Meet in the Middle

Rhododendron Blooms under Sunset Skies on the Appalachian Trail

Catawba Rhododendron at peak bloom under a stunning sunset sky along the Appalachian Trail at Carver's Gap in the Roan Mountain Highlands of Western NC. This could be my favorite section of the Appalachian Trail, as it crosses grassy balds covered in bright pink catawba rhododendron blooms while offering amazing scenic landscape views in every direction. On this particular evening we were treated to one of the best sunsets I've been lucky enough to witness in my years of shooting landscapes, which resulted in a bit of a mad dash around the mountainside looking for compositions that showcased the brilliant colors shaping up in the sky above us. Hope you enjoy the view as much as we did!

Tags: appalachian trail, spring flowers, rhododendron, north carolina, blue ridge mountains, appalachians, catawba rhododendron, roan mountain, carvers gap, nc, western nc, sunset, landscape, photography, summer, june, highlands