Linville Gorge, located in the Pisgah National Forest, is surrounded by rugged terrain cloaked in virgin stands of hemlock and white pine, as well as numerous other plant species, some of which are quite rare. It is home to many species of wildlife, as well, including black bears and--less exciting but far more potentially dangerous -- copperheads and rattlesnakes. Approximately 12,000 acres of this region are protected as designated wilderness, and the steep walls of the Gorge--with an average drop from rim to river of 1,400 feet--have led some to refer to the area as the "grand canyon of North Carolina. "While that designation may be something of a stretch, the two-tier Linville Falls and the Gorge that begins at the base of the 45-foot high lower falls offer an area of wilderness easily accessible to residents and visitors to North Carolina's high country. The designated wilderness is one of my favorite areas for photography, and Linville Falls is one of my favorite photographic subjects.