A few weeks ago, I was privileged to see the remnants of the first snowfall in the North Carolina mountains, at Black Balsam Knob. I was on an adventure up along the Blue Ridge Parkway, taking pictures of nature’s amazing display of vibrant autumn colors. At one of the overlooks, I happened across a fellow nature lover, who informed me of the snow he had seen just a few hours earlier at Black Balsam Knob. Though it wasn’t on my list of places to check out, I decided to hightail it there before it melted.
Before I left for the mountains, I had heard that some of the higher elevations had seen their first snowfall of the year. At the time, I didn’t realize I’d have a chance to photograph such serenity on this adventure. But that’s the amazing thing about nature, you never know what you may or may not come across. And this particular time it was snow!
Black Balsam Knob is located near milepost 420 off the Blue Ridge Parkway, about 26 miles from Asheville. It’s off the same road where Sam Knob Summit Trail is located. The views from the top are simply amazing. There are unobstructed 360-degree views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It is a beautiful hike any time of year, but the snow made it that much more enticing.
As I pulled off the Parkway, I started to see the beautiful snow-covered pine and cedar trees. Such a serene site. As I got closer to the trailhead, I quickly realized that I wasn’t the only one to hear about the snow. Parking is basically first come first serve along the road. Once parked, I grabbed my gear and proceeded to take in nature’s beautiful display. It was roughly 35-degrees when I started my hike. The sun was trying to peak through, and the snow was already starting to melt some. So, I knew time was of the essence. Parts of the trail actually smelled like Christmas morning. I wish there was a way that I could portray the smell in my pictures, but you’ll just have to take my word for it.
I meandered my way through the forest and up to the top. Stopping along the way to take lots of pictures and a few videos. By the time I reached the top, the sun had burst through the clouds and the temperature had risen about 10-degrees. I felt very fortunate to take in and photograph the snow before it melted.
Black Balsam Knob is an amazing place for an adventure and a visit. Below you’ll find many of the pictures I took of the snow covered trees, the forest and some of the views from the top. You can check out a video of the snow on my YouTube channel. I hope you enjoy viewing these pictures as much as I enjoyed taking them. As always, every picture you see here and throughout the webpage, are available for purchase. If you don’t see a buy button below the photos, please visit my Photo Collections page. There you’re sure to find what you need. Thanks so much for stopping by and taking the time to read about another one of my adventures in Nature. Have a great day!
