Smokies Update. Cades Cove Road is about 50%. The 50% that have turned have completely turned and will probably drop by the time the other 50% turns. I didn't drive around Cades Cove Loop road because tourists are at 100%. Tremont road has some nice color. Beware of tourists who apparently have never driven on a one lane dirt road and would rather scrape the side of their car rather than put a tire off the road. Little River Road varies from 50% to 100% in places. I was going to check out Roaring Fork and the Foothills Parkway West, but traffic came to dead stop before I got to Sugarlands. I'm guessing a tourist saw a deer or bear and stopped in the middle of the road or two tourists managed to run into each other. So, I turned around and took Metcalf Bottoms to Wears Valley which has very little color. From there I decided to drive Foothills Parkway East again and found more color than yesterday. 35%-40%. Beautiful day for a drive, but hard to work around, you guessed it, the tourists.

I don't think I've been in the Smokies in the Fall in years because of the traffic. It gets very frustrating. You're much braver than I for sure.

I've gotten used to working around the traffic over the years. But, there are only so many roads and sometimes you have to take a main one. I'll try entering the park from the north Friday and check out the Foothills Parkway west. I might try Cataloochie while I'm up that way.

Harriman/Bear Mtns's nicer parts seem at peak now

Gary, cataloochie looked pretty good last weekend. Still some green, but I was impressed with the trees that had changed.

Thanks so much for those of you that are keeping on top of the smokies updates I'm still planning to head down that way first part of next week, really got my fingers crossed...
I've never been down there in the fall so it should be interesting... Just as long as I get some good shooting in it should be a good time! Thanks again

Caleb, don't let my comments on the traffic worry you. If you get an early start you can get to where you want to be without issue. Most tourists are either sleeping or at the breakfast buffet in the mornings. It's the same for sunsets as most people head to dinner long before I would. Have fun!

NCAndy...and good recommendations for a spot to shoot sunset near Franklin?

I think we are going to go up to Wayah Bald when we arrive tomorrow afternoon to start the weekend.

I was up Wayah Bald yesterday. The color along Wayah Rd is nice. Heading up the FS Rd to the top is mostly all in the woods. When you get to the tower at the top the views are great though color may be just ok. It's worth the try though. If you head over Wayah Gap on the paved road and past Nantahala Lake to where the river runs along the road, there are many cascades and waterfalls to shoot. It should be pretty nice over that way though I haven't been there yet.

If you don't mind hiking a bit, the Whitesides Mtn Trail near Cashiers is a 2 mile loop with great views. It's popular though.

Here's a pic taken on the BRP last week.

Kelly Phillips wrote:
Gary, cataloochie looked pretty good last weekend. Still some green, but I was impressed with the trees that had changed.

Hope the elk were out while you were there.

Travis, I would not recommend the drive over Wayah Gap to the lake and river. The leaves are past peak on the river and though there are some good photo ops the to roadside parking was all taken by fishermen. Never have seen so many! So head up Wayah Bald for a look if in the area but not any go elsewhere after that.

Thanks Andy. We were just planning on catching a sunset there tomorrow, nothing more than that....just a quick photo op to get our creative juices flowin'! Thanks for the heads up.

Nikon D200 @ ISO 800


Photo_16 by Exdsc, on Flickr

Latest update for the WNC/Smokies area. Pretty windy today and lots of leaves are taking the ride. The air has become smoky so there must be a forest fire somewhere west of me. It's quite cool at the higher elevations too.

I was afraid of the wind...I saw that it is windy in your area today...I hope some of the leaves stick around...

Travis, if you don't see what you like, just head down in elevation. I know the CNPA (Carolina Nature Tog Assoc.) has a meet planned for DuPont Forest on Sat. Hopefully they have local info that told them it would be good there. Places like Whitewater Falls and all along the escarpment should be good. I'm heading towards Atlanta for a gymnastics meet tomorrow! lol

Whatever is causing the haze in the Smokies reaches all the way to Knoxville. I planned to head for the mountains today, but it is so hazy that I'll wait until Monday.

Edit: According to the National Weather Service the haze is caused by dust from Oklahoma!

Wow, it's the Dust Bowl all over again! I just saw the special weather statement after Gary posted.

"...A DUST PLUME MAY SPREAD OVER THE WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA
MOUNTAINS LATE THIS AFTERNOON...

STRONG WINDS OVER THE CENTRAL PLAINS YESTERDAY KICKED UP A LARGE PLUME OF
DUST. CIRCULATION AROUND LOW PRESSURE CENTERED OVER THE SOUTHERN
GREAT LAKES HAS PUSHED THE DUST PLUME EASTWARD TODAY. AT 245 PM...HIGH
RESOLUTION SATELLITE IMAGES INDICATED THAT THE LEADING EDGE OF THE
DUST PLUME REACHED THE WESTERN SLOPES OF THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN
MOUNTAINS...AND SOUTHWEST ACROSS NORTHERN GEORGIA AND ALABAMA. THE
DUST PLUME WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE EAST...RESULTING IN HAZY
CONDITIONS ACROSS THE NORTH CAROLINA MOUNTAINS. A FEW AREAS COULD
SEE VISIBILITY LIMITED TO A FEW MILES AT TIMES."

Crazy stuff.

*Relax

Nikon D3100, ISO 400.


online photo storage

hope to get out Sunday, Trail side prior to trailrun.


a runner's view by E C I, on Flickr