Trails, Fall Colors & Snow...That Is Autumn In The Smokies

Well, it is late October and here in East Tennessee we are entering the peak of the Fall Leaf Season, so for some insane reason, Deb and I headed to the Smokies for hiking and a little color. The reason I am questing our sanity is everyone else had the same idea. Luckily we hadn't planned to go up top as cars were backup on the Newfound Gap Road. Any, you couldn't go to Clingmans Dome because it was closed because of snow.

Traffic in the park.

When we got there...

...there was this message...

...which meant more people at Sugarlands.

We did scrap our plans hike Laurel Falls because traffic head on Little River Road (the one to Cades Cove was worse). So we stayed around the Fighting Creek Nature Trail and hiked out to John Ownby's Cabin.

Laurel Falls.

Fighting Creek Nature Trail.

Arriving at the Cabin.

The fall colors I mentioned.

After that, we headed across the road to the Old Sugarlands Trail. On here a couple of older gentleman who passed us came back our way, in what seemed a hurry. They said there was a big bear up the trail and he didn't seem to afraid of them. Before they finished the story Deb had already decided our next move as she was headed back the way we came.

Now on to the Old Sugarlands Trail.

West Prong of the Pigeon River.

Headed back, while you can't see here, Deb is in the lead.

So we ended up doing half of the Gatlinburg Trail, which was nice. After escaping Sugarlands, we made a quick stop at the Gatlinburg Overlook for a view of Mount LeConte with fall colors and snow...nice!

Now on the Gatlinburg Trail.

Another shot of the river.

The footbridge.

Snow capped Mt. LeConte.