The Great Smoky Mountains: Walden Creek to Cherokee

From our cabin in Walden Creek to Cherokee, North Carolina, we drove 33 miles of scenic road to places like Sugarland's, Chimney Tops, and the highest peak in the Smoky Mountains, Kuwohi, formerly known as Clingmans Dome. The U.S. Board of Geographic Names restored the Cherokee name Kuwohi on Wednesday, September 18, 2024, and voted to change the name of the highest point in Great Smoky Mountains National Park from Clingmans Dome to Kuwohi, a Cherokee name for the mountain. The tower at the top of Kuwohi is at 6,643 feet elevation, making it the highest point in the park.

The balcony view from our cabin in Walden Creek is breathtaking. This photograph was taken with a Nikon D800 and a Nikon 20-35mm f/2.8 lens. I combined five carefully selected images out of 20, which varied in exposure, then stacked them in Lightroom with minor edits in Camera Raw. The result highlights the serene landscape around the cabin.

I spotted this curious Coyote in Cade's Cove, and I believe it was actively searching for a handout, as it stuck around for quite some time, showing little hesitation in my presence. Shot this image with a Sony 7RII with a Sony G master 135mm f1.8.

From the top left to the right, the photos were taken in Cades Cove. My wife captured a doe right beside our car with her iPhone 14; it almost reached the passenger window. Meanwhile, I snapped a shot of a Tom by the roadside. The most astonishing encounter was with a Bull Elk near the Oconaluftee Visitor Center, close to Cherokee, North Carolina. The mating season in September probably explains why we heard a Bull Elk's calls near our cabin early in the morning. I managed to capture this incredible moment with my iPhone 14 Pro Max.