Crabtree Falls Campground on Blue Ridge Parkway, Little Switzerland, North Carolina

 Another cloudy day as we headed south into North Carolina on the back roads. We headed back onto the Blue Ridge Parkway after going through Mount Airy and stopping in Boone for gas and groceries as we head to Crabtree Falls Campground.  The black clouds hovered as we stopped at several overlooks and a visitor center on the Blue Ridge Parkway. We bypassed the town of Little Switzerland to head to the campground to have a picnic lunch and then hike to Crabtree Falls. The rain started on the way back from the falls but the huge tree canopy kept us from getting wet. We enjoyed happy hour under the awning birdwatching. One of the campers from Rocky Knob just pulled in as they are just moseying down the parkway.

Deer thought she was hiding from us and never moved

Along the Blue Ridge Parkway trying to get the best view

More wildflowers

Stunning overlooks

Ringing the tree

Hiking underneath the viaduct

Amazing tunnels

Our campsite at Crabtree Falls Campground

Gorgeous butterflies landing near our picnic table

Along the falls trail looking for birds

Rock steps down

Lavender mushrooms

Crabtree Falls in all its splendor

Rock walls along the ledges on the trail

Another set of falls along the loop trail

Fairy Stone State Park, Stuart, Virginia

 We left Rocky Knob Campground as they were already digging up the road to repair the broken water main and headed into the town of Floyd, Virginia. We were too early to find the general store or brewery open so we continued on to Fairy Stone State Park. We looked unsuccessfully for the staurolite crystals known as fairy stones on our hike in the park to Little Mountain Falls. We charged up our batteries and ran the air conditioning and enjoyed baking biscuits and grilling in the air fryer. 

When your last name is Floyd, seeking out all things Floyd

Headed to Fairy Stone Park 

Our campsite at Fairy Stone State Park

Squirrels around the picnic table

Four deer wandered into the campsite

Tricky signposts to all the trails

Yurts manufactured nearby for tent cabins

Beautiful trail to the falls

Stepped over this tiny turtle

Mushrooms everywhere

Rocky Knob Campground on Blue Ridge Parkway, Floyd, Virginia

 We were up and away at dawn from Mathews Arm campground and headed south on Skyline Drive stopping at overlooks along the way. At the Skyland Lodge dining room, we stopped for a great breakfast. We were too early for the visitor center to be open at Great Meadows but we did fill up with gas. We had beautiful sunshine and stunning vistas looking through the clouds. Near the end of the Skyline drive, we stopped at a trailhead parking lot for a hike at Blackrock Summit that hiked part of the Appalachian Trail to outstanding views and rock outcroppings. We stopped at the mammoth pile of quartzite rocks. We continued on the Blue Ridge Parkway and missed the great signage from the Shenandoah National Park. We stopped at an overlook for our picnic lunch. The roads were so winding and shaded and with the gray skies, we elected to get off the parkway before the required detours around Roanoke. It was a pleasant diversion to wind our way through the small towns headed to Floyd, Virginia. The rain started and we pulled over once for it to lighten up. We headed back on the Blue Ridge Parkway to Rocky Nob Campground. We had been notified of a water main break so there would be no water or restrooms which did not affect us. We did get the call after we were set up that they were closing the campground the next day which we had already planned to continue to a state park off the Blue Ridge.