In most autumn seasons, the flow of Crabtree Creek is so slight that 70-foot Crabtree Falls looks much more like a wet, lace-covered rock face than an actual waterfall. Autumn 2009 was quite different, however. From mid-September through mid-October, when this shot was made, the northwestern North Carolina mountains experienced much more rainfall than is usually the case. As a result, the volume of this picturesque waterfall was much closer to levels typically seen only in spring. This day, the heavier-than-normal flow and the yellows of the beeches, birches and other deciduous growth combined to make a more pleasing autumn scene than I've usually found at this popular spot. A high overcast provided even light and reduced contrast, excellent conditions for photographing both water and autumn color. I spent the better part of the morning shooting various angles and compositions at the falls, and then enjoyed a leisurely return trip to the trailhead, taking the longer, more gradual ascent along the creek--and even stopping to shoot a pretty little cascade along the way.

The trail to Crabtree Falls is accessed at the Crabtree Meadows area on the Blue Ridge Parkway, about 40 miles south of Linville.