Recently, the stars aligned for some fall magic in White Oak Canyon. A two-day storm dropped about four inches of rain on the Shenandoah Mountains during the peak of fall color in White Oak Canyon. I ventured out to photograph the smaller water falls in the canyon on the second day, when the storm had subsided to misty rain. Normally the water levels in this small mountain stream are extremely low in the fall, but on this day, the Robinson River had been transformed into a non-stop series of whitewater rapids winding through a golden forest.
The overcast weather made for wonderful soft light that really allowed the fall color to glow.
Due to strong winds during the rain storm, the stream banks were covered in warm fall color.
While White Oak Canyon features a number of larger water falls, on this day I wanted to capture the increased flow in the smaller cascades.
A fly fisherman working one of the deeper pools at the base of a cascade. The Robinson River is stocked with brook and rainbow trout.
I usually look for areas in the stream that are clear of fallen logs, but sometimes they can add extra visual interest.
I hope you enjoyed my favorite images from this amazing and beautiful day in the Shenandoah National Park. I was truly blessed to be there to capture this brief moment in time. I returned a week later for a family hike and most of the color in the woods along the water’s edge had already fallen to the ground due to a series of freezing nights and windy weather. You can see more fall images of White Oak Canyon here.