This view looks toward Hollins and North Roanoke, near the crest of Hollins Trail. 

Surprising Beauty in a Late-Winter Hike

It is easy to go into the woods on a late winter day like today--with the temperature at 72 degrees--and be disappointed that the view isn't better and more colorful. Easy, if you don't look, anyway. If you do look, you see what I saw today on the lower half of Tinker Mountain off the Hollins trail. Here are some of the photos I took to prove my point. 

You gotta love this tree.

This small cedar, with the lovely center, was cut down. 

Hiking trail in winter. 

A throny problem. 

See the little man dancing in the roots?

Even the rocks are unusually beautiful.

Winter view of the Cove. 

More thorns, more problems. 

My least-favorite part of any hike. 

Leichens are cool.

The leaves on this tree are dead, which tells you something.

The happiness trail on a winter's day in Virginia.

The old man appreciating his surroundings. The camera is a nokiN (shot with phone, so backward).