Selfie on the Black Balsam Knob Trail

I just returned from a much-needed break  to the North Carolina Mountains.  I am fortunate to have a place in the Brevard/Asheville area (technically Pisgah Forest) to get away to which is an easy 4 hour drive from Charleston.  I don’t get there as much as I would like, but I try to make it that way whenever possible.  Don’t get me wrong, I love living in Charleston, but the mountains are a nice change of pace offering different scenery and a cooler, less humid, climate.

My trips aren’t all about maxing and relaxing though.  I come from an outdoorsy family so we often spend many of our days hiking trails located in Dupont State Forest, Pisgah National Forest, and the Blue Ridge Mountains.  This trip included hikes on the Daniel Ridge Loop (Pisgah Forest), Triple Falls (Dupont), and up Black Balsam Knob (Blue Ridge), along with a few others.

These hikes are great for several reasons:  1 – The climbs offer exercise that’s hard to find here in Charleston (we have no hills) 2 – I love outdoor photography and it offers different scenery than here at the coast 3- Just being in the great outdoors exploring around.

Cairn marking a trail in the Blue Ridge Mtns.

Sometimes though the best part of my day is getting home, relaxing my feet, cracking a cold one, and enjoying amazing sunset views off the back deck.  Here is an image I shot on the first day.

After a fun week in the mountains it is back to my tough life in Charleston, SC.

All of the photographs on my site are mine.  More of my work can be found at donniewhitakerphotography –  follow me on Instagram –  visit my facebook page

P.S.  Forgot to mention.  It wasn’t all about hikes and relaxing on the back deck.  I finally was able to visit the new Sierra Nevada Brewery in Mills River, NC.  Talk about nice. I was blown away.  The space is huge and built all green.  We enjoyed sampling different beers not found in stores and unbelievalby good appetizers.

Cheers, Donnie