Over the summer, Wes and I put together plans for a camping trip to West Virginia. He claimed that not only would I see some of the most beautiful country on the East Coast, but that I would also finally see some true mountains. He was right on both counts.

Our first stop was at Swallow Falls, where it was overcast yet warm enough to go wading in the water and admire the falls. That night, the heavens opened up and poured rain on us. I feared the tent would not withstand the downpour. It was quite dramatic, with roaring rain, thunder, and dramatic lightning. Luckily, the trusty tent did make it through the night, with only a few puddles collecting inside the tent.

We stopped at a dramatic sight in the middle of West Virginia: Seneca Rocks, rising starkly out of the sea of green treetops. We hiked up to the top, an energetic climb; the latter two pictures were taken from the windy tip-top of the rocks.

We paused briefly on a side trail, where I found these flowers and started playing with that cool macro setting on my camera. I also got a shot of one of the ubiquitious black butterflies.

We went out to Big Bend, a recreation area on the Potomac River. The name refers to a long tight bend in the river, allowing you to park, jump into the river, float down a mile or so, and get out of the water... back at your car. Very convenient! We splashed and paddled our way down this river, relishing the cool water in the sunny heat. No pictures, as my camera doesn't actually swim any better than I do.

One of the high reaches in this area is Dolly Sods, a flat, windswept plateau with curious rock and tree formations. The view from that height is fantastic. A neighboring high area, Spruce Knob, is equally impressive, and worth the long, torturous drive up (2,000 vertical feet up) a twisty dirt road. We reached it at sunset, when the fog rolled in. Very cold, mysterious, dramatic place. Both of these shots, however, are from Dolly Sods:

The following day, we took a detour to see the Cass Scenic Railroad. Actually, to ride on it, up to the top of the mountain. Great fun!

On the same day, we stopped at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory. They provided an excellent talk and tour, and we got to see several enormous telescopes. They also had a sunspot viewing.

Ah, the Green Brier River Trail. This trail winds through much of West Virginia, simultaneously being a highly advertised tourist attraction and, when you finally find it, extremely boring. However, I did manage a couple of good wildlife shots (note the spider in the picture on the right):

Our final stop was at Watoga State Park, which has a lovely Arboretum nestled inside it.

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