Before venturing up to the top of Clingman’s Dome, Ray, the kids and I took a leisurely drive through Cades Cove. The drive to the cove was beautiful… with the road winding and curving through the mountains and alongside a river… though at times it was bit much for me. I’ve found out that I can not read maps while in a moving vehicle… I thought I could… but I can’t.
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It was so beautiful in the cove… the perfect day for it really… warm and sunny. While we didn’t see any bears (thank goodness) we did have a group of white tail deer as well as a lone buck get really close to the car. We also saw a group of wild turkeys (yum! hehe) The kids did great – it was a driving tour and only about 9 miles long, but due to a low speed limit… and even slower drivers… it took us about an hour to drive through (not including the longer stop that we made at the mill and old farmstead).
(I didn’t want to make another long picture heavy post, so I put them in the slide show. For some reason it’s doing something to the wide photos… squeezing their sides and stretching them lengthwise… sort of like the one Paula Abdul video from the 90’s 😉 )
Eeek!! Jeff and I LOVED Cades Cove when we were up there for our honeymoon. We went twice, and the first time we were able to see a bear CUB. Not a mama or daddy bear. I don’t think I would’ve been thrilled to see that…since the cub was so close. The wildlife and the view is just amazing up there!!
Sidenote: We had friends staying at the campground right there at the bottom where you come out of Cades Cove, along the river. It had rained up in the Cove before we toured it, and a little during, and by the time we got to our friends, floated down the river to their campsite, there was a flash flood. All the rain had come down the mountain, and caused it. It was like NOTHING I had ever seen before!
What kind of lens is on your camera? I love the depth of field it provides, and the clarity!! 🙂
Hope everyone is feeling better!!
The river was a bit rough the day we were there thanks to all of the rain from the previous days, but not flash flood worthy – I bet that would have been a sight to see!
I wish we had seen a cub or bear… scratch that… just the cub! If I really want to see a bear though, I just have to visit family in PA… they have a bear that likes to visit their backyard!
We used a Tamron 18mm – 270mm lens for those photos.
I wish I could say that we’re feeling better, but we’re not… the while family is still sick and Noah has a double ear infection too… just lovely! Hope you guys are doing better than us!! =)
How absolutely and completely gorgeous!
I love the one of you holding Abby. So cute! Beautiful scenery. I love those white puffy cloud days.
Thanks! It really turned out to be the perfect day for the drive.
Cade’s Cove really is a beautiful place!
OMG!! Cool photos Michaela! I love the pictures with the mountain in the background! Some of them could be postcard worthy!!
Also the one with Abigail making a face is priceless:) Ugh! There goes my ovaries again;)
Okay that is just stunning! What a beautiful place.
WOW, such beautiful pictures! Looks like a true escape!
So pretty!!! My family lives in Western NC and I do so miss living there this time of year!