We woke up to wonderful mountain views from our cabin in Black Mountain. The night before, a local bakery in Asheville caught our eye while out for dinner. We decided to start the morning there, with a fresh cup of tea and muffin from Blue Moon Bakery. Then we headed south on the Blue Ridge Parkway to take a day hike in our usual spot, Graveyard Fields. The minute we pull into the overlook parking area, our Italian Greyhounds begin to scurry around the car with joy. They were unable to control their excitement in the car while we packed our lunches, making sure to bring enough water for both the pups and us.

Packs stuffed, dogs leashed, we were ready for our hike. The hike began at a very fast pace as Ziggy pulled his humans along after every smell on the trial. Bella and Ziggy always enjoy competing for the front spot of the hike. Ziggy usually wins and directs the family on which path to take. Ziggy’s nose led us to the waterfalls—that’s where most of the dog owners hang with their pups. After creek hopping and water splashing, we ate our picnic lunch by the cascading waterfall. Then we headed toward the open meadows where the pups could happily roam. We spent hours in the meadow gazing at the wildflowers and mountain blueberries, enjoying the peace and serenity of nature. By late afternoon, the dogs were spent and we returned to the car. We humans enjoyed the breathtaking views from the Parkway while the hounds slept soundly in the backseat.