The Cherokees described these mountains as "blue, like smoke." Particularly on hot, humid days the thick vegetation emits "large quantities of moisture and organic compounds." Of course, increasing pollution has added to the bluish haze. While it may not be clear from the photo to the right the visibility may on a clear day may be 90 miles. Photos taken on 25 Jun 2015]
Perhaps the most popular spot in the park: Clingmans Dome (elev:6643'), the highest point in the state of Tennessee. When I reached the top there were at least 100 vehicles lined up with some waiting for their occupants' turns to walk up many stairs to the top of the observation tower, which is the biggest hump in the gap to the left of the dome's top.
Not sure exactly where this photo was taken, but note the number of dead trees. While it's unlikely those trees are the result of insect infestations, air pollution may be at least a partial cause of their mortality.
Appears to be a zoom-less shot of the roadway in the photo immediately above.
A photo of Clingmans Dome, highest point on the Appalachian Trail, from nearly the same spot as above, but taken in the evening with some zoom; the observation tower is somewhat more visible.
Early afternoon during a day when there were no afternoon thundershowers.
As you can see in this and the above photo there are some good-sized trees here. [Some of my cousins, who are timber-fallers, would love to get their chainsaws on them; fortunately, the cousins are in California.]
Boundary Between Hardwoods & Softwoods. [Excuse the flashback!] At about the 4000' level one finds a very damp forest typical of those 1200 miles to the north with sugar maples, beech and birch trees. Hwr, a few hundred feet higher one finds softwood trees such as the red spruce and Fraser fir.
A Nice-Looking Trout Stream! But where are the fishermen?
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Links:
- National Park Service Gt Smoky Mtns website
- Blue Ridge Parkway connecting Great Smoky Mountains and Shenandoah National Parks
- National Park Service website on The Appalachian Trail
Routes:
T 21 Jul Actual Route: Culpeper, VA, W/M - Lowe's - Fredericksburg, VA, Lowe's - Fredericksburg W/M
W 22 Jul Actual Route: Fredericksburg, VA, W/M - Lowe's - State Farm Agt - Safford RV - Fredericksburg W/M
Th 23 Jul Actual Route: Fredericksburg, VA, W/M - Woodbridge, VA, - Holly Acres RV - Manassas, VA, - Reines RV - Lowe's - Central Library - Manassas Mall W/M
F 24 Jul Actual Route: Manassas, VA, W/M - Lowe's - Central Library - Liberia St W/M
Sa 25 Jul Actual Route: Manassas, VA, W/M - Lowe's - Central Library - Manassas Mall W/M
Su 26 Jul Actual Route: Manassas, VA, W/M - Central Library (closed) - Liberia St W/M
M 27 Jul Actual Route: Manassas, VA, W/M - Centreville - Manassas - Central Library - Liberia St W/M
T 28 Jul Actual Route: Manassas, VA, W/M - Marshall, VA - Front Royal - Harrisonburg, VA, W/M
W 29 Jul Actual Route: Harrisonburg, VA, W/M - Franklin, WV, - Monterey, VA - Covington, VA, W/M
Th 30 Jul Route: Covington, VA, W/M - Eagle Rock, VA, Lib
Finding Campgrounds:
- RV Campgrounds from TrailerLifeDirectory.com
- Family Camping Directories from Woodalls.com
- Free campsites website
- Info on finding BLM Campgrounds
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