Nature sites in central/western Virginia

Hey, folks. I was born and raised in Tidewater Virginia, and I've lived in Richmond for the past 7 years, but I haven't really been to many places around Central Virginia and the mountains and want to get out and go camping this summer.

Other than the obvious ones (Natural Bridge, Crabtree Falls), what are your favorite places to shoot nature/landscapes in central/western Virginia?

Just about anywhere in the Shenandoah Valley or the Blue Ridge.

Head south to the Abingdon area, and up into the moutains towards Damascus, VA.

http://www.damascus.org/

My favorite places are the close ones no one thinks of. For example, James River Park at Pony Pasture or the Buttermilk trail. The woods and railroad tracks by Richmond Intermediate Terminal (and the Virginia Boat Club boat house). Deep Run Park and Dorey Park in Henrico. Pochahontas State Park in Chesterfield. The River trail at Henricus Park in Chesterfield. The James River boat ramp on 522 (just off RT6/Patterson Avenue). Bell Island, of course. In short, almost anywhere.

Traveling west, I usually just turn down a road and look for something interesting. This works well along Rt. 250 (Broad Street) both East and West of Charlottesville.

Bears Den Hostel along the AT east of Purceville is a good spot. As is most of the AT in that area.

Then there's the valleys across the line in West Virginia.


Mike

If you go to Natural Bridge or Crabtree Falls, be prepared to see lots of other people around. Like DBP said, Shenandoah and the Blue Ridge Parkway have lots to offer.

To expand a little on Mike's idea of places around Richmond, it's overdone by every photography student at VCU, but Hollywood Cemetary is still a pretty neat place to go.

There are dozens of vineyards and wineries all over Virginia, Tamworth just west of Richmond off Route 45 has some old abandoned buildings damaged by Hurricane Camille, Barboursville Vineyards has some ruins on the grounds. Douthat State Park is a nice park, Warm Springs is a pretty area, Mt. Rogers/Grayson Highlands area, just so many places.

Just get in the car and drive west, you'll find something. Choose either Rt. 360 or Rt. 60 or Rt. 33 or Rt. 250 or Rt. 6 and just drive.

I've lived in Richmond for a while now, and I think I'm the only photographer in town who's never been to Hollywood; and I was a VCU student for 5 years, so I really have no excuse =).

I do however, have shots of every tree and boulder at Belle Isle.

Thanks for the suggestions; I'm thinking I need to just fill up my gas tank and hit the road one weekend. I really want to find a good place to go camping out there, I haven't been since I left the Scouts when I moved here. It's an itch.