The Chimneys

The Chimneys offer one of the great hiking experiences and in autumn it often features glorious color.

Morton's Overlook

HIghway 441 snakes through the valley far below Morton's Overlook.

Late Afternoon at Morton's Overlook

Fall's autumn colors paint the mountainsides below Morton's Overlook.

Autumn Creek

Autumn yellow reflect in the slow waters of this quiet stream below Newfound Gap.

Little River Road in Autumn

One of the great drives in any National Park, the Little River road follows its namesake river for more than 20 miles, with incredible color around almost every turn in fall.

Sparks Delight

One of my favorite places to explore in Cades Cove, this quiet lane affords some great views, beautiful light, wildlife and even a bit of peace.

Reflections on Sparks Lane

Autumn rains have swollen the streams and creeks that cross through Cades Cove.

High Water on Sparks

Unusually heavy rains have swollen this small stream as it crosses Sparks Lane in Cades Cove.

Afternoon Color

Bisecting the Cove's farm and meadows, Sparks Lane bissects the valley.

Under the Sycamores

Nicknamed the Ghost Tree with their white trunks and golden leaves, the sycamores of Cades Cove sparkle in autumn's late evening light. These great trees are often found near the Park's lower elevation streams and have been known to grow to some 17 feet in diameter. The trees also often hollow out, affording the Park's earliest settlers a convenient place to store their grain.

A Quiet Road

Sparks Road is a hidden gem in the Great Smoky Mountains, featuring some great views, a bit of peace and quiet and some glorious great trees.

Cades Cove Explosion

In late October and late November, autumn's color migration finally reaches the lower Park elevations of Cades Cove, almost a full month after fall began its descent some 3000 feet higher up.

Autumn Meadows at Cades Cove

The Cades Cove meadows have turned russet and tans and the surrounding hillsides fairly glow in the evening sun.

Autumn Fire

Fiery red leaves mix with golden yellows on this ancient maple along Sparks Lane.

Long Shadows

THe early evening sun casts long shadows in Cades Cove.

Henry Whitehead Place

Home of Matilda "Aunt Tildy" Shields and her second husband, Henry Whitehead, this cabin created quite the stir when it was built by Henry in 1895 - it featured square logs and an all brick chimney, likely the first in Cades Cove. This cabin replaced an earlier cabin built by Aunt Tildy's brothers after her first husband ran off and deserted her.