18/08/2021
The view from our massive deck is of the Blue Ridge! Come stay for a getaway … https://www.airbnb.com/h/longviewmeadowslurayva
When you look at the mountains of Shenandoah National Park, what colors do you see?
Hikers may notice the grays, blacks, and tans of the park geology along with the green hues of the meadow and forests. However, from a distance this rolling land takes on a completely different palette.
So, what exactly makes the Blue Ridge blue?
It’s actually thanks to the trees!
When trees photosynthesize sunshine and carbon dioxide into nutrients and oxygen, they release a natural biproduct of hydrocarbons. As this (completely harmless) chemical mixture is released, it falls as a haze over the park. Not only does this give the mountains a “smoky” look, but the particles also scatter blue light, leading to the iconic color of our peaks!