The Great Smoky Mountains are named that way for good reason. There is a smoky cast all around and is evident in the following pictures taken from the tower atop Clingmans Dome.
I started at a structure and worked my way around count-clockwise back to the structure. 58 shots were taken, but only included these due to overlap. It would be fabulous to be there on a clear day.
The first picture is from where the pictures were shot, which is probably obvious. It would have been great to take a video, but it was too crowded.
Went to the top of Clingmans Dome on the way back from Gatlinburg, TN. It is half way between Gatlinburg and Cherokee, NC and it is the highest point in the Great Smokey Mountains, as well as Tennessee, at 6643 feet making it the third highest peak east of the Mississippi.
For those who traverse the Appalachian Trail, it crosses over the Dome and it is the highest point on the trail from Maine to Georgia.
Turning off the main road, it is seven miles to the parking area. From there, it is a half mile trek up a very steep, but nicely paved trail. I would classify it as difficult but doable.
If you did not know, there is a 'love - hate' relationship when it comes to black and white photos. I, for one, happen to like them. Admittedly, not all are 'eye catching.' Ansel Adams, I am not!
Here are a few from the Dome. Did I say, Black and White?
We went to Gatlinburg, TN this weekend with Dave and Lucy Ceraso. The weather was great, the foliage was wanting, however, the views are wonderful. We saw 4 different bears, many wild turkeys, and we stopped at Clingmans Dome on the way home yesterday. Clingmans Dome is the highest peak in Tennessee and I took over 100 pictures as we hiked to the top. More about this in a few days.
The first four pictures are some of the views around Gatlinburg. The brook is one of many brooks and rivers that flow in the Great Smoky Mountains. the remaining are of a hike to Cataract Falls, which has a greater water flow in the Spring or after a rainfall. The hydrant... this is not the first time that I have come across one in a forest.
The turkey seems to have a problem with the other turkey, although the other turkey seems to be ignoring it.
Lastly, I had trouble focusing on the bears in the woods due to the branches and low light, but made the best of it.
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I have been looking through pictures taken each month so far this year from January through September. As I did, I found one from each month to post today. They are in no particular order.
Most of the pictures have been posted previously, however, I have done some further processing, based on the photo, to give them, what I hope, is a different look.
Here are a few pictures from this past week, which were take atop Sawnee Mountain and at the infamous Gibbs Garden.
The first picture is of 'Chief Sawnee' that is a rock formation that I named. I do not know if there is an official name. The next picture is included to isolate the formation by adding a blur to the photo and then 'painting out' the blur around the subject.
The third picture is of the "Three Indian Seats and that is an official designation. The fourth is of the view and lastly, a 'starburst.'
The remaining pictures are a few from the visit to Gibbs Garden.
