The majestic Black Mountains tower toward the sky from this overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The Black Mountains received their name from the dark green coat of Fraser fir and red spruce. The average elevation of these mountains exceeds 6000 feet and makes the range the highest mountains in the east. The mountains are composed primarily of quartz, feldspar, mica and hornblende. The extreme height of the mountain range could stem from the high percentage of quartz that makes up the mountain. The exceptional durability of the mineral creates resistance to erosion and helps explain the impressive height of the Black Mountains.

Panorama was stitched together from 22 individual photos.