Smoky Mountains National Park
 

I was on a combination business and vacation trip to the Knoxville, TN area last week. One of the places my wife and I visited was the Smoky Mountains. These are some of the pictures I took

View from near the Chimney Tops trail
http://www.pbase.com/dwootton/image/...4/original.jpg

View from one of the overlooks on the way to Clingman's Dome
http://www.pbase.com/dwootton/image/...8/original.jpg

Another view from one of the overlooks on the way to Clingman's Dome
http://www.pbase.com/dwootton/image/...0/original.jpg

View from Clingman's Dome, which is the highest point in the Smoky Mountains, somewhere around 6600 ft elevation. There's about a half mile hike from the parking lot to the top.
http://www.pbase.com/dwootton/image/...2/original.jpg

My wife at Clingman's Dome
http://www.pbase.com/dwootton/image/...3/original.jpg

Me at Grotto Falls
http://www.pbase.com/dwootton/image/...6/original.jpg

Dogzilla, great pictures! It's like Old Home Week for me since I grew up in Knoxville! About 8 years ago, I hiked from Clingman's Dome down the Appalachian Trail to the Mirey Ridge Trail and then down into Elkmont. It was one of the greatest hikes I've ever done, and I still have a bunch of pictures of it in here in my office.

In about 3 weeks the fireflies start their mating rituals in Elkmont where they blink in unision and creat waves of light moving down the mountain. If you're nearby you should check it out!

PS - Clingman's Dome is the highest point east of the Mississippi.

That would be interesting to see. Unfortunately, I was only there for the week and no chance of getting back to see it. We do have fireflies here, but they just blink randomly.