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| Great Smoky Mountains Photo Workshop, TN | |
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| | Great Smoky Mountains Photo Workshop, TN | | | |
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Great Smoky Mountains Photo Workshop, TN
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| Walk / Tour | 3.00 Miles |
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| | Walk / Tour | 3.00 Miles | | | |
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| no partners | | I have seen photos of the most visited park in the nation and now I was here after a couple days in Asheville, NC. I met up with 3 other participants at Knoxville where we had rented a minivan for our journey. It was a good thing we arrived the day before as one of the participant's missed a connector so was delayed coming in. The minivan worked out well as you get in and out numerous times and are carrying camera gear. For the workshop, two other participants would be riding with us as well.
Oct 29th, Thursday - Prior to the workshop, we were on our own and couldn't check in until late that day so we decided to do some touring which included driving to Great Smoky Mountain National Park. The weather would threaten us during the entire time we were here until the evening before we left. We stopped a couple times on our drive. Our plans to do a couple scenic drives were thwarted by the wind as the roads were closed. However, we made the most of it and enjoyed all that the fall color was throwing at us including lots of falling leaves.
We drove thru Gatlinburg, way too touristy and crowded, so went to a plan B and headed for Pigeon Forge after driving by Dollywood. Pigeon Forge is a fun town to visit and we had lunch at a great Distillery (Junction 35 Spirits) where we all agreed we ate the best pulled pork we had ever had. After a stop at REI and Apple Valley Farm where we had dessert, we headed to our lodging at Tanasi Lodge above Wears Valley, high atop a mountain; way worth the money. The views would entertain us from all sides the entire time we were there. In fact, this late afternoon we were treated to a a very tall and bright rainbow.
Day 1, Oct 30 - we were lucky and started out with no rain for our morning shoot that started at 8AM at a place called Elkmont. It was a fun place to shoot and involved a creek, a bridge and fall color. There was also an old resort community that had been restored so that was interesting. Next we headed to Pigeon Forge for lunch at a local brewery (good food) and then back to the Lodge where we were once again treated to spotty cloud cover below us and above Wears Valley. We had a review session before heading back out to Metcalf Bottoms, still being lucky that no rain had started to fall. Here I got a one on one session working with a neutral density filter to try and create that smoky water which seemed apropos for being in the Smoky Mountains .
Day 2, Oct 29 - a 6:30AM leave time (fortunately the sun comes up late) for our rainy day on the Cades Cove Loop. We waited at the gate until they open at 8AM as there is generally a line of cars, today being no exception. During the first part of our drive, we saw deer from a distance through the rain. We pulled off on a dirt road and everyone headed their own direction. I had trouble really finding anything to shoot but eventually settled on the grass valley, also more deer here. As I walked back to the van, our instructor was yelling  "bear", get in the cars. I didn't see the bears that were apparently just around the corner from one of the particpants, nor did I run really. Anyway, after that excitement we continued on the loop.
Our next stop was at the John Oliver Cabin that had a paved path to it. The rain started coming down pretty good so it wasn't an enjoyable walk but you got to make the best of the cards you are dealt. There is a scene of trees behind the cabin that was the focus of the shoot here.
We continued on the drive toward the Cades Cove VC with a few intermittent stops. As we got nearer the VC, the line of cars came nearly to a stop; the ranger said there were bears in some trees  , thus we had hit a bear jam. Well I was the only one that was able to zoom as I had my little camera so I zoomed through the rain to get a few shots. The bears look mostly like black blobs but it was amazing to see about 4 bears up in the trees. We ate the lunches we brot in our cars at the VC before heading to our next stop which was the John Lawson Place, it was pretty impressive. The rain still inhibited our photography though.
Our last stop of the day would be at the end of Upper Tremont Road. This location had a bridge over the Middle Prong of the Little River to cross. (They use the words Prong or Branch a lot in waterway descriptions.) I had to hike a little up this path to go find a photo on the water. Fortunately, the rain had let up a little so it wasn't as wet as it had been the last several hours. It was a great place to hang out which was also evidenced by the other photography group that showed up.
Day 3, Oct 31 - another early start (6:15AM) for the drive UP through the dark that was only broken up by intermittent dense fog (smoky) to the infamous Clingman's Dome into NC and right to the parking lot. However, when daylight hit, there was nothing to be seen but the trees and the restroom facilities. A lot of our day would be restricted vision. So is this what they mean by Great Smoky Mountains? We waited for 1/2 hour or so but to no avail. I was so hoping I would be able to hike to the Observation Tower so I could finally say, "On top of old Smokey" which also happened to be the name of my former cow horse.
So we headed back down to the junction with Newfound Gap Road (this is also where the Appalachian Trail crosses between NC and TN). We headed south back into NC where we stopped at Luftee Overlook and punched out some photos through the fog and light rain. It was a pretty area; at least what we could see of it. I just now looked at some images from there via google and it really has quite the view.
Our second stop at the Swinging Bridge Quiet Walkway (or QW as they call it) Overlook was a little more lucrative as there would be occasional breaks in the clouds. It was interesting to watch how fast the clouds moved up, through and around the mountains. However, once again we never did get a long vista. Thankfully the fall color was intense  and some of the moss on the trees was interesting as well.
From here we turned around and continued on US441 through Great Smoky Mountain Park until we came to a small turnout for Chimney Tops. Weather was still not cooperating so tops were out of view. It was a fascinating area though and we were able to get some nice dramatic photos. After lunch and a critique session we headed out for our sunset shoot on the Foothills Parkway with finally some nice weather. I understand the Foothills Parkway was quite the project. I didn't know it at the time but we were looking back toward the area we had been and would be tomorrow. Your view of the Great Smoky Mountains stretches to North Carolina from here.
Day 4, Nov 1 - Another early start to the middle of Upper Tremont Road, this time at the Lynn Camp Prong between the Little River Middle Prong and Thunderhead Prong. It was nice weather for a change so we all really enjoyed our hour and half stay here, so beautiful. Little did we know what was waiting for us at the Tanasi Lodge until we drove up the very long and high hill... Let's put it this way, the Great SMOKY Mountains  OMG! Needless to say, I was glad I was mostly packed up so I could photograph some of Mother Nature's finest work! What a way to leave; it somewhat made up for the difficult weather conditions we had to endure from time to time.
And now to load up, say our goodbyes and head out for the Knoxville airport. The Phoenix girls had flights leaving right away. The CA girl had time to spare. Meanwhile, I had just received a message from my girlfriend that she had been in a car accident and currently didn't have a way to come get me at the Atlanta airport. I had looked at other options for either going home or getting to Pine Mountain, GA but ended up sticking to my original flight to Atlanta.
If you ever get a chance to go see the most visited park in the USA, it's worth fighting the traffic from time to time. There is LOTS of hiking trails everywhere. So between that and the Blue Ridge Parkway, a good reason to go back with my hiking boots.
Here are all the videos with the movies and photos I put together that include labels and IDs and history of the places we visited. All in the Great Smoky Mountains:
The day before the workshop (Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, Wears Valley) - [ youtube video ]
Day One (Elkmont, Metcalf Bottoms, Wears Valley from Tanasi Lodge) - [ youtube video ]
Day Two (Cades Cove, Part 1) - [ youtube video ]
(Cades Cove, Part 2 and Upper Tremont Road) - [ youtube video ]
Day Three (Newfound Gap Overlooks) - [ youtube video ]
(Chimney Tops, Foothills Parkway) - [ youtube video ]
Day Four (Upper Tremont Road) - [ youtube video ] |
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Autumn Foliage Observation Substantial
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For me, sometimes it's just as much about the journey as the destination.
Oh, and once in awhile, don't forget to look back at the trail you've traveled. |
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Route Editor
Route Scout
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"bear", get in the cars. I didn't see the bears that were apparently just around the corner from one of the particpants, nor did I run really. Anyway, after that excitement we continued on the loop.
