Cycling in the Carolinas Fall Color

This past October (2022) Scott and I headed to the Carolinas Blue Ridge Mountains to see the fabulous fall foliage on a a bicycling tour hosted by Backroads.  To be able enjoy the long rides and big hills we opted to use e-bikes with pedal assist.  Depending on the level of boast chosen it can almost make the hills feel flat. We were hoping to see some great fall foliage color and we weren’t disappointed.

Cycling the Blue Ridge Parkway

The Blue Ridge Mountains are part of the Appalachian Mountains that run from Georgia to Pennsylvania. The blue haze coloration, which was barely noticeable on our trip, comes from organic isoprene emitted from the trees covering the mountains.  

Flying over the Applanation Mountains. The brown areas are fall color from the changing trees. 

The ride started in outdoorsy Greenville, South Carolina, and ended in artsy Asheville, North Carolina.  Most of the way we cycled through the hills and small towns of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Mural in the Hampton Inn lobby in Greenville.

Before the tour, we had part of day to spend in downtown Greenville.  Over the past few years they've done a lot of investment in the area surrounding the Reedy River which runs through the center of town.  The river cascades down a series of rocky slopes creating small water falls and ponds. Walkways, bridges, restaurants and hotels line both sides of the river.  Lots of southerners were in town to enjoy the wonderful cool fall weather and the changing foliage.

Geese flying over a bridge across the Reedy River in downtown Asheville.

One of the many small waterfalls along the Reedy River.

One of the many small waterfalls along the Reedy River.

Day one was spent cycling through South Carolina up into the Blue Ridge Mountains.  The first part of the tour was along the Swamp Rabbit Bike Trail out of Greenville full of weekend cyclist.  It followed the Reedy River part of the way and went past the bell tower at Furman University.  A common joke in the area was that the sports team was originally going to name the Furman University Christian Knights, which was rejected for some reason

The bell tower at Furman University. 

We would end our day a the Hotel Domestique where we would spend 2 nights.  The hotel was built by a cyclist George Hincapie and loosely modeled after a French chateau. 

The next day was a loop ride through the hills pasts several lakes and back to the hotel.

We rode along a quite residential road around the lake

Streamside View

Fall Foliage

Goldenrod

Orange Jewelweed, Impatiens capensis

Another lovely lake

Welcome back to South Carolina

Miscanthus in bloom

Fruit of Asian bittersweet

Clematis seeds

The Saluda General Store

Day 3 we headed for higher country and into the clouds cycling to Caesars Head at 3208 feet.  Well, actually, Scott cycled.  I took the van part of the way up.  After crossing into higher country the fall colors became more intense.

A lovely reflected view reminding me of jigsaw puzzles of my youth.

Geese flying over a bridge across the Reedy River in downtown Asheville.

The view from the top of Caesars Head.

Crossing into North Carolina.  We'd crossed briefly into NC the day before, but this time we were staying.

Whimsical art along the bike trail in Brevard. 

Our very new and modern cabin in the hills above the town of Brevard.

An oakleaf hydrangea in full color.

At dinner that night, a bluegrass band treated us to local music.

Day four of the tour continued through the mountains and was the most colorful day of cycling...in spite of some rain we encountered at higher elevations.

We cycled most of the day through the Pisgah Forest.  It claims to be the "Cradle of Forestry in America."

One of the best stops on the trip was at scenic Looking Glass Falls.  We'd cycle most of the morning along Looking Glass Creek high into the Blue Ridge Mountains.

We paused for a group photo at the falls.

On the next to the last day of the tour we had a quick self guided tour of the interior of Biltmore Estate.

The next day we did a short ride around the grounds of Biltmore and stopped to enjoy the gardens and plants in the conservatory.  This was my favorite part of the estate.

Information signs in the garden:

Video of plants in the conservatory:

Some of the plants, scenes, and views of the gardens and other areas of the Biltmore grounds: 

After the cycling tour, we rented a car in Asheville.  Unfortunately, they only had 2 vehicles available a pickup truck -  which wouldn't work with luggage and frequent stops - and a black Dodge Charger with Louisiana plates which we opted for.  With our muscle sports car, we got to act out our Dukes of Hazard fantasies while driving through the South. Unlike some of the days cycling, the skies were clear bringing brighter colors to fall foliage.  The morning drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway was leisurely with light traffic and frequent stops.

After a lunch stop at a small brewery on the main street of Sylvia, North Carolina, we crossed into Tennessee and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  Being peak fall color and a weekend, the roads were very crowded.  At many of the roadside stops there was no parking available.  We stopped where we could and waited for 1/2 hour at Clingman's dome to get a parking space and did the very crowded walk to the observations deck at the top.

Way back in August of 1978, I visited the Great Smoky National Park with my mother on a road trip to visit her mother and sister in Columbus Ohio.

Part of the mountain showed signs burning long after 1978.

Me near the same spot in 1978.