A Blog about Finding Inspiration

"We have a wonderful world to be inspired by and each new day is like an adventure into the unknown, where things that require a second glance can be captured in time on a canvas for anyone to enjoy forever." (Louise Corke)

Friday, June 12, 2009

Great Smokey Mountain National Park 6 '09

The main objective of our trip was to visit the Great Smokey Mountain National Park while the weather permitted was warm enough to allow us to get some reference photos without having to wear snow shoes
Great Smoky Mountains National Park near Asheville is the most visited national park with 10 million visitors each year. There are 520,976 acres to explore. When I think of the park the first thing that comes to mind is hiking  majestic mountain top with  awesome views. While it is true that this International Biosphere Reserve is home to rugged mountains (with many of its  peaks in excess of 6,000 feet),  it also has historic homesteads, 100,000 different types of plants and animals, and lots and lots of water.. 
Since the park is so large,  how does one go about exploring it  in a three day  weekend? There are four entrances to the Great Smokey Mountains National Park within 60 miles from downtown Asheville.  We tried to see  and do all the  top listed things from each of these entrances to the Great Smoky Mountains. I have created posts which  highlight the best of our experiences in these areas.
 The Deep creak area of the Great Smokies is popular for its streams and waterfalls.
Hikers can choose from several loop hikes leading to several small waterfalls We took several of these short hikes.
The sound  of the water gurgling through these ancient  rocks is  musical.
But there is running water everywhere in the Smoky Mountains.
Dribbles out of the mountain side along the road ways
like these trickles along Highway 144
 or chatters noisily through small narrow creeks
 Joining with other creeks, picking up speed andc cascading down hillsides in every larger volumes as it does here in Juney Wank falls
As it reaches the lower elevations  it spreads out
  in large reflecting ponds
 and spreads into  gentle streams safe enough for children to play in (as it does here in a stream near Cherokee).
Of course, there was much more to see and do in The Great Smokey Mountains, but those activities are topics for future posts.

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