Appalachian Rain Forest

Smoky Ridges, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



Much like a temperate rain forest, these verdant mountains
 exude moisture in the form of rising mists,
hence the name given to them by the Cherokee...
"place of the blue smoke", which eventually became
the Great Smoky Mountains.

Follow the Red Brick Path

Brick Alleyway, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Stolls Alley is a narrow brick path from the colonial era
neighborhood South of Broad
to the antebellum mansions along The Battery
The milieu here has an old country feel to it.

Colors of Charleston

Houses Near Rainbow Row, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



While most rainbows fade,
Charleston's rainbow shines all the time.

Crow in the Cove

American Crow, Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserve
(Click on image for larger view.)



A young crow perches momentarily by the road that loops
 around Cades Cove, a mountain valley in the Smokies.

End of the Rainbow

Rainbow in Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved

I finally found out what is at the end of the rainbow!

Cades Cove!

Labor of Love

Forest Cascade, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



I spent nearly 8 hours photographing along a short stretch
 of backwoods road, fronting a mountain stream in the Smokies.
I worked as many angles as possible,
encountering views like this one...
a feeder brook cascading over a leafy slope.

Blue Patina

Mountain Stream, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



As twilight deepens in the valleys of the Smokies ,
a long camera exposure reveals a silky sheen
 on the surface of a mountain stream.

Golden Meadow

Meadow After a Rainstorm, Cades Cove,
Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Following an afternoon rainstorm, the sun emerges
 to suffuse a wet meadow in Cades Cove with a golden glow.

Through the Woods

Forest Road, Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A narrow road passes through leafy hardwoods
 on its way to the meadowlands of Cades Cove.

A Model Stream

Cascade in a Mountain Stream,
Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A low shelf in the stream bed enables mountain water
 to reveal its beautiful flowing tresses.

Little Fence Post

Fence Post, Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A single fence post in a meadow doesn't seem like much,
 but it evokes a sense of a simpler time and place.

Window Light

Window Light in a Rustic Cabin, Cades Cove,
Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved




Plenty of negative space in this monochrome
 adds simplicity and a bit of mystery to the image.

Cloudscape

Cumulus Clouds at Dusk, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



Cumulus clouds tower over soft mountains,
taking on the hues of a dreamy painting.

Rustic Charm

Sparks Lane, Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A peaceful country lane bordered by grassy meadows
 and surrounded by verdant mountains
 typifies the rustic beauty of Cades Cove.

Lily Heaven

Turk's Cap Lily, near Clingman's Dove,
Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina
© Doug Hickok



This striking wildflower, called the Turk's cap or turban lily,  thrives at the highest elevations in the Southern Appalachians.
 I found this vibrant specimen near Clingman's Dome,
 the highest point in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Rainy Day Activity

Observation Deck, Little Tennessee River, Tennessee
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Afternoon rain lends a somber mood
to the view from this observation deck
 as I gaze across the Little Tennessee River.

Veiled Wilderness

Pine Tree and Misty Ridges, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A lone pine looms against misty ridges
 which recede into a shrouded remoteness.

Secluded Tranquility

Small Waterfall, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



In a little-known hardwood cove in the Great Smoky Mountains,
 I made a short climb to this cascade which rewarded me
 with an image that feels cool and soothing.

Mountain Moods

Crepuscular Rays over Great Smoky Mountain National Park, Tennessee
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



The ever changing weather and light
 over the Great Smoky Mountains is fascinating to witness.
 From sunrise to sunset, the mood of the ancient mountains
 is always in flux. Here crepuscular rays break through
 late morning clouds to illuminate peaks and valleys
 of the national park.

Shuttered

Shutters at Sunrise, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Film photography)



Being at the right place at the right time enabled me to see
the first light of sunrise on this row of shutters near the waterfront.

Framed

Garden Gate, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Creeping fig vines frame a lovely garden gate
 in the historic district of Charleston.

Shadow Art

Gate Shadow, Saint Philip's Church, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view. Film photography)



Steps leading into Saint Philip's Church
 provide a canvas for the shadow of an ornate gate.

Light from the Heavens

Sunlight on Mountain Ridges, Cades Cove,
Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
© Doug Hickok



After a passing storm, a shaft of sunlight dappled
 the mountain peaks that surround Cades Cove.

The Long Journey

Mountain Stream, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Rushing over a small waterfall is part of the long journey
 rain water makes as it flows down a mountain cove
 toward the distant sea. 

Stormy Weather

Rainstorm in Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



The Great Smoky Mountains receive some of the highest amounts
 of rainfall in the U.S.  Whether it's a passing thunderstorm or a steady drizzle,
the Smokies get soaked. So when the rain moves through,
  I have a camera ready to record the misty mood of these amazing mountains.

Nature's Smoking Mountains

Sunrise, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



Dawn light illuminates mists
 rising from the ridges and valleys
 of the Great Smoky Mountains.

The Rising Mist

Loop Road, Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Mist begins to rise from a road
 following an afternoon rain storm
in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Puddling

Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly,
Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Finding a patch of moisture beside a Cades Cove road,
this butterfly stayed still long enough for me to grab
 a clear image of it at ground level.
Butterflies gather at muddy spots to obtain minerals in the soil.

Old Appalachian Forest

Mountain Stream, Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest, North Carolina
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Lush green surrounds a mountain stream
 in Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest, which protects
 one of the last old-growth woodlands in the eastern U.S.

Refreshed

Longitude Lane, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



An old alleyway in Charleston is enlivened
 by the hues of fresh spring blooms.