stop when we wanted and take our own time. The road was gravel and narrow in places. It curved back and forth to the top. You really had to be on the lookout for cars coming down the mountain.

We were treated to some spectacular views, which are hard to capture in photos. One place we stopped was near a ski lift with a small restaurant next door. It is only open in the winter, but a young man who is a caterer at the resort was setting up a table with food nearby. It was to be a special 25th wedding anniversary surprise for the wife of one of the staff members. What a place for a private dinner!

This deck had wonderful panoramic views.

In the distance is the end of the Gondola ride and a high mountain restaurant. In the foreground you can see the ground covered in beautiful yellow goldenrod.

On the route up we stopped at this beginning point for some of the ski runs.

Here we looked far down below to the resort where we had lunch.

I know all of this must be spectacular to see in the winter when covered in snow. Many of the signs say you must be an expert to ski some of these runs. We could believe it. They just seem to drop off into open sky.

Either the drive up the toll road or a ride in the gondola to see the views from Mt Mansfield is a “must do” if in this part of Vermont. The views are just breathtaking.