Great Smoky Mountains picture thread

[James Terrio]

I'm blessed to be on vacation in Eastern Tennessee this week and next. Gosh, it's pretty here! We camped in Cade's Cove last weekend and got some nice pictures. The weather was perfect! We saw a black bear on the Loop Road, by far the closest I've ever been to one, maybe 15 yards, and the first time ever for my daughter. She was pretty excited! Sorry the pic isn't very good but bears don't take direction very well! (Yes we stayed in the car )
We're going to camp over in the Cosby area this coming weekend. I hear that was once the moonshine capitol of the world, heheheh.

Please feel free to post your own pics from the Smokies if you like!

1) A wily black bear...
2) Rare sighting of the elusive hairless albino Sasquatch...
3) A lovely view from along the Cade's Cove Loop Road...
4) Does a deer pee in the woods? Why, yes it does!

 

[Mike Carter]

I love the Smoky Mountains. One of my favorite getaways. It's only about 5 hours from us so it makes a nice weekend trip.

 

[James Terrio]

Great pics, Mike! I think I could spend a year hiking/camping in the Smokies and not get bored. Next time I come I'll definitely bring trout tackle and get a fishing license. It reminds me very much of my Wisconsin home, plus mountains. Just beautiful.

 

[Sgp918]

Did that 2 years ago, though at Christmas. The large blue building is Smokey Mountain Knife Work, a must see if your that close. Biggest knife store around. The first picture is what got me in all this stuff, knife making!!! At Smokey Mountain Knife Work, they have a small knife Co-Op out front. For $25.00 the guy will walk you through all the step to forge a knife. This is my son at work. No bears out in the winter just deer, that was taken i Cade's Cove. The water ways are half frozen. Great winter trip.

 

[Mike Carter]

Renting a cabin up on a mountainside and sitting on the balcony watching a gorgeous mountain sunset is just about as relaxing as it gets in my opinion.

Also if you are a fellow biker some of the best back roads in the country are around there.

 

[Sgp918]

Mike is correct, "renting a cabin" is the way to go. About the same price as a hotel room. Here are a few pics of our cabin. We rented it from Aunt Bugs (www.auntbugs.com)

 

[Wayne Coe]

You know what is better than visiting up here? Living up here. I am on the south end of Big South Fork WMA on the Cumberland Plateau about 70 miles north and west of Knoxville. James will be here Monday and can then post more good pictures.

 

[Mike Carter]

Just a note, the Parker Knife Show is in Sevierville starting today and running through Saturday.

 

[James Terrio]

Wayne if my kid wasn't so established in her school up north, I would seriously consider selling my house and moving here. I seem to fit in pretty good, except people keep looking at me funny and tellin' me not to talk so durn fast

I will definitely look into SMKW and the Parker show in Sevierville and see if they fit in with our plans. Looks like Sevierville is only about 1/2 hour from where we'll be camping this weekend. Thanks for the heads-up guys!

 

[Jim Coffee]

i love the gatlinburg, pigeon forge area. went last year about the end of july seen alot of bears around cades cove. check out the pictures we had a big bear at the passenger window of the car. most of the bears we seen were way up in the tree tpos eating cherries. stayed in the walden creek cabin it was excellent, very private and had 12 turkeys walk by the deck one morning. booked it on ebay and got a GREAT deal, check it out it is a great cabin and top notch owners...

 

[JatMat]

Wayne if my kid wasn't so established in her school up north, I would seriously consider selling my house and moving here. I seem to fit in pretty good, except people keep looking at me funny and tellin' me not to talk so durn fast

I will definitely look into SMKW and the Parker show in Sevierville and see if they fit in with our plans. Looks like Sevierville is only about 1/2 hour from where we'll be camping this weekend. Thanks for the heads-up guys!

Do NOT go to SMKW without visiting the museum upstairs, absolutely worth your time, in the basement is a gift shop for the ladies, lots of kitchen gadgets. My wife loves to go there just for the downstairs, I can do 3 floors of knives before she finishes the shop.

Have a great time,
Jim

 

[Mike Carter]

Yes, Smoky Mountain Knifeworks is a "must do" anytime you are in the area. The museum is great and they rotate the knives on display so even if you have been there before you will see something different.

This is one of the cabins we rented in Wears Valley. Check out the view reflected in the windows.

 

[JatMat]

Here is where we stay, love the view and the folks, we have been going there since they opened.

 

[Steven Janik]

Great views guys, there's not much like that up here in the flatlands of Illinois.
I know when Jim Coffee went last year he loved it, but I think he spent a lot of time at Dollywood hoping for a glimpse of Ms. Parton. LOL

Thanks for the pix guys.

Steve

 

[James Terrio]

Steve, we came through Illinois on the way here. Lots of pretty country but, yeah, there's a reason us Wisconsinites call y'all flatlanders

Man, was I impressed by the dozens (hundreds?) of HUGE windmills in northern Indiana! They look like aliens from War of the Worlds or something... hope they really will provide plenty energy and reduce our need for oil.

Mike mentioned bikers... I've heard that before and seeing is believing. Miles and miles of twisty-turny uppy-downy roads with gorgeous scenery around here that are fun to drive in a car; I'm sure bikers love it even more.

Seriously, I love my homestate for the rolling hills and acres of forests within an hour of any city... but I have to admit the hills and mountains of KY and TN are even prettier, if that's possible.

More pics, guys! I'll be posting more soon too

EDIT: personally, I'm not much for touristy places like Gatlinburg or Dollywood or Wisconsin Dells or Minoqua for that matter... I tend to prefer the quieter places. But hey, to each their own! On this trip, we have the luxury of staying at my woman's comfy home in Knoxville and goin out in the boonies on the weekend. Best of both worlds!

Wayne, I hope you rest up Sunday night, me and my woman and my daughter are gonna drive you batty with questions on Monday!

 

[Ernie Swanson]

Beautiful Pics guys.
I have always wanted to visit The smokies.

I have driven all over the area out there(I used to drive semi) but it would be nice to just visit

 

[Jim Coffee]

i'm with you jatmat, the museum is awsome i could spend alot of time on the third floor at smkw. that's right up my alley, i collect vintage winchester folders and they have some great one's there. steve i've been to dollywood 6 times and still haven't seen those mountains....

 

[Cliff Fendley]

My Wife and I went there on our honeymoon many moons ago and like to go back every couple years. Last time we went my son got sick and we had to come home early and didn't get to do much. I'm ready to go back.

 

[Keith Willis]

Went to the Smokies many years ago,I was just a kid.
My wife and I would love to go back.
Like James,I would love to live up there.
I talk about it often.
Thanks for the pics.guys

God bless,Keith

 

[James Terrio]

Well, we got back to Knoxville last night after a 4-day camp-out in the Cosby region over the weekend and a fun visit to Wayne Coe's place yesterday. Wayne is a great guy to hang out with and quite a storyteller. When I get my self together later today I'll post some more pics. Thanks for having us over Wayne, we had a blast!

1) Turkeys like campgrounds too.
2) The last 200 yards to the top of Sutton Ridge was all like this. I was huffin' and puffin' the whole way.
3) View from Sutton Ridge Overlook. It was worth the hike!
4) Plenty of trails to choose from all over the park.