Price Lake is a convenient Blue Ridge Parkway spot for North Carolina High Country residents and visitors alike. The lake, and Boone Fork that flows into and out of it, was one of the places I visited frequently as a boy pursuing mountain trout with fly rod in hand. As an adult, with most of my time outdoors now focused on photography, the lake remains a favorite spot, particularly just before and during sunrise. As on this July morning, the lake is often quite still in early morning, providing a near-glass like reflective surface for the sun as it peaks above the distant ridges. On such occasions, the only disturbances on the lake's surface are ripplescaused by trout rising to feed on surface insects, or the quiet splash of a mink sliding into the water.

The land around the lake is also quiet in early morning, as most human visitors to the popular recreation area haven't yet arrived. I enjoy such times, hearing the sounds of nature's awakening, watching the light come up--gradually at first, then more rapidly as the sun ascends--bringing with it warm tones to contrast sharply with deeply shadowed trees and shoreline. Shortly after completion of the sunrise show, with my camera gear repacked, I’m back in my car, often taking the long way home south on the Parkway to further savor another brief early morning photo trip.