Posted by Ed Stokes on October 23, 2006 at 10:55 AM
hello all, I'm heading up to GSMNP this weekend, and I'll get there late Friday night, and leave mid-Sunday morning. Looking for good suggestions on best itineraries to shoot. I'm thinking that I'll spend Saturday morning in Cades Cove, photographing the wildlife and settings. Sunday morning I may try for Clingman's dome at daybreak, followed by mountain streams somewhere.
I'd like to get the most out of the weekend, and also I'm not sure where to shoot on Saturday afternoon. Any suggestions on timing and light and some places to shoot that I may not have thought about. I've never been to the Elkmont or Tremont locations; here they're good for river shots and fall color shots.
I know a lot of you were in the park this past weekend. Any feedback you can give me is very appreciative.
Posted by Josh Anderson on October 23, 2006 at 4:42 PM
I just got back today. We saw 10-15 bears everyday. The crowds are TERRIBLE anywhere on the TN side. Cades Cove is an absolute circus with people literally chasing bears around with cell phone cameras and point & shoots. I become so disgusted that I had to leave. When they say GSMNP is the most visited NP in the US, I believe 75% of them come in the fall. I have traveled around a good portion of the US and have never witnessed so much inappropriate behavior. Although it is an absolutely gorgeous park, I will never go back during this time of year. My wife and I stayed in Townsend and spent most of our time hiking which put us away from the masses, but when it was time to get in the vehicle, look out. Make sure you bring lots of patience and plan on spending a lot of time in your vehicle due to bear jams.
Posted by Tammy Keever on October 23, 2006 at 6:02 PM
I'm sorry to hear this. (about the people chasing bears in the Cove). It's always better if you can plan to visit this area in the Fall during the week. Maybe not much better, but the weekends are always a traffic nightmare.
I was in traffic a little over a week ago, heading down the mountain from the Chimneys trailhead. I sat still for 45 mins. Word filtered up that we were stopped because a bear was in the woods some mile below us and that someone had just abandoned his vehicle on the road to run it down.
Posted by Paul Mccroskey on October 24, 2006 at 12:15 AM
Ed
I was in the park Thursday to Sunday. Stayed in Townsend. Cades Cove was indeed a Circus on Friday. Worst traffic I have ever seen. I got in when the gate opened and pretty much just parked and walked out of site of the roads all day. My intention was to photograph Bucks but ended up photographing bears all day. The deer stayed out of the sight.
Last Tuesday night there was a terrible storm in the Townsend area with winds reported near 100mph. There are hundreds of trees down in Cades Cove. The loop road was open when I arrived on Thursday afternoon, but all the debris is still piled along the road. Be carefull in the timber, there are still many trees leaning that may fall and many trails are blocked with downed trees.
I mostly shoot wildlife not fall colors so I can't recommend times and locations but the fall colors are fantastic right now. The Foot Hills Parkway just above Townsend is a less crowded and very colorful. Also the Blue Ridge Parkway between Cherokee and Maggie Valley is fantastic right now.
Good Luck
Posted by Don Miller on October 25, 2006 at 6:27 PM
I'm in townsend now (10/25) and the colors overall are poor to fair in the park. I would look at the hikes at mid elevation in the old growth forest areas.
I drove down from the north, the colors NE of the park were better.
Foot Hills parkway is nice (red), but not really a great road for photos.
Cades Cove is well past, but there were two young bucks playing this morning.
I've never been here in the fall, I guess some years are better than others. I'm leaving early and heading to Virginia.
Discussion
4 repliesI'd like to get the most out of the weekend, and also I'm not sure where to shoot on Saturday afternoon. Any suggestions on timing and light and some places to shoot that I may not have thought about. I've never been to the Elkmont or Tremont locations; here they're good for river shots and fall color shots.
I know a lot of you were in the park this past weekend. Any feedback you can give me is very appreciative.
I was in traffic a little over a week ago, heading down the mountain from the Chimneys trailhead. I sat still for 45 mins. Word filtered up that we were stopped because a bear was in the woods some mile below us and that someone had just abandoned his vehicle on the road to run it down.
I was in the park Thursday to Sunday. Stayed in Townsend. Cades Cove was indeed a Circus on Friday. Worst traffic I have ever seen. I got in when the gate opened and pretty much just parked and walked out of site of the roads all day. My intention was to photograph Bucks but ended up photographing bears all day. The deer stayed out of the sight.
Last Tuesday night there was a terrible storm in the Townsend area with winds reported near 100mph. There are hundreds of trees down in Cades Cove. The loop road was open when I arrived on Thursday afternoon, but all the debris is still piled along the road. Be carefull in the timber, there are still many trees leaning that may fall and many trails are blocked with downed trees.
I mostly shoot wildlife not fall colors so I can't recommend times and locations but the fall colors are fantastic right now. The Foot Hills Parkway just above Townsend is a less crowded and very colorful. Also the Blue Ridge Parkway between Cherokee and Maggie Valley is fantastic right now.
Good Luck
I drove down from the north, the colors NE of the park were better.
Foot Hills parkway is nice (red), but not really a great road for photos.
Cades Cove is well past, but there were two young bucks playing this morning.
I've never been here in the fall, I guess some years are better than others. I'm leaving early and heading to Virginia.