welcome to the callenharty.com great smokies trip page three

At some point early in our trip I was bitten by a spider or insect which caused me to get very ill, running a high fever, chills, and more. We ended up cutting the trip short, but before we did we saw more of the Smokies, including the highest point in Tennessee, then went on to the eastern part of the state on the North Carolina border, and stayed with friends for a couple days before heading back home.

Little River
The Little River, alongside Little River Road.

Wildflower, Great Smokies
One of many pretty wildflowers seen along the way.

Slug, Great Smokies
Slug along a trail near Elkmont.

Wild Rose near Little River
A pretty pink rose along a trail next to the Little River near Elkmont.

Leaf, Great Smoky Mountains
A single yellow leaf in the middle of quite a bit of green.

Little River through Rocks
The Little River splashes its way through rocks as it wends downstream.

Pipeline Swallowtail
One of many swallowtails encountered on the trip, this was just up from the riverbed.

Red-spotted Purple, Great Smokies
One of my favorite butterflies, this was with several swallowtails and blues along the Little River.

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail on Moss
One moss-covered rock attracted a couple dozen of these, several pipevine swallowtails, blues, and red-spotted purples to all land simultaneously. It was an amazing sight to see so many colorful butterflies all centered on one spot.

Blue Jay Fledgling
This fledgling jay was on the ground in some bushes just off the trail and didn't seem scared or bothered by us at all.

Silver-spotted Skipper Near a Stream
One of many skippers, particularly this species, seen along the trip.

White-tailed Deer in a Field
On our last loop along the Cade's Cove Loop Road we saw several more deer and another black bear. The bear was too deep in the trees too late in the day to get a good photo, but the deer posed nicely.

Smoky Mountain View
View of the mountains at Morton Overlook along the Newfound Gap Road.

Clouds over the Smokies
Clouds and hill collide as seen from the Morton Overlook.

Trees at Clingman's Dome
These trees have been stripped by an invasive introduced species. They give the landscape an otherworldly look.

Waxwing in the Mountains
A cedar waxwing in a pine tree near the top of Clingman's Dome.

Observation Tower, Clingman's Dome
Structure at the top of Clingman's Dome, the highest point in the Great Smokies Mountains and in Tennessee and one of the highest elevations east of the Mississippi River.

Great Smokies from Clingman's Dome
The Great Smoky Mountains as seen from the highest one of them.

Jordan's Salamander
Found only at high altitudes this salamander is found in only a small part of the United States.

Appalachian Evening
View from the cabin porch of our hosts near Trade, Tennessee.

Window, Mountain City
One of many windows painted onto the side of a building in downtown Mountain City, Tennessee.

Door, Mountain City
Painted door on the side of a Mountain City, Tennessee building.

Pistols and a Star
On the Army Surplus store, downtown Mountain City, Tennessee.

Old Service Station, Hampton, Tennessee
An abandoned filling station, with an old car and truck alongside.

Fire Hydrant, Boone, North Carolina
Fire hydrant with a lost construction helmet atop.

Footbridge near Trade, Tennessee
A dangerous-looking footbridge over a small stream near Trade, the oldest community in Tennessee.

Joann and Patrick
One of the last pictures I took this is of our gracious hosts, Joann and Patrick, and their dog, Moxie, on the porch of their place in the mountains.

Page last updated 06/23/08