For those familiar with Great Smoky Mountains NP: Have planned a trip through the park consisting of up to 5 days and I have several places picked out. What would you toss or cherry...

big-guy Loc: Peterborough Ontario Canada

Have planned a trip through the park consisting of up to 5 days and I have several places picked out. What would you toss or cherry pick?

1) Waterrock Knob.
2) Soco Falls.
3) Mingo Falls.
4) Clingmans Dome.
5) Gatlingburg Scenic Overlook.
6) Cades Cove.

I am an early morning and late night (also pronounced all night long) photog so crowds don't bother me.

ggttc Loc: TN

There are many scenic pullouts along the road from Cherokee NC. to Gatlingburg. Towards Gatlingburg the park received some serious fire damage. Early morning you can generally find elk at the visitor center.

At night the Dome has produced some great Milky Way images.

Otherwise just drive and enjoy. It truly is a spectacular place.

Its a zoo during the day. Clingmans dome will be jammed and finding parking can be difficult.

mrjcall Loc: Woodfin, NC

big-guy wrote:

Have planned a trip through the park consisting of up to 5 days and I have several places picked out. What would you toss or cherry pick?

1) Waterrock Knob.
2) Soco Falls.
3) Mingo Falls.
4) Clingmans Dome.
5) Gatlingburg Scenic Overlook.
6) Cades Cove.

I am an early morning and late night (also pronounced all night long) photog so crowds don't bother me.

Be prepared for a short, but strenuous decent/climb down into and out of Soco Falls. There's a raised deck about 1/2 way down you can get shots from that's easy to get to, but to the bottom is tricky unless you're young and enthusiastic! ;). Also keep an eye on rain. If there hasn't been rain within the last few days, the flow is usually pretty thin.

jeanbug35 Loc: Jonesboro AR

Clingmans Dome will be less crowded in the early morning but it is generally foggy. In the afternoons it will be very crowded and you will have trouble finding a place to park. Cades Cove is crowded from dusk to dawn. There will be many pull offs for great photo ops between Gatlinburg and Cherokee. You will definitely enjoy the trip.

dmeyer Loc: Marion, NC

big-guy wrote:

Have planned a trip through the park consisting of up to 5 days and I have several places picked out. What would you toss or cherry pick?

1) Waterrock Knob.
2) Soco Falls.
3) Mingo Falls.
4) Clingmans Dome.
5) Gatlingburg Scenic Overlook.
6) Cades Cove.

I am an early morning and late night (also pronounced all night long) photog so crowds don't bother me.

I would encourage you to add the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail...log cabins and barn structures, wide streams and waterfalls, but not as many open spaces as Cades Cove. Mingo Falls is a good choice--afternoon is best to avoid shooting into the sun. Hope you have good weather and a great time.

Spider223

A nice falls I've been to is the Bald River Falls near Tellico Plains. Been there a couple times, and got a few nice pictures of our Corvette and my Harley, with the falls in the background. Not sure if they still allow it or not, but we were able to walk right up on the rocks of the falls.

Spider223

You're also going to be close to Deals Gap. Motorcycle heaven.. stand on any corner on US129, and you're sure to get good action shots of motorcycles, and the occasional fall off. 318 turns in eleven miles.. Tail of the Dragon is what they call that section of road. From there just a few miles down the road is 'Fugitive Dam', featured in the movie The Fugitive..

Steve Perry Loc: Sylvania, Ohio

Grotto falls is also nice (along the roaring fork motor trail and only 3 mi round trip), Spruce Flats falls is also nice, not too long of a hike either (get direction from eh visitor center at Tremont - the trailhead is there), Morton Overlook and Clingman's dome parking lot for sunset. Also, make sure you do Cade's Cove at sunrise (note that Wed & Sat it's closed to cars until 10:00AM) - it sucks driving through there in the evening with hordes of traffic. It's MUCH more fun in the AM :)

FotoPhreak Loc: Whittier, CA

Me & my wife are also planning a trip to the Great Smoky Mountains and the Blue Ridge Highway in September, so this post was timely. I want to thank everyone for their great suggestions & advice. I will use it in putting together an itinerary of the places and time of day to visit all the great photo ops in the area.

foathog Loc: Greensboro, NC

It's Gatlinburg. no G in the middle. If you're into tourist traps Dolleywood is in close vacinity of the Park.

ggttc wrote:

There are many scenic pullouts along the road from Cherokee NC. to Gatlingburg. Towards Gatlingburg the park received some serious fire damage. Early morning you can generally find elk at the visitor center.

At night the Dome has produced some great Milky Way images.

Otherwise just drive and enjoy. It truly is a spectacular place.

Its a zoo during the day. Clingmans dome will be jammed and finding parking can be difficult.

tgshoe Loc: North Texas

Abrams falls are nice with a nice swimming area. However it is a pretty good hike to get to.

MTG44 Loc: Corryton, Tennessee

Go to the Catalooche entrance off I-40 in Magee Valley. Will see lots of elk and there is a great overlook on the way in. Also from Gatlinburg take 441 over moutains to Cherokee ,lots of overlooks, then on to Bryson City to rt28. That takes you by Fontana Lake and to the dam. It is quite impressive.Then onto Rt129, called the Dragon,300 curves in 11 miles . Pass Calderwood Dam, very good overlook there and then on the Foothills Parkway, which has many overlooks , and have dinner in Townsend.

Tjohn Loc: Inverness, FL formerly Arivaca, AZ

Sleep twice a day, night and mid day. Rise before the sun and sleep after dark. You'll never be short of subjects.

big-guy Loc: Peterborough Ontario Canada

Try, My wife and I. Always place yourself last as a sign of respect.

FotoPhreak wrote:

Me & my wife are also planning a trip to the Great Smoky Mountains and the Blue Ridge Highway in September, so this post was timely. I want to thank everyone for their great suggestions & advice. I will use it in putting together an itinerary of the places and time of day to visit all the great photo ops in the area.

bobmcculloch Loc: NYC, NY

When we were there years ago Laurel Falls was a nice spot, Gatlinburg at night, the mill in Seiverville, Oh Yeaah, DOLLYWOOD, esp in the evening!