Random Photos From The Smokey Mountains

[Mistwalker]

Thought I’d share a few photos taken from a recent vacation in The Great Smokey Mountains National Forest.

It’s a very large National Forest with a LOT of trails.

It was mainly a series of day hikes in different locations so I was mostly traveling light, my walking stick and a couple of sharps, with a few other pieces of kit; compass, ferro rod, and a couple of small lights in my pockets and around my neck and in a shoulder bag. I found the mirror on the compass to be a great help for safely removing all of the suicidal gnats that kept flying into my eyes.

There are several large streams and small rivers.

Several types of fungi up there.

The humidity was so high that even in the shade of the canopy I was constantly soaked with sweat.

Lots of poison ivy

Both eastern and western poison oak

Lots of life too. Deer old and young

Hornets

Snakes

Butterflies

Ducks

And even a sleeping bear

No camping, just a lot of walking, but it was a great trip.


.

 

[Nagual]

Once again Brian, some lovely shots there, the first couple look like an amazing vista.. the sheer scale would be great to see in real life, as I'm sure the pictures just don't do it justice.

 

[BOD]

Hey that's my idea of a forest.

What's the regualations there? Can I wander off trail for a few days, make a fire, sling a hammock and put out half a dozen snares? Need any permits and stuff like that?

 

[John Fenna]

That looks great - except for the poison Ivy, Poison Oak, snakes, bear and midgies..... and I do not do high humidity..... other than that GREAT

 

[Mistwalker]

Once again Brian, some lovely shots there, the first couple look like an amazing vista.. the sheer scale would be great to see in real life, as I'm sure the pictures just don't do it justice.

Thanks man, and you're right, the pictures don't even come close in those shots. It's an amazing view from the high elevation.

Hey that's my idea of a forest.

What's the regualations there? Can I wander off trail for a few days, make a fire, sling a hammock and put out half a dozen snares? Need any permits and stuff like that?

The wandering off trail is no problem, and slinging a hammock may be ok, but no ground fires and no hunting in most places. I'd say it's likely nearly as restricted as the forests of Queensland.

That looks great - except for the poison Ivy, Poison Oak, snakes, bear and midgies..... and I do not do high humidity..... other than that GREAT

Thanks Johm, lol, if you ever come over you may want to do it in late autumn or early winter , but then you'd miss the hornets...

 

[santaman2000]

Hey that's my idea of a forest.

What's the regualations there? Can I wander off trail for a few days, make a fire, sling a hammock and put out half a dozen snares? Need any permits and stuff like that?

There's NO hunting/trapping allowed in any National Park and camping outside established campgrounds is discouraged in the few parks that allow it at all. The Great Smokey Mountain National Park (like all National Parks) is administered by the Park Service which in turn is under the Department of the Interior.

Hunting/trapping IS allowed and encouraged in almost ALL National Forests. They are administered by the National Forest Service which is in turn under the Department of Agriculture and often have public shooting ranges.

 

[BOD]

Thanks.

I have long thought of visiting my sister in the US and fantasised about a good bushwalk in some of these Eastern forests but don't want to be confined to campgrounds and tourist trails.

These National Forests are like the Smokeys or are they logged over forests that are re-establishing themselves?

 

[Partickpebbles]

Wow looks amazing! Thanks for sharing!

 

[Mistwalker]

Thanks.

I have long thought of visiting my sister in the US and fantasised about a good bushwalk in some of these Eastern forests but don't want to be confined to campgrounds and tourist trails.

These National Forests are like the Smokeys or are they logged over forests that are re-establishing themselves?

Most of the wooded threads I've posted have been from my favorite wild life management area where hunting is allowed. There are 27,000 acres there and that's one of the smaller W.M.A.s in this region. It will be the permits to make it legal that may be expensive. It's pretty expensive just going to one in a state other than the one I live in, I have no idea about being from another country...

 

[BOD]

Thanks Brian,

If I eventually sort myself out to go to the US and do this I'd probably not bother with hunting or trapping but I do like to spend a few days on my own and like having a fire. I'd need one to purify the water anyway.

 

[sandbender]

Great pics as always.

 

[GordonM]

Beautiful pictures, Brian. I grew up on the KY/TN border and spent lots of time in the Smokies. That picture of the bear is awesome! A very special treat to get a photo in the wild.

Thanks,

Gordy

 

[Mistwalker]

Thanks Brian,

If I eventually sort myself out to go to the US and do this I'd probably not bother with hunting or trapping but I do like to spend a few days on my own and like having a fire. I'd need one to purify the water anyway.

While there are, as ever, rules everywhere a lot of the time what is said depends on the weather at the time (how dry it is), how you go about setting your fire, and who you end up dealing with. In the areas I frequent the most the rule is that car camping is allowed only in certain spots but if you are hiking or back packing then "primitive" camping is allowed along the trail. If you ever get over this way in this area I could guide you to some nice places few people venture into in the cooler months during the week though hunters may be in the area on the weekends.

Great pics as always.

Thanks Sandbender, I'm glad you enjoyed them.

Beautiful pictures, Brian. I grew up on the KY/TN border and spent lots of time in the Smokies. That picture of the bear is awesome! A very special treat to get a photo in the wild.

Thanks,

Gordy

Thanks Gordy I love roaming the woods up on the TN / KY border but haven't spent much time up there in years. There are some deep woods up there still where you can get far away from people. That shot of the bear and the day I got it will always be one of my favorite memories.

 

[silentpaddler]

Great pictures, looks like a beautiful place to spend a few days exploring. What type of snake is that?

 

[BOD]

... If you ever get over this way in this area I could guide you to some nice places few people venture into in the cooler months during the week though hunters may be in the area on the weekends.

Brian, I just might take you up on that. Can't stand the thought of staying in Boston (where sis lives) more than a few days. Always been impressed by Tennessee forests from what I have seen on TV - Davy Crockett, Daniel Boone and all that.

Not for a year at least though gotta do Africa and the spice islands first

 

[Barn Owl]

Wonderful pics Brian.

 

[santaman2000]

Thanks.

I have long thought of visiting my sister in the US and fantasised about a good bushwalk in some of these Eastern forests but don't want to be confined to campgrounds and tourist trails.

These National Forests are like the Smokeys or are they logged over forests that are re-establishing themselves?

The National Parks are preserved and only occasionally allow any tree cutting (to remove diseased trees that might pose a danger to the rest of the trees if left or for some similar reason)

The National Forests are logged on a schedule that allows regrowth. Some are only logged "selectively" (only trees over a certain size are cut allowing for a constant state of the forest) Whereas others are logged semi-clear cut (40 or 50 acre tracts are clear cut on a rotating basis allowing several states among the various tracts; usually a National Forest is several hundred thousands of acres)

I'm going to try to post a link to both the Park Service and the Forest Service to give a better idea of they're philosophies and what they offer in terms of recreation. These links will allow you to pull up general info and/or select any specific Park/Forest for more detailed info on trails, campgrounds, shooting ranges (in some National Forests only) history, wildlife, etc.

National Park Service = www.nps.gov/index.htm
National Forest Service = www.fs.fed.us

If you know which particular State you want to visit, you might google that individual State's Park Service or Forest Service as well. The State systems are managed independently by the individual States whereas the National Services are managed Federally. Here are the links for Tennessee:

Tennessee State Parks = www.state.tn.us/environment/parks
Tennessee State Forests = www.tn.gov/agriculture/forestry/stateforests.shtml

 

[Mistwalker]

The National Parks are preserved and only occasionally allow any tree cutting (to remove diseased trees that might pose a danger to the rest of the trees if left or for some similar reason)

The National Forests are logged on a schedule that allows regrowth. Some are only logged "selectively" (only trees over a certain size are cut allowing for a constant state of the forest) Whereas others are logged semi-clear cut (40 or 50 acre tracts are clear cut on a rotating basis allowing several states among the various tracts; usually a National Forest is several hundred thousands of acres)

I'm going to try to post a link to both the Park Service and the Forest Service to give a better idea of they're philosophies and what they offer in terms of recreation. These links will allow you to pull up general info and/or select any specific Park/Forest for more detailed info on trails, campgrounds, shooting ranges (in some National Forests only) history, wildlife, etc.

National Park Service = www.nps.gov/index.htm
National Forest Service = www.fs.fed.us

If you know which particular State you want to visit, you might google that individual State's Park Service or Forest Service as well. The State systems are managed independently by the individual States whereas the National Services are managed Federally. Here are the links for Tennessee:

Tennessee State Parks = www.state.tn.us/environment/parks
Tennessee State Forests = www.tn.gov/agriculture/forestry/stateforests.shtml

In the TN state forests you'll find the one, #7, it's one of the three largest and the majority of the photos I have posted here were taken there. It is sometimes heavily used on the weekends, but luckily my job allows for me to be there during the week and in the mornings...and most of the day up to the evening I have the park mostly to myself.

http://www.tn.gov/agriculture/forestry/stateforest07.shtml

.

 

[BOD]

Thanks santaman. Useful links