Great Smoky Mountain Journeys
by Crystal A Murray (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
While growing up in the western half of the United States, I had no idea what I was missing a couple thousand miles away. Oh, that first time you see the mist begin to settle over the layers of the Appalachian mountains—it’s a view to remember.
This particular view was during the trip when I got to meet my brother Shayne and sister-in-law Heather for the first time. Sharing the beauty of Great Smoky Mountains National Park seemed the perfect location for our introductions after months of phone and digital communications. It was May of 2019, and this scenic overlook presented itself with perfect springtime majesty.
On June 15th, 2026, the park celebrates its 92nd birthday. Some highlights from the website state that it’s the most visited national park in the United States, it’s loaded with wildlife and places to explore. And it’s also free because of an agreement made when “Newfound Gap Road” was built. (While daily parking passes are now required to stop, enjoying the scenery out the car window does not require an entrance fee or toll.)
One of the best destinations you can drive to on your visit is Cades Cove Loop. There’s an excellent chance of seeing wildlife, so be sure to bring your zoom lens so you can keep your distance while you get the shot (and keep your health). And remember that no matter how cute they seem, they are wild—so no feeding them, no matter what Yogi or Ben may have said on TV! 😁🐻 Any effort to interact with them can result in enough domestication that the animal no longer fears humans and could need to be put down. In the case of the image you see below, I was a long way off and could see the mama bear in the field across the road. All the cars were stopped and many people were taking pictures while the babies made their way across.
Some of the prettiest scenery within the towns of Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, and Sevierville is that along the Little Pigeon River. That’s where most of the lodging and restaurants are built, meaning you have great views even when you stop for a rest or a meal. Here’s a collage of images from around the area. It includes an image of The Old Mill Restaurant, where you’ll usually wait at least an hour to get in for some of the best food in the area (or anywhere else, for that matter). And can you believe the color in that November sunset?
by Crystal A Murray (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
I’ll close with a slightly manipulated image from late spring of 2020 when the flowers were in full bloom. On the bridge near The Old Mill, they used to have openings filled with flowers, but that has changed now for some reason. It makes me even more glad I got this image way back when trying to be creative and look through the flowers to see the waterfall. And I hope you’ve enjoyed this little visit to The Smokies.
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