A heavy hoar frost transforms the trees of Cades Cove into a magical wonderland.
A large oak is etched in hoar frost and ice on this near zero degree morning in Cades Cove.
Trees coated in hoar frost stand in dramatic contrast against the mountains that surround Cades Cove.
In the quiet just after dawn, layers of fog, hoar frost and the remnants of an early December snow beckon in Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It is a view of this great valley that is very rarely experienced, especially in silence and solitude. It is a time to stand still, to take it in and just be.
Laurel Creek road leads to Cades Cove. Normally crowded it is deserted this day after a recent snow.
Traces of snow remain in Cades Cove.
Lynn Camp Prong Cascades is a gorgeous small waterfall that tumbles here below the snow-covered rhododendrons.
A light snow coats the centuries old rhododendrons that bank the cascades of of the Lyn Camp Prong in Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Normally bustling, the mountains have grown still and there is a certain grace and beauty that can be found everywhere you look in this winter wonderland.
One of the most beautiful cascades in the Park is stunning in any season. Surrounded by massive rhododendrons, last night's light snow creates a magical sparkle.