HISTORY PEAKS OF OTTER IN VA
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The 63-room Peaks of Otter Lodge and restaurant were built in 1964 along the Blue Ridge Parkway. The 469-mile roadway is America's most-visited national park.
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By Akron Beacon Journal Staff
Bob Downing
BEDFORD, Va.:
Thomas Jefferson was convinced that Sharp Top was the tallest mountain in the United States.
The peak, flanked by Flat Top, rises sharply at the edge of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains and stands out above the flat Piedmont.
In fact, Jefferson and two friends in 1815 used chains and trigonometry to estimate the height of the mountain.
But Jefferson was wrong. The imposing conical peak capped with rounded boulders isn’t even the tallest mountain in Virginia. That’s Mount Rogers.
The farm provided nearly everything. The Johnsons only had to purchase coffee, sugar and flour.
John Johnson captured and turned in Confederate deserters during the Civil War.
His son, Jason Lee, purchased the farm in 1884, when his parents built a new home nearby.
Jason Lee, born with a clubfoot, and his wife, Jennie, raised nine children on the farm. He was a farmer, cobbler and carpenter. He added the dining room, kitchen, storage areas and porches to the family house.
Life at Peaks of Otter included church dances, sleigh rides, candy apples and fireworks at Christmas, and climbing the peaks to chase wild goats.
In 1921, Jason sold the farm to Mack Bryant, the husband of daughter Callie. She grew and sold flowers to the nearby tourist hotel. She cooked Sunday dinners for up to 25 people from the church.
Bryant was a veterinarian. The couple’s children guided hotel guests and sang and played music at the hotel.
In the 1930s, about 29 families lived and farmed at Peaks of Otter. A church and school stood near the current lodge.
The Peaks of Otter became a tourist destination in the early 1830s when Polly Wood established an ordinary (lodging for travelers) in the family’s log cabin at the foot of the Peaks of Otter. Her restored log cabin stands on the northeast corner of 24-acre Abbott Lake, not far from the 63-room lodge and restaurant that were built in 1964.
parkway. You climb or descend 1,600 feet. The Fallingwater Cascades is a separate 1.6-mile loop, dropping 260 feet from the parkway (mile marker 83.1) to the waterfalls on Fallingwater Creek.
The falls are a series of steep rocky slides. Getting good views isn’t easy because of the vegetation. The trail includes huge rocky outcroppings and thick rhododendrons and hemlocks.
You can access both trails off the parkway and turn them into separate hikes.
Not far away is Apple Orchard Falls, an 80-foot falls. It is a 1.4-mile hike from the parkway at mile marker 78.4.
Peaks of Otter also provides a 144-unit campground.
Park service information is available at 828-274-4779, You can reach the visitor center at 540-586-4357.
The lodge is managed by Virginia-based Crestline Hotels & Resorts Inc. It is open year-round. Winter access is provided via state Route 43 that is plowed. Contact Peaks of Otter Lodge at 800-542-5927,
Abbott Lake at Peaks of Otter on Blue Ridge Parkway
An early November 2013 visit to Abbott Lake, at Peaks of Otter, along the Blue Ridge Parkway near Bedford, Virginia.
Road Trip #422 - Blue Ridge Parkway - Mile 85-100 - Stop at the Montvale Overlook
Road Trip #422 - Blue Ridge Parkway - Mile 85-100 - Stop at the Montvale Overlook
In this video, we cover mile 85-100 of the Blue Ridge Parkway, passing The Peaks of Otter Lodge and Visitor Center, Upper Goose Creek Valley Overlook, View Porter's Mountain, Mills Gap Overlook, View Purgatory Mountain, Boblett's Gap Overlook, Pine Tree Overlook, Montvale Overlook (with a quick stop here), and Great Valley Overlook.
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Road Trip #416 - Blue Ridge Parkway Mile 6-16
Road Trip #416 - Blue Ridge Parkway Mile 6-16
Our second video in the Blue Ridge Parkway series takes us from mile 6 to 16. Along the way are the Humpback Rocks overlook and picnic area, the Catoctin Loop Trail, Greenstone Overlook, Dripping Rock, Rock Point, Raven's Roost, Hickory Spring, Three Ridges Overlook, Reid's Gap and Love Gap.
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Road Trip #427 - Blue Ridge Parkway - Mile 165-175 - Stop at Rocky Knob Visitor Center
Road Trip #427 - Blue Ridge Parkway - Mile 165-175 - Stop at Rocky Knob Visitor Center
Not many overlooks on this section of the Parkway, we re-enter at Tuggle Gap south of Roanoke, and enter Rocky Knob. We pass The Saddle Overlook and Rock Castle Gorge Overlook. Then we stop at the Rocky Knob Visitor Center to have a look around. The last half of the video is just a drive along the parkway without any overlooks or parking areas.
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Smith Mountain Lake State Park Virginia
This is a drive-through review of Smith Mountain Lake State Park Camping, Fishing, and Swimming in the mountains of Virginia. We had a great time camping there during May of 2016.
Links:
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Virgina Department of Conservation and Recreation:
Google Maps:
Trail of the Trees, Blue Ridge Parkway MP 63.7
Short little hike on Trail of the Trees at the James River Visitor Center at MP 63.7 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Nice peaceful short little hike along the James River.
Music : Jimmy Buffett - Pencil Thin Mustache
Blue Ridge Parkway DVD Postcard
The 469-mile-long Blue Ridge Parkway was designed as a recreational motor road linking Great Smoky Mountains and Shenandoah National Parks. Scenic overlooks offer frequent ride-a-while, stop-a-while opportunities of unsurpassed diversity.
Filmed in high definition, this Blue Ridge Parkway DVD Postcard captures a visit to Blue Ridge Parkway through the mountains of North Carolina and Virginia. It features 20 minutes of beautiful cinematography edited to inspiring music and includes the essence of the parkway. Packaged in a ready-to-mail mailer for family and friends! Available on location at Blue Ridge Parkway visitor centers and from finleyholiday.com. To learn more about the parkway, visit nps.gov/blri. For books and DVDs, visit eparks.com.
Included are the parkway's beautiful appalachian scenery and fall colors, wildlife and well-known placenames such as Mabry Mill, Peaks of Otter, Blue Ridge Music Center, Linnville Falls, Linn Cover Viaduct, Ashville's Folk Art Center, Moses Cone Manor, Grandfather Mountain and more.
The music is by a variety of artists and reflects the Blue Ridge's bluegrass mountain music roots, including songs by Bobby Horton and the Chocolate Drops.
America's Wildest Places - Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska
Misty fjords, deep glacial valleys, and lofty mountains distinguish the 1.9 million-acre Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge. Kodiak is the Island of the Great Bear, the Kodiak brown bear that inhabits this wild, rugged Archipelago in the Gulf of Alaska, 252 miles south-west of Anchorage.
Today, the refuge has a global conservation role - to instil regard for bears, salmon, and other wildlife within the largest intact, pristine island ecosystem. Kodiak's diverse habitats encompass 117 salmon-bearing streams, 16 lakes, riparian wetlands, grasslands, shrub lands, spruce forest, tundra, and alpine meadows. Collectively these habitats sustain 3,000 bears, account for up to 30 million salmon caught by the Kodiak-based fishing fleet, support more than 400 breeding pairs of bald eagles, and provide essential migration and breeding habitat for another 250 species of fish, birds and mammals. Such natural abundance and spectacular scenery attracts thousands of visitors to the refuge annually.
WILDLIFE & HABITAT
Refuge terrain is mostly mountainous dissected by fiords and deep river valleys carved by ancient glaciers. Diverse refuge wildlands, ranging from Sitka spruce forest on Afognak Island to rolling tundra on the Aliulik Peninsula, help sustain brown bears, bald eagles, Sitka-black tailed deer, red fox, river otter, ermine, tundra vole, and little brown bats along with other wildlife.
Kodiak brown bears are a distinct subspecies from mainland brown bears; they have been isolated on the archipelago since the last ice age, about 12,000 years ago. A rich variety of vegetation, salmon, and berries provide ideal habitat for bears, and their population flourishes - estimated at about 3,000 bears within the boundaries of the Kodiak Refuge.
TRAVEL & TOURISM
Kodiak Refuge offers superb recreational opportunities—an ideal destination for wildlife viewing, hunting, hiking, kayaking, fishing, camping, and other types of outdoor adventures.
If you enjoy getting outdoors and looking for wildlife, Kodiak provides incredible opportunities for viewers and photographers! From birding to bear watching, visitors come from all over the world to enjoy observing species in their wild habitat.
Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge offers a number of environmental education programs for a variety of audiences. Is your school, youth, environmental or other group interested in learning more about the wildlife, plants, habitats and ecology of Kodiak? Contact or visit the refuge Visitor Center to check on program availability and reservation policies.
Popular fishing destinations such as the Karluk, Uganik, and Ayakulik Rivers offer world-class fishing opportunities for salmon, steelhead, and rainbow trout. Hunting is a popular activity on the refuge. As practiced on refuges, hunting, trapping and fishing do not pose a threat to wildlife populations, and in some instances are necessary for sound wildlife management.
The Kodiak Refuge Visitor Center is located at 402 Center Ave, Kodiak.
Getting there:
Visiting Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge can be the experience of a lifetime! Getting to the refuge is not as simple as jumping into a car or strapping on a pair of hiking boots. The refuge covers 1.9 million acres on Kodiak, Uganik, Ban, and Afognak islands, areas only accessible by floatplane or boat.
Before departing for a trip into the Refuge, visitors typically reach the island of Kodiak by air from Anchorage. Listings for lodging, tours, air charters and outfitters are available through the Kodiak Chamber of Commerce at (907) 486-7605.
For questions about recreation, please contact the Refuge Visitor Center at 907-487-2626
Yaroooh! for Kids | News - Magazine
Blue Ridge Parkway deer Sept 2007
My motorcycle riding buddy Tim walks up to a deer at the Peaks of Otter Visitor Center on the BRP. Beautiful, but potentially dangerous as the deer were everywhere.
Camping at Holliday Lake State Park, VA
Driving Tour of Holliday Lake State Park in Virginia. Great state park, sites are a little tight so arrive early if you don't have one reserved so you can get one you fit into well.
***** Don't miss our video on boating the lake located here:
*** Hope you enjoyed. Make sure to watch all our camping adventures here:
Avocado Street ~ by Wes Hutchinson ~ Available in the YouTube Audio Library (
Hiking Humpback Rocks on the Virginia Blue Ridge Parkway
This is a short (about two miles round trip) hike up a very steep trail on Humpback Mountain at Mile Marker 6 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Humpback Rocks are right along the line between Nelson and Augusta Counties in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. The easiest access is via the Blue Ridge Parkway. The trail up the slope of the mountain is very interesting, with numerous rock features along the way. Once arriving at Humpback Rocks, you can get stunning views of the surrounding area. The view is nearly 360 degrees, blocked only by the summit of Humpack Mountain just to the south of the rocks. Great views of the Rockfish Valley, the City of Waynesboro, the Shenandoah Valley, Torry Ridge, Kelly Mountain, the Allegheny Highlands, and more. This is a busy hike, I was there on a very windy late weekday afternoon and there were several other hikers on the trail. This spot is probably packed and over crowded on a weekend. Unfortunately there is a lot of trash and graffiti at the rocks. Please practice Leave No Trace principles when hiking in any natural area. Thanks for watching. Please leave a comment and be sure to thumbs up the video.
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River Crossing by Albis (YouTube Library)
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Yard Sale by Silent Partner (YouTube Library)
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Wonderful Scenic Drive At Blue Ridge Parkway | Virginia Road Trip Day 3 | Bengali Travel Vlog
#blueridgeparkway #roadtriptovirginia #ournotsosecretdiary #travelvlog
The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway famous for its scenic beauty. The parkway, which is America's longest linear park, runs for 469 miles (755 km) through Virginia and North Carolina, connecting Shenandoah National Park to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It runs mostly along the spine of the Blue Ridge, a major mountain chain that is part of the Appalachian Mountains.
This road has four distinct sections. These are -
a. RIDGE REGION - Milepost 0 to 106, the Northernmost Section of the Parkway, located in Virginia
b. PLATEAU REGION - Milepost 106 to 216, this Section of the Parkway is located in Virginia and extends to the Virginia/North Carolina State Line
c. HIGHLANDS REGION - Milepost 216 to 339, this Section of the Parkway begins at the Virginia/North Carolina State Line and extends into North Carolina
d. PISGAH REGION - Milepost 339 to 469, the Southernmost Section of the Parkway, located in North Carolina
The Blue Ridge Parkway is a ribbon of road that weaves through the region’s vibrant living traditions. From Cherokee life and agricultural history to Southern Appalachian crafts and music, the Parkway’s 469 miles through Virginia and North Carolina offer many ways to explore rich traditions. Millions of visitors enjoy the Blue Ridge Parkway each year. Some think of it as just a motor road or a pleasant drive. But the Parkway is also a place of varied and significant natural resources. Spanning the southern and central Appalachians, the Blue Ridge Parkway offers an exceptional glimpse of the regional flora and fauna. It is world-renowned for its biodiversity. The Parkway covers a wide range of habitats along the Appalachian Mountains, and some of these habitats are exceptionally rare. You don’t have to be at an overlook to stop and enjoy the scenery. Beautiful as it all is, it’s best to keep your eyes on the road if you’re the driver. But there are plenty of places to stop and look a while or take photos. Blue Ridge Parkway Milepost 60 – 63.8: James River Visitor Center and Otter Creek Campground Recreational opportunities here include hiking, camping, picnicking and fishing. An accessible fishing pier on Otter Lake provides opportunities for visitors with impaired mobility to fish for warm water species.
To watch our previous videos for Virginia Road Trip, please click on the below links -
a. Shenandoah National Park -
b. Luray Caverns -
c. Roanoke City & Mill Mountain Star -
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Road Trip #418 - Blue Ridge Parkway - Mile 30-45 (View: Buena Vista)
Road Trip #418 - Blue Ridge Parkway - Mile 30-45 (View: Buena Vista)
In our fourth video in the Blue Ridge Parkway Series, we cover Mile 30 through 45. We pass by the Stillhouse Hollow Parking Area, the Yankee Horse Ridge Parking Airea and Trail, the Boston Knob Overlook, the Irish Creek Valley Overlook, the Whites Gap Overlook, and the Chimney Rock Mountain Overlook, finishing at the Buena Vista Overlook, where we get out of the car to stretch our legs and get a better look at the view.
Music from the YouTube Audio Library.
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Bathroom Tour: Vintage 1955 Crane Walton and Cromwell Urinal on 18th floor Metro Tower Lubbock TX
I love this bathroom. This bathroom is from 1955. What do you think of this bathroom? Twitter:
Road Trip #430 - Blue Ridge Parkway - Mile 200-215 (Stop at Piedmont Overlook)
Road Trip #430 - Blue Ridge Parkway - Mile 200-215 (Stop at Piedmont Overlook)
This will be the last video in the Commonwealth of Virginia. We cover miles 200-215 on the Blue Ridge Parkway Southbound. We pass the Mount Airy Granite Overlook, the Piedmont Overlook and the Blue Ridge Music Center. At the end of this video, we're just a few miles from the North Carolina state line.
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Road Trip #419 - Blue Ridge Parkway - Mile 45-60
Video #5 in our Blue Ridge Parkway Series, we begin at mile 45, and head south. We pass the Indian Gap Parking Area, the View of House Mountain, the Bluff Mountain Overlook, the Bluff Mountain Tunnel, the View of Rice Mountain, The White Oak Flats Overlook, Dancing Creek Overlook, and Several Otter Creek Overlooks, finishing at Mile 60.
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Wreckage of 1942 Douglas B18 Bomber ~ Mt. Waternomee NH
Another epic hike! This is my second plane wreck discovered and I intend to search for more. This story takes place in 1942 on a very cold winter night. An entire town climbed a mountain to rescue victims of this horrific wreck. Two died, 5 survived due to the heroic actions of the pilot. They all knew they were about to crash. This gave me chills upon coming up to it. Rest in peace to the deceased and as always, Happy Exploring ????
On Jan. 14, 1942, a plane crash awoke the quiet town of Woodstock, N.H. It was five weeks after the attack on Pearl Harbor. A Douglas B-18 Bolo Bomber was returning to Westover Air Force Base in Chicopee, Mass., near Springfield, from a patrol over the North Atlantic looking for German submarines. It was a stormy night, with strong winds and poor visibility, and the pilots flew blindly in the wrong direction for many miles.
By the time the pilots realized the mistake, they were just moments away from crashing into Mt. Waternomee. Just before impact, Woodrow Kantner, the co-pilot, pulled the nose of the bomber up to avoid a nose-first crash. This probably saved the lives of most of the crew.
Mt. Waternomee, 3,940 feet tall, is just west of Woodstock and Lincoln. The crash was heard throughout the countryside, and flames from the wreckage could be seen from the towns below.
Five of the seven crew members survived the crash and were able to escape from the wreckage. The other two died when leaking fuel caught fire, causing the bomber to EXPLODE.
Over the course of the night, residents of Lincoln and Woodstock climbed the mountain in extreme winter conditions to rescue the five survivors.
The Army took over the scene the very next day, and the dead crew members were removed from the wreckage and brought down the mountain.
The Army also detonated a 300-pound bomb that had NOT exploded in the crash.
Today, the wreckage of the plane can still be found on Mt. Waternomee, and can be reached by following an unofficial trail. The terrain is very steep and only hikers in good physical condition should attempt the five-mile round-trip hike.
Parts of the wings, engines, landing gear and fuselage are scattered across the steep mountainside. A plaque at the site honors the crew, and reminds visitors of the members of the armed forces who have given their lives in service to our country.
An archeological study of the crash site was conducted in 2006. Copies of the report can be viewed at the Lincoln, N.H. library. Photos and artifacts can be viewed at the Upper Pemigewasset Historical Society in Lincoln. In 2008 an interpretive panel was placed at the Beaver Brook trailhead along Route 112 in Kinsman Notch.
Blue Ridge Parkway's Favorite Humpback Rocks
Part of the Appalachian train and an alltime favorite for many is HUMPBACK ROCKS located in the Blue Ridge Mountains East of Stuarts Draft,Va.nearby Waynesboro,Va.and Nelson County.
Humpback Rocks is a massive greenstone and granite outcrop near the peak of Humpback Mountain Elavation 3080 Ft. from the summit.The Blue Ridge Parkway runs below the Rocks.
The trail is a 45 min.hike ascending 740 Ft. to the top of the rocks.
Between 1851 and 1900's wagoners hauling cargo used the bygone road Route 610 Howardsville Turnpike to go between Howardsville and the Shenandoah Valley.
Often travellers camped at the 795 acre Humpback Gap nearby,which is today the Humpback recreation area.It is said the rock fence at Humpback meadows near the Parkway was built by Plantation slaves.The Pioneer Farm is also a great attraction to many located within sight of Humpback Rocks just acrossed the Parkway! The Music in this video is by Chronos,a tune called Harmony. I created this video with the YouTube Video Editor (
Time Lapse: Sharp Top Mountain Hike
Time Lapse of a hike in Virginia. Sharp Top mountain at Peaks of Otter. Music Cred: Death Cab for Cutie - Soul Meets Body