Category Archives: National Parks

Fall Colors Against Smoky Haze

by

2

The “smoke” from the Smoky Mountains is actually fog that comes from the area’s vegetation. Plants take in carbon dioxide and give off oxygen. Plants also exhale something called “volatile organic compounds”, or VOCs.

VOCs may sound scary, but when they are released from plants, they are completely natural.

In addition to causing various scents and odors, a high concentration of VOCs can also cause fog. VOCs are chemicals that have a high vapor pressure, which means that they can easily form vapors at room temperature. The millions of trees, bushes, and other plants in the Great Smoky Mountains all give off vapor, which comes together to create the fog that gives the mountains their signature smoky look.

The colors of Fall contrast nicely against the “smoke.”

Fall Colors Against Smoky Haze

A Colorful Drive

by

4

Great Smoky Mountains National Park straddles the border between North Carolina and Tennessee. The sprawling landscape encompasses lush forests and an abundance of wildflowers that bloom year-round. Streams, rivers and waterfalls appear along hiking routes that include a segment of the Appalachian Trail.

A drive through the Park in late Fall with remnants of color …

A Colorful Drive

Bear Sighting

by

0

Sighting of a black bear on the side of Skyline Drive at Shenandoah National Park.

One of the many highlights of visiting Shenandoah National Park is the opportunity to observe and photograph wildlife – white-tailed deer, a wide variety of birds, and butterflies, and, with some frequency, black bears. Black bears estimated in a few hundreds are the only species of bear found in Shenandoah National Park.

Bear Sighting