GREAT SMOKMOUNTAINS – TWO

Today, April 22, we were off in search of black bear once again in the Cades Cove area. The two new cubs were nowhere to be seen so continued to search for others. We came across a couple of other bears, but they were quite a distance away and hard to see.

After breakfast in Townsend we headed back into the Park  and stopped ath the Fighting Creek Trail to search for some wildflowers. We were rewarded with seeing  the Showy Orchis, a member of the Orchid Family, Bishop’s Cap, several Trillium, Wood Anemone, Fringed Phacelia, and Canadian Violet to name a few. 

Fringed Phacelia

Canadian Violet

Yellow Trillium

Wood Anemone

Sweet White Trillium

Showy Orchis

We continued onto another nature trail and stopped at Ogle’s cabin. GSMNP has a lot of old cabins and settlement remains within it due in part from the fact that when the park was formed there was a lot of private property purchased to make up the Park.

Ogle's Cabin

Through the Window

After photographing Ogle’s cabin we headed out on the nature trail. We learned that there were Lady’s Slippers to be found along the way. First we found the Crested Dwarf Iris which is a lovely plant and then the Pink Lady’s Slipper, a native orchid, and had a good time photographing them. They are only found in the wild as they can not be propogated or transplanted successfully.

Crested Dwarf Iris

Pink Lady's Slipper

Pink Lady's Slipper

Pink Lady's Slipper

 Soon it was time to think about sunset. Tonight we headed to Morton’s Overlook. There was a little bit of color which came through a couple of breaks in the clouds, but it was not spectacular.

Sunset from Morton's Overlook

Our last morning as a group we headed once again to Cades Cove in search of black bears. We had no luck so we headed for Laurel Falls, which is a lovely Falls and is about a 1.25 mile hike up from the parking lot. We probably spent about an hour there photographing the Falls at various shutter speeds, and different angles.

Upper Laurel Falls

Laruel Falls

After lunch in Gatlinburg, and a short rest back at our cabin we were off for the afternoon. We first headed for “The Sink” for more waterfalls, reflections, etc. 

Falls at the Sink

Photographers at Work

Water Flow 1

Water Flow 2

A Look Upstream

As it was very overcast we looked for more bear as we ended the day.  We found two third year cubs who we believed had just been abandoned by their mom, a normal and natural phenomena. They put on quite a show of foraging for grubs, etc. and climbing up and down trees. This all occurred in the waning light of the day so the images are a bit dark and noisy.

Young Black Bear (Do not know the reason for the markings)

Little Brother Munching

Looking for More

Up I Go

Always Munching (This a better idea of what we had to photograph through.)