cabin at Bud Ogle farmstead

this is another view of Noah Bud Ogle cabin in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.   next

this is the barn close to the cabin at the Bud Ogle homestead.  next

Grotto Falls in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Grotto Falls is a great hiking destination in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. From US 441 in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, take traffic light #8 on into the park to Cherokee Orchard Road; after  3.6 miles turn right onto Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail; drive 1.7 miles to the Grotto Falls trailhead. After a short distance, the trail joins Trillium Gap Trail. Grotto Falls is about 1.3 miles oneway; it is a constant, moderate grade all the way to the falls. After the falls, the trail goes all the way to the summit of Mt LeConte. The trail actually goes under the falls; if you are there at the right time, you may get to see a llama train carrying supplies to LeConte Lodge (at the summit) travelling under the falls! I have several images of the falls here:

Noah "Bud" Ogle homestead in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

 Noah "Bud" Ogle was a pioneer farmer that built his farm, including a tub mill, in the 1880's close to LeConte Creek on 400 acres of  mountain land. The Ogle cabin is one of the best preserved cabins in Great Smoky Mountains National Park; also, the Ogle tub mill located behind the cabin down on LeConte Creek is mostly well-preserved as well; the millstones  are even  still intact in the tiny building. The homesite is located right off Cherokee Orchard Road on the way to Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail just outside of Gatlinburg, Tennessee; the Noah Ogle Nature Trail loops .75 of a mile behind the cabin down to the creek and back. Take traffic light #8 off of US441 in Gatlinburg, stay right through the intersection onto Cherokee Orchard Road; the cabin will be on your right. next

Autumn color on Cherokee Orchard Road in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

I visited Great Smoky Mountains National Park in October; the fall color was spectacular in several areas just as I had hoped. I was also hoping to get a few shots of some of the black bears that roam the park. In fact, my first evening I saw a mother and two cubs and another mature bear crossing the road just a few minutes from each other but the light was too poor to get any shots. A few days later, I pulled over on Cherokee Orchard  Road when I saw several people with cameras on the edge of the forest; a bear had just run up the hill into the woods right before I arrived. I cleverly decided to wait as the crowd dispersed and see if the bear would return; I amused myself by shooting a few constant zoom shots of some of the intense fall color. I was surprised to see the trunks of the trees in the above shot. After a bit, I slunk back to the jeep when I realized the bear wasn't coming. Luckily for me, I had only driven a short distance when I saw another crowd of people with cameras  chasing MY bear through the woods! I jumped out just in time to see the poor bear running for its life, just a patch of dark colored fur disappearing into a thicket. Counting several close opportunities with grizzlies out west, I'm 0 for 7 for getting a decent shot in the wild;  I may have to consider the zoo....

 this is the area where the bear disappeared.

this is the Noah "Bud" Ogle farmstead off of Cherokee Orchard Road.