Whitetop Mountain and Elk Gardens, both in Virginia, are two of the prettiest and wildest places, yet they are unknown to many. I was fortunate enough to run into a photographer a couple years ago that shared this information with me. Most of the people I run into who are familiar with the area are hikers who through it on the Appalachian Trail.Mt. Rogers is the highest point in Virginia, and Whitetop Mountain is the second highest. Elk Garden is located at the intersection of State Road 600 and the Appalachian trail and falls in between Mt. Rogers and Whitetop Mountain. It features open balds and pastureland with long range views making it an ideal place for sunrise and sunset pictures. A trail from Elk Gardens will take you to the top of Mt. Rogers, but the views are impacted by the dense forest. This area is a great place to hike in July because of the wild blueberries and blackberries, but please only take a few and leave them for the wildlife and others.
If you leave Elk Garden and head south on State Road 600 there will be a turnoff to the right that will take you to the top of Whitetop Mountain. You will also intersect the Appalachian Trail on your way to the top of Whitetop Mountain. The area southwest of the intersection is one of my favorite places to photography wildflowers. If you go to this area, please respect its sensitivity and stay on the trail. Use a telephoto lens to photography flowers off the trail instead of walking through the area. If you travel a little further down the trail you will reach a spring that can serve as a water source. Backcountry water should be properly treated or filtered before drinking.
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