Travel Reference
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the refreshing water of a nearby spring, but by the beauty and serenity of the entire scene.
Wagon-masters camped here in Revolutionary War times, and an inn was established on
the site as early as 1830. Today the Peaks of Otter Lodge is a favorite among parkway reg-
ulars for its hospitality and cuisine—and for the vista across Abbott Lake to Sharp Top, so
named because its summit tapers to a rocky point.
Along the Elk Run Trail, a short loop behind the Peaks of Otter visitor center, the
loudestsoundsarelikelytobetheexcitedsqueaksofchipmunksorthecackling“laugh”of
a pileated woodpecker clinging to a tall tree. Nearby Fallingwater Cascades Trail is more
strenuous, but its exquisite waterfall is an enticement to hikers. Along the trail in spring,
legions of purplish-pink rhododendron blooms create a striking contrast with the dark fo-
liage of the stately, towering hemlocks.
Nestled in the foothills, parts of Roanoke have a pastoral quality—even when a spring storm is coming in.
6.
Roanoke Mountain
Theoretically, given the time and the stamina, you could hike more than 2,000 miles on
the famed Appalachian Trail. Winding along mountain crests from Maine to Georgia, it is
the world's longest, continuous, marked hiking path. In some northern sections of the Blue
Ridge Parkway, the trail nears the road frequently, making it easy for anyone to sample the
solitary pleasures of the ancient path for a short-distance trek. One such opportunity is at
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