The Southerly View from Elliot Mountain
Just two miles north of Otter Creek Valley is Elliot Mountain, a 2,000 foot high peak just southeast of 3,200 foot Hickory Nut Mountain. For some strange reason, the fall colors are strongest there about a week later than other mountains in the area. Many of the trees are Sugar and Red Maples, and really are much more intense than the Oaks and Hickories that populate the Eastern Blue Ridge Escarpment. I went there two days ago, and found a deck on a home that has a southern view toward Lake Lure and South Carolina. Although the Maples are still changing, other trees on Elliot Mountain are quite beautiful.
In the far distance is Tryon Mountain along the South Carolina line, and a smaller Bill’s Mountain is the closer ridge, on the southeast side of Lake Lure.
Above is Oak Mountain, about two miles away. Otter Creek Valley and my home are just over that mountain.
This panorama, which also now appears in the main header of this blog, shows the foothills of the Piedmont Plateau on the left, with Kings Mountain on the far distant horizon. To the right are the two mountains that face my house from the north, Oak and Brushy Top. Most of the pastures below hold award winning Black Angus herds.
Living in The Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina- A Blog 
Just beautiful, what a rainbow of color!