I'm back home from our ten day vacation in the Great Smoky Mountains in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. If we weren't returning to our beautiful residence here in Myrtle Beach I think it would have been very hard to leave the majestic beauty of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. I took over 1,000 photos and DH took close to 50 videos, most of which are on the laptop. I have to copy them onto CD's and DVD's so I can share them with all of you. I find it hard to type on the laptop and I don't have the photo down loader for Gather on there either.
View of mountains from our balcony....
View of mountains from a six mile loop scenic drive through the park.
Did you know that the nation's very first July 4th parade is in Gatlinburg every year? Yes, they have their parade at midnight, making it the first in the nation. We didn't drive down and watch because we were on the top of the mountain above the Great Smokey Mountain National Park and didn't want to risk the drive on the treacherous roads in the dark. It was hard enough driving in the day light. I don't know how people navigate those roads in the snow during ski season. The roads are just wide enough for two cars and the one side is a straight drop off down the mountain, no guard rails or shoulder to the road. I'm sure glad I wasn't driving.
We also spent overnight on the way to Tennessee and on the way home in Greenville, SC. The fourth of July celebration and fireworks there were wonderful.
Scenes from Falls Park on the Reedy River in Greenville, SC
A preview of what is to come in future photo essays and videos - we encountered bears in the woods on two separate days, saw a young elk, hiked to Laurel Falls, saw a lot of small falls and streams, found a really neat bees nest, there are pretty flowers and the mountains are full of mountain laurel and rhododendron, and beautiful scenery.
I hope the rest publish a lot easier than this one. I have tried to submit this about five times already and keep ending up on that mystery page telling me there was an error and asking me where I'd like to go. I had to save as draft after each photo addition also or Gather would "stop responding". Some things never change, but I won't give up!
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Comments: 41
Great pictures Nana and welcome back. I look forward to seeing all your pictures and videos.
Wow! Some awesome pictures! Glad you didn't give up on posting them! Off to see each one!
We visited Gatlinburg in 1976. We were supposedly too early for some of the blooms but an early spring made everything bloom "just for us". Thanks for your persistence in trying to post photos.
Gorgeous. I'd love to visit there again.
Welcome back, Gloria - can't wait to see all your cool pics. Tennessee is so pretty, I was there a long time ago and I'd love to see it again.
Wow oh wow, Gloria! What a wonderful trip that must have been, with some fantastic photos! Oh my gosh, just imagine encountering some bears and other wild animals.......how incredible that must have been. Oh my gosh, 1000 photos???? That's even more than our soon took on his two-week Italy trip.....LOL! He took like 835 I believe, and we're trying to do the same thing......get them on CDs or DVDs to share on here....he's so busy working 8-hour days at the cemetery, that he's not had a lot of time to do it. That 4th of July parade sounds incredible! Ah yes, how well I know about those horribly narrow mountain roads! We used to go out to Wyoming every year to visit relatives...I'll never forget the very narrow, winding roads, with nothing on one side of the roads! I would never drive in the mountains!!! Welcome back, and your photos so far and just breathtaking!
Thanks Nora, I'm glad someone can relate to those roads, they sure are scarey!
what you've shown us so far is incredible. i don't think i would have wanted to leave either. looking forward to more great pics. glad you had a wonderful vacation. :)
Thanks for the preview of pictures! I will be traveling there on July 31st, returning on August 6th. Going to Dollywood & Smokey Mountains!
Thanks Priscilla, we just stuck to the nature things and that kept us really busy. There is just so much to see and do between Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. I know you'll have a wonderful time.
Beautiful photos! I look forward to seeing more from your trip. Hubby and I are trying to figure out a good weekend for us to head up there.
Thank you for posting your photo essay at Pretty Pictures.
Your photos are wonderful. I look forward to seeing more of them.
Gorgeous photos Nana. That is oe of my favorite places. Both the Smokies and Gatlinburg. The view from your hotel balcony looks delightful. Welcome back.
Beautiful photo essay Nana! I can't wait to see more!!
Welcome back, and I'm selfishly very happy you've returned. What a great collection of photos!
I love the photos...they look so refreshing and beautiful. Makes me want to go, but when we go camping in the Fall I am not sure where we are going to go.
Nice photos! I enjoyed my visit to Gatlinburg and the Smokys a lot when I was at a geocaching event in the area.
Beautiful Country you got to see
Thanks for sharing it Nana Your photos are Great!
Very pretty, I wouldn't of wanted to come back.
1000 photos or does a picture tell a 1000 words?
Thanks for taking us to Gatlinburg :)
What great photos Gloria...and sounds like you had a great time. Pher is about an hour from there at Davy Crockett Boy Scout Camp...
Looks wonderful!! Will you be sharing where you stayed, too? And maybe great food you enjoyed?
Thanks, yes I have so much to share, but it will take a while. We stayed at The Summit in Gatlinburg.
Thanks, I would love to find a nice place close by to go to and thought this might be nice since you were just there and you can share what you liked.
Gatlinburg is a really nice place. I've been on vacation there a few times. Lovely photo captures of course
welcome back awesome photos
nice pictures
I'm glad you had such a great time, Nana - these photos are beautiful, the falls are gorgeous! I can't wait to see more, sounds like we're in for interesting pics!
Wow, what an adventure! Can't wait to see more!
beautiful I have been there a couple times and would love to move there.
It is just gorgeous!
very pretty
I have to bookmark all the places you go...You look great there and wonderful shots with great info.
Nana,glad to see you back. If the other photos are as great as these ,I can't wait.
What gorgeous falls, Nana...perfect for climbing on.
Wow, that is a beautiful scenic area. I"ve never been to the Smoky Mountains