It’s not unusual to spot a bear in and around Gatlinburg and the Great Smoky Mountains. But this fall, in the year of the Pandemic, a family of bears seemed to adopt us at our hilltop perch overlooking Mt. LeConte. A mamma and her three cubs. They were entertaining...
Mt. LeConte is the third-highest Smoky Mountains peak, but to me it represents the skyline of the Smokies. As you approach from the north, Mt. Leconte is a Smoky Mountains landmark seen from 50 miles away, or further on a clear day. As you travel around the Gatlinburg...
The incredible photo above was taken by Dutch Roth during a hike to Rainbow Falls on February 16th, 1958. The photo below, also by Dutch Roth, was taken on the old Indian Gap Highway on February 22, 1947. Exactly 64 years ago today! Both photos used with permision of...
This time of year in our Smoky Mountains we are all itching to say good-bye to winter and welcome springtime and the wildflower season. These are my candidates for the best early spring wildflowers that may be found in March after some warm days and a bit of rainfall....
This time of year can be absolutely breathtaking in the Gatlinburg area. Both of these images show a winter panorama of the Smoky Mountains with Mt. LeConte center stage. They were taken from a ridge way out on Upper Middle Creek Rd. about 10 miles or so from the...
The image above was taken from the footbridge that leads to the Ramsay Cascades trail in the Greenbrier section of the Smoky Mountains. This wide panorama was created from five vertical panels joined together with a photostitch technique. And each vertical panel was...
Many photography books advise you to carefully compose a scene in your mind, and then carry out that vision with your equipment. However, I don't do it that way! When I go out looking for stunning Smoky Mountains photos and hope to find a candidate to add to my...
After a snowfall followed by frigid temperatures, I was out at the Ogle Place along the Roaring Fork in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. On this morning I was trying to keep feeling in my fingers with the temperature around 9 degrees! Photographing scenes like...
The route to Grotto Falls is one of the sweetest Smoky Mountains waterfalls hikes. Not much more than a mile in length, this hike has a gem at the end, with many opportunities for photos. As the sign above indicates, it's a part of the Trillium Gap Trail which goes...
We might be right on the edge of December, but it's not too late for a dip in the old hot tub! The air has a chilly nippy feel, but the water in the tub is steaming up my camera lens! No need to daydream ... come on down to the Smokies. Gatlinburg has the million...