Images of Western North Carolina 2024

Spring 2024

Images of Western North Carolina 2024: We reviewed 130 entries—totaling to more than 500 photos —to our photo contest this year. What’s even more impressive? You cast nearly 6,000 votes for the Readers’ Choice contest.

WRITER:

Sunflower Under the Stars - Mallory Fountain Captured through a long exposure shot, the Milky Way Galaxy overlooks a field of sunflowers in summer. {Amateur} @fairfortunephoto

Readers' Choice Winner -- Subzero Surprise - Thomas Mabry A bitter, cold January morning rewards the hikers willing to brave the freezing wind with an unforgettable sunrise atop Roan Mountain in Mitchell County. {Professional} @honeybadgerimages

Golden Hour and Sunflowers - Charles Wilkins In early September, shades of summer still echo through Max Patch Mountain at sunrise. {Amateur} @thebeardedtraveler17

1st Place Amateur Category -- Low Hanging Fruit - Dan Riley V Thousands of black bears call WNC their home. Here, a resident cub finds a tasty morsel hanging from a walnut tree. {Amateur} @rileyv.photography $Walking In A Weathered Wonderland - Lee Vandyke At Waterrock Knob, the highest peak in the Plott Balsams, October leaves meet an early, frosty snowfall. {Amateur} @leevandyke_photo$
Walking In A Weathered Wonderland - Lee Vandyke At Waterrock Knob, the highest peak in the Plott Balsams, October leaves meet an early, frosty snowfall. {Amateur} @leevandyke_photo

Brother’s Farewell - Andrea Reid After losing their mother, five brothers stand atop the Blue Ridge Mountains, overlooking her home in Columbus. {Amateur} @stilettoschu $Looking Glass H2flow - David McKenzie In late summer, Looking Glass Falls roars with life. It's one of the few waterfalls with roadside access, found just outside of Brevard. {Amateur} @_davidcmckenzie_$
Looking Glass H2flow - David McKenzie In late summer, Looking Glass Falls roars with life. It's one of the few waterfalls with roadside access, found just outside of Brevard. {Amateur} @_davidcmckenzie_ $Mountain Ash Dreams - Leslie Restivo On an early October morning, Grandfather Mountain’s ash berries (also called rowanberries) decorate the treeline. {Professional} @leslie_restivo$
Mountain Ash Dreams - Leslie Restivo On an early October morning, Grandfather Mountain’s ash berries (also called rowanberries) decorate the treeline. {Professional} @leslie_restivo

Forest Road in the Fall - Tanya Triber Before wheels can disturb them, the stunning orange hues of autumn from nearby trees lay on the ground, scattered along a back road. {Amateur} @momento.mori.photography $Duel of Oconaluftee - Michael Drake Two bull elks spar in the frozen tundras of Oconaluftee Valley in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. {Amateur} @michael_drake_photography$
Duel of Oconaluftee - Michael Drake Two bull elks spar in the frozen tundras of Oconaluftee Valley in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. {Amateur} @michael_drake_photography

The Old Barn - David Huff Like this abandoned barn, among the North Carolina hills you’ll find testimony of our region’s farming traditions. {Professional} @davidhuffcreative

The Colorful Carpet of Autumn - Anthony Crowley After a windy night, this photographer ventured to Cullasaja Gorge to capture the rushing stream and the bright leaves that decorate it. {Amateur} @anthonycrowleyphoto

1st Place Professional Category -- Table Rock Wildfire - Cathy Anderson A forest fire rages methodically down Table Rock towards Linville Gorge, a popular destination in Pisgah National Forest. {Professional} @cathyandersonphoto

Seasons Collide at Sunburst - Mitchell Bearden This past October, an unseasonably-cold weather system brought snow and ice to the high points of the balsams amid peak fall colors. {Amateur} @mitchell.andrew.photo

Big Creek Cathedral - Shari Jardina Found in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Big Creek is home to many waterfalls, and has a strong river flow all year. Visit the nearby campground to explore. {Amateur} @wolfmtnimages

Cows Along the Milky Way - Justin Potter At night, the Blue Ridge Parkway comes to life. Underneath a stellar sky, a photographer captures a Western North Carolina herd. {Professional} @jpotterphoto

Tabled Broomcorn - Robert Grand At John C. Campbell Folk School, broom maker Mark Hendry demonstrates the height of broomcorn before harvest. {Professional} @robertalangrand

Through the Misty Mountains - Eifel Kreutz In the fog, a hiker climbs through the Black Mountain Crest Trail, one of the state’s most rugged—and beautiful—journeys. {Amateur} @eifelkreutz

Radiance - Rhonda Kingen From the Blue Ridge Parkway’s Woolyback Overlook, you can spot the sun’s rays dancing across our mountain range. {Professional} @rhondakingenphotography

Sunshine Over Mount - Mitchell Clay Townsend A photographer overlooks the Blue Ridge Mountains from the highest peak east of the Mississippi River. {Professional} @clay.townsend

Tiger Swallowtail on Turks Cap - Susan Stamey This butterfly stops to gather some pollen from a blooming Turks-Cap Lily along the Blue Ridge Parkway in July. Having visited others as well, the swallowtail is coated in the burnt orange powder. {Amateur} @beancountessphoto

In Bloom - Authentic Asheville The vibrant gardens at Biltmore Estate teem with life and color during the warmer months. {Professional} @authenticasheville

Appalachian Awakening - Ryan Karcher Rich Mountain Fire Tower has stood for more than 100 years in the Pisgah National Forest. It’s one of six found along the Appalachian Trail. {Professional} @rkarcher99

Highland Cow - Paul Albert Named for their origins in Scotland, these friendly creatures are able to find their way around our region despite the dossan (fringe) covering their eyes. {Amateur}

Walking Between Seasons - Trevor Bamford At Dupont State Park’s Fawn Lake, the remnant oranges of autumn clash with chilly November temperatures. @trevoronthetrail

Into the Clouds - Nadine Freeman At the annual Mountain State Fair in Fletcher, carnival-goers can experience thrilling rides, like The Swing Ride, which spins passengers high above the ground. {Amateur} @nadinehopefree