In this final installment of my Fall 2021 travelogue, I'll be showing you some of Virginia's lesser-known spots for natural beauty shots!
This installment includes Crabtree Falls, Falls Ridge Preserve, and Natural Bridge State Park.
Enjoy your virtual scroll n' stroll through these natural wonders!
Mineral springs in this area of the state have created a unique type of limestone called travertine, giving this waterfall at Falls Ridge a very unique, almost gauzy appearance.
This waterfall is approximately 80' tall and there are many other travertine deposits both above and below this cascade.
The waterfall fans out in a wide, asymmetrical arc.
A zoomed-out shot shows several of the other travertine deposits exposed below the falls.
A smaller, yet still hypnotizing cascade created over the creek's travertine course.
Exposed cliffs of travertine give these rocks a dose of personality - can you see the face?
A profile shot of the travertine cliffs reveals several portions of rock that jut out like noses.
One of the last trees arrayed in fall leaves catches the late afternoon light.
A small cave cut into the travertine limestone reminds me of a jackal.
Another profile shot of the cliff reveals a figure with a hooked nose.
A face protruding from the rock gazes at the last leaved tree in the vicinity.
Crabtree Falls is nigh-on impossible to photograph in one shot. This series of cascades crashes nearly 1200' feet down the Virginia mountains, and it is a 1.7 mile hike to reach all of them!
A beauty shot of the final major cascade of Crabtree Falls' course.
Virginia's remarkable Natural Bridge, beloved by Thomas Jefferson, stands more than 200' tall.
Lace Falls, a smooth and sweeping cascade found three-quarters of a mile down the path from Natural Bridge.
The leaves didn't seem to stick around Lace Falls for very long, however.
A shot of some of the most appetizing fall foliage along an otherwise barren canopy of trees.
The view walking back towards Natural Bridge from Lace Falls.
Sunlight peeks through the arc of Natural Bridge as the trail approaches a bend.
You can see how Jefferson would have been enamored with such a place!
The first major cascade of Crabtree Falls.
The second cascade of Crabtree Falls takes a dramatic plunge.
Crabtree Falls has retained a fair bit of its foliage, allowing for some nice attempts at
creating a colorful fall frame around the cascades.
A small crevice adds another pop of personality to Crabtree Falls'
otherwise strenuous and slippery hike.
The third major cascade along the way is a smooth, almost silken, slide down the rocks.
Another cascade takes several plunges, winding its way around the rocky riverbed.
Another small crevice comes with a view of Crabtree's final cascade.
Crabtree's last cascade, and one of its longest drops.
Crabtree's Final Fall
Another lock at a rockier part of Crabtree's cascades.
A triple tiered natural delight, courtesy of Crabtree's cascades.
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