Boxley

Our next stop was Boxley Valley, which is truly one of the prettiest places in the state. It was a rainy morning, and fog and mist clung to the tops of the mountains that stand tall over the valley. We made a stop by the old grist mill that sits in the middle of the valley.



The first mill here was built way back in 1840. That mill actually was the center of a small Civil War skirmish called the Battle of Whiteley's Mill. The current mill was built in 1870 and operated until the 1960s. The mill has been restored and occasionally the interior is opened for tours by the National Park Service.



We then took Cave Mountain Road, which runs steeply up the side of the mountain. But we did make one stop at Hedge's Pouroff, where a creek tumbles over the bluff into the valley below. The pouroff is notoriously difficult to photograph, but the view from there is amazing. The trees were a deep and vibrant green from new Spring growth (actually had to desaturate the colors a bit in the pictures). I was careful to not get too close to the edge for this picture, since the bluff here is about 100 feet tall.



The bluff is guarded by an ancient cedar tree, which has enjoyed this view for many many years.