Posted by Les Saucier on March 30, 2006 at 6:38 AM
Question: I am going to be spending some time in the Three B's area (Boone, Blowing Rock and Banner Elk) this spring. Does anyone know of any great photographic water locations in the area? I am lusting after something like Tremont or Big Creek in the Smokies. Thanks in advance.
Image: I usually don't shoot wide-angle landscapes but I could not pass this one up. This is Big Creek in the Smokies this past fall with a 12-24mm, 30 second exposure, polarizer and digital capture.
Les Saucier
Asheville
AppalachianJourney.com
Posted by Steve Hamley on March 30, 2006 at 7:14 AM
Les,
Nice shot. That looks like the midnight hole.
I don't know of anything like Tremont or Big Creek because those are low altitude rivers and the 3B area is high on the mountain. I'd look around Boone as that's a lower, but I'm not an expert on that area.
Check out the area around Valle Crucis. This used to be a very nice pastoral drive with mountain "framing".
There is a nice creek off the parkway near Blowing rock in the Price Park area. It drains the lake there that's right on the parkway. Not really the same feel as Big Creek, but a nice hike / trees / water area with beaver activity to boot.
There is a creek with a waterfall right with a trailhead right inside blowing rock. The trail heads out of town a mile or so downstream.
Steve's right, the Valle Crucis drive is well worth doing.
Les - you might do some web research onthe watauga river - there are serious whitewater sections and there are probably some hike in access points
Laurel Falls and Spivey Falls arent that far a trip from Boone - Jerry can give you better directions than I can - also Elk Falls on the border of tn / nc - and of course Linville
sweet image - would crop from the L to more of a 4x5 aspect ratio to tighten it up a bit - should make a sweet print
I like the roads back both Treemont and Elkmont, but that all depends on the time of year and day of the week. The only real good water times arre in the spring, and the only days I would go there is duriing the week when everyone else is working. Roaring Fork next to Gatlinburg is also good for water areas. The stream is all along that road, but there is not a lot of parking places, so that also depends on the day you go.
Discussion
4 repliesImage: I usually don't shoot wide-angle landscapes but I could not pass this one up. This is Big Creek in the Smokies this past fall with a 12-24mm, 30 second exposure, polarizer and digital capture.
Les Saucier
Asheville
AppalachianJourney.com
Nice shot. That looks like the midnight hole.
I don't know of anything like Tremont or Big Creek because those are low altitude rivers and the 3B area is high on the mountain. I'd look around Boone as that's a lower, but I'm not an expert on that area.
Check out the area around Valle Crucis. This used to be a very nice pastoral drive with mountain "framing".
Steve
There is a creek with a waterfall right with a trailhead right inside blowing rock. The trail heads out of town a mile or so downstream.
Steve's right, the Valle Crucis drive is well worth doing.
Laurel Falls and Spivey Falls arent that far a trip from Boone - Jerry can give you better directions than I can - also Elk Falls on the border of tn / nc - and of course Linville
sweet image - would crop from the L to more of a 4x5 aspect ratio to tighten it up a bit - should make a sweet print