Sharp Top & Abbott Lake

John H Bowman has added a photo to the pool:

This was the view from our room at the Peaks of Otter Lodge about 8 a.m. last Saturday. (Despite the beautiful start, and a favorable forecast, the day turned mostly cloudy.) Ruth Ann and I have stayed at the lodge at least 15 times starting in 1996; this view, and the tranquility of the spot, are key reasons we keep returning. This time son David and his family accompanied us; it was the first trip to the area for all but David, and he hadn't been there since he was in school, so we had fun showing them some of the places we like. The Abbott Lake trail around the lake is a pleasant one-mile loop.

It was the first time our grandsons had been able to watch a "change of seasons" in a matter of minutes, and ability that is demonstrated by the trees on Sharp Top. The mountain is 3,875 feet at the top, and the elevation at the trailhead on the right side of the photo is 2,535 feet; while the trees near the top were still bare, those at lake level were pretty fully leafed out, even though most still had the lighter greens of early spring. Later in the day, we drove 40 miles north on the parkway, watching the leaves get smaller and then disappear as we approached the high point on the Virginia portion of the parkway (3,950 feet at Apple Orchard), and then seeing leaves reappear as we descended to the parkway's lowest point (649 feet at the James River). Please view in the light box.