2666loco

We lived in Knoxville for a year, and I worked in Oak Ridge. My best advice is to go beyond Nashville for any scenery shots. East Tennessee is beautiful.

Joe 88

I was on the road for over 10 years, one of the things on my bucket list. AAA is the best for info if your on the road.

al13

Gaddysmom

Now, see, this is why those of us who live in West Tennessee don’t like East Tennesseans! 😁 It would never have ocurred to me to suggest that only West Tennessee had good scenery, especially after the OP said he didn’t want to travel more than 200 miles.

Yes, East Tennessee is lovely, but, in it’s own, lower-elevation way, so is West TN.

lhardister Loc: Brownsville, TN

I live in Brownsville, TN about 50 miles NE of Memphis. I am not aware of any photogenic waterfall within 100 miles of the place. The surrounding area is highly agricultural (think cotton, though it has become somewhat diversified with soybeans and corn in the last few decades), and there is not enough elevation change across the area to give rise to dramatic waterfalls. For the same reason, there are no mountains, and few viewpoints that provide wide vistas of the type that traditionally appeal to landscape photographers. However, the land is beautiful in its own way, and especially in the fall with the whites of the cotton fields, the golden yellows and browns of the soybean and corn fields, and the abundant, many-colored hardwood trees.


Perhaps you should not totally discount Memphis for photo opportunities. As one approaches the city from the west ( the Arkansas side) on I-40, the view of the skyline in afternoon sun is very nice. In the downtown area, there is Beale Street, the Peabody Hotel, and the waterfront area which being continuously improved for tourism and upscale residential clients. The Bass Pro Pyramid, right at the I-40 bridge, is itself a photo op, and provides nice views from its top-floor restaurant. The downtown riverfront and the Mud Island area just north of the bridge/Pyramid provide nice views of the Mighty Mississippi and its frequent barge traffic. And, if you need a big dose of kitsch to make your visit complete, there is always Graceland in South Memphis. Unfortunately, Memphis has a high rate of violent crime. In the downtown area, you should be reasonably safe in the highly frequented, well-lit, and "upscale" areas which I have described but always be alert and aware of your surroundings. I am sorry to say that areas of Memphis are essentially "third-world", dangerous to outsiders and potential victims, and should unquestionably be avoided.

Outside of Memphis, you might be iterested in traveling east on Highway 57 to La Grange and Grand Junction where a number of beautiful old homes can be found. Continuing on eastward, you can reach Shiloh National Military Park, said to be the most "pristine" of all the National Military Parks. It has many hardwood trees, and should provide fall color as the leaves turn. At the park, and nearby, you can find nice views of the Tennessee River (sans waterfalls). Also, not far from Shiloh is Pickwick Dam and Lake, and also Pickwick Lake State Park, all of which are very pleasant to the eye. Water falling through the spillways at Pickwick Dam is likely as close to waterfalls as one will find in West Tennessee.

If you happen to travel from Memphis eastward toward Nashville on I-40, you might want to make a stop at the Hatchie National Wildlife Refuge near Exit 52 in Haywood County, TN. The Refuge Headquarters is about 2 mi. from Exit 52, and there is O'Neal Lake, a lovely 300 ac. impoundment with cypress trees, water lilies etc. An easy drive circles the lake, and ducks, geese, herons, and an occasional eagle or osprey may often be seen there. The Refuge also provides a nearby entrance to a 12-mile gravel drive along the Hatchie River Bottom passing through near primieval southern hardwood forests. Several times I have driven this road without seeing a single person or vehicle. The forest is so thick and close that photo ops are not all that abundant, but the drive provides a real opportunity to enjoy that "close to nature" feeling without traveling terribly long distances.

Others have mentioned Reelfoot Lake and the Pelican Fest there Oct 19th--Oct 21st. Reelfoot is definitely worth seeing, at any time, Pelican Fest or not. If there, eat at Boyette's across from the Visitor Center. The distance from Memphis to Reelfoot seems to me to be a little more than 100 mi and no interstate runs really close to it at the present time, but if you are not limiting yourself strictly to a 100 mi radius, it makes a nice daytrip. Also, if you are in the area, you might want to check out Discovery Park at Union City, TN. In addition to museum and display buildings, it has a nice collection of log cabins, etc. collected in the area and reconstructed on the site. Google it for more complete information. While it is often a destination for grade school field trips, I found it quite interesting.

Feel welcome to PM me if you have questions about specific areas or items in West Tennessee that I might beable to address.

Hope you have a great visit. Best regards,

Gaddysmom

Lhardister, thanks for the plug for Discovery Park.

dbgordon Loc: Palm Beach Gardens, Florida

camerapapi, forget Wappanocca for now. I went over there today and they are harvesting timber and many of the trails are overgrown. Saw lots of wildlife but it will be too hard to get good shots with the vegetation so high.

WestTnGuy

I live in the eastern part of West TN within 20 miles of Natchez Trace State Park. Several small lakes and both hardwood and pine forest. I shot there quite a bit but never thought about it as a great photography place because it is in my backyard. I do make the trip down to Reelfoot Lake a couple of times a year. It is my favorite place in W TN for nature type photos. I will hve to say that Ihardistor had a very good reply!! In fact, it reminded me of several places that was on my list to go including Hatchie River Wildlife Refuge!

But one thing that you should find no matter which direction you go from Memphis is cotton fields in there white glory!! They are beautiful and like nothing else tis time of year especially if you are here the first party of October. You may even get a shot of the cotton pickers at work. It sure has changed since I was a boy pulling a cotton sack through the fields!!!

Firstdance_2000

If there is a waterfall in West Tennessee, I am not aware of it and I've been here all my life. If you are coming in the fall, you might look up information on Reelfoot Lake. Lots of nice
visuals there and history.

dpardue Loc: Nashville, TN

Here are some great water falls in TN:

Fall Creek Falls State Park
Pikeville, TN

Cummins Falls State Park
Cookeville, TN

Burgess Falls State Park
Sparta, TN

dleebrick Loc: Indian Land, South Carolina

Here's the website I use to track fall colors on the east coast. It is updated twice a week, and you can look back at previous year's reports to get an idea of what it will be like during the time you will be visiting. https://www.foliagenetwork.com/index.php/foliage-reports/foliage-reports-southeast-us/current-season-southeast-us