No matter how many times I lay eyes on the Blue Ridge Mountains, its vastness and splendor never ceases to amaze me. I have been hiking this range for over 20 years, and it has always been a place where I can realign myself, clear the mind, and recharge the soul. When I was younger, during tough years of schooling, I remember coming up to this place to help me navigate difficult crossroads and decisions. I always found the crisp, mountain air and the rigor of a tough hike, rejuvenating and it never failed to bring me clarity.

We found a perfect weekend in May to bring the whole family to enjoy the mountain air in the Wintergreen Mountain area of Virginia. We took a platoon of young children and found a very relaxing and peaceful trail called Paul’s Creek Trail. The trail is an easy 1.2 mile in and out trek through a gentle cascading creek. During times of heavy rain fall it serves as a natural water slide as well with a couple of good wading areas.

It’s certainly nice to get off the busier hikes in Virginia (Old Rag Mountain, Dragon’s Tooth, McAffee’s Knob) once in a while. The distance was appropriate for young toddlers and the elevation change was only 328ft.

We encountered alot of wild life during our time in the mountains. May to June is typically when the white tailed deer give birth to new fawns. The month of May is also a big one for migratory birds making their way back up north. The Blue Ridge was alive. We spent the days watching the sun light up the valleys, and listened to the sounds of the mountain range. Virginia is a beautiful place.

Photos taken on a Sony A6700 with a Tamron lens 28-75mm.