Lake Toxaway, North Carolina. My family vacationed on Lake Toxaway when I was 10 years old. I returned a few years ago and was amazed at the color reflections in the lake’s waters on a beautiful autumn day. The lake’s boathouses are architectural masterpieces and stand out against the reflections on calm waters.
This week, we’re sharing a photo essay that appeared in our fall print issueso you can view photographer Robert Clark’s exquisite work. We’ve removed the paywall so all subscribers can enjoy these beautiful fall images that focus on the fall colors of the Carolinas’ backroads. We’ll share other photos from his collection in future emails.
Robert provided his thoughts about each photo, which we’ve included in the captions.
Colors of the Backroads
Written and photographed by Robert Clark
Autumn’s cooler days invite backroad travelers to slow down and discover something new. In a world of ever-advancing technology, packed schedules, and highways designed to get us from point A to point B as quickly as possible, the roads less traveled offer a welcome change of pace.
Stop at a rustic antique store, explore an abandoned country store, admire a cotton field stretching like snowfall to the horizon, or pull over to photograph an old barn and its weathered pickup surrounded by fall color. Wander through a small-town festival, then settle into a mom-and-pop café for a biscuit or two.
As a photographer, I’m often asked what I enjoy most about what I do, and my answer is always the same: experiences—the thrill of viewing something I’ve never seen before, and discovering the history, people, and places that make a landscape unique. Keep an open mind, take the scenic route, and you never know what you’ll find around the next corner—no technology necessary.
Long Creek, South Carolina. I love photographing barns, and this barn in Long Creek, South Carolina, is my all-time favorite. I still remember seeing the battle of nature versus man’s designs. After taking this photo, I visited a local homestead where a family still used an outdoor pump for water. I doubt the barn and home still stand, but looking at this photo always takes me back in time.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Elk were reintroduced to Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 2001 after an absence of 150 years. While visiting the park’s welcome center one afternoon, I didn’t expect any success in photographing the herd. Walking along a trail beside the Oconaluftee River, I spotted an alpha male with a massive antler rack standing in the river. We made eye contact and stared at each other for a few seconds. The lighting on the elk was perfect, and so was my luck.
Backroads of South Carolina. While visiting a backroads churchyard, I came across this section of fallen ginkgo leaves. A recent shower left water droplets on the leaves, and I enjoyed searching for an area where the leaves and water droplets were in perfect balance. Known also as a “living fossil,” the ginkgo’s surviving lineage dates back 270 million years.
Lexington, South Carolina. I passed this farm shed many times in my travels and knew the fall colors would give it an iconic look during the late autumn season. Located in Lexington County, South Carolina, the giant oak tree gives the shed protection while also providing an ample supply of firewood for the cold winter days ahead.
Lancaster, South Carolina. This “retired” cotton gin lives a second life, sheltering hay rolls in late autumn. I made sure every time I passed by to “stop in” and check on its status. Undiscovered treasures on the backroads lie around the next corner.
North and South Carolina border. Travelers to Caesar’s Head State Park enjoy the twisting curves of Highway 276 near the state line of North and South Carolina.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina. It took many decades for me to photograph this image. My schedule, weather conditions, and “being there” all came together on a glorious morning when it felt like I could see forever—mountain ridges that become legends in our world. You never know what you will see, and that’s the best reward from traveling.
Greer, South Carolina. Gilreath’s Mill is located outside of Greer, South Carolina. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it was built in the 1830s. I picked the perfect day to visit and was amazed at how the fall colors enveloped the mill, giving it a look of timelessness.
Rural South Carolina. Traveling backroads, you might spot old windmills still in existence. It’s rare to see one with all blades intact. This windmill was located on an old dairy farm now covered with a strip mall. The rainbow lent an ethereal touch to the quiet contest between old and new.
Thanks for reading, and remember to always … take the long way home.
You always takes me places that make me feel calm and slow and in touch with something wonderful. Thank you for that.
Thank you for sharing these amazing photos. Robert Clark is very gifted!