PHOTOS: NC offers colorful fall vistas

BLOWING ROCK — Each autumn, as if on a pilgrimage, people visit the Appalachian Mountains to witness the splendor that only Mother Nature can provide. The fall vistas of the Blue Ridge Parkway never disappoint, though they are sometimes unpredictable. Beauty can be found everywhere, regardless of the weather.

The Blue Ridge Parkway spans 469 miles, winding from the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia to the Great Smoky Mountains near Tennessee. The iconic Linn Cove viaduct, an engineering marvel that winds around the flank of Grandfather Mountain State Park, is one of the most heavily visited spots.