Cades Cove in the Smoky Mountains © William Britten use with permission only

Can a person ever get too much Cades Cove or Smoky Mountains? No need to answer … I find myself drawn back these days over and over to see what’s happening. Mostly it’s been all about pictures of deer this winter … the bucks and the does. Today it’s just the boundless serenity of the valley.

Cades Cove Hyatt Lane © William Britten use with permission only

Cades Cove is nearly 7000 acres of pasture, woodlands, streams and mountainsides – an almost unimaginable area of vastness and beauty. There is only one road in to the valley, and the watershed is completely contained within … exiting from the western side via Abrams Creek.

To the millions who visit, Cades Cove is a series of postcard pictures of American pioneer life.  To me it represents an idea that has vanished, but may come again. The idea of human settlements sized to fit the natural boundaries and available resources. Self-contained, self-sufficient, capable of sustaining a community indefinitely both in terms of physical and spiritual comfort.

Cades Cove Smoky Mountains Panorama © William Britten use with permission only

The door is unlocked and the welcome mat out at the William Britten Gallery on Glades Rd in Gatlinburg. All of my Smoky Mountains pictures are on display for you to browse.