Tag Archives: Fall

Fall Colors Against Smoky Haze

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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

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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

Majestic Yosemite

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Back to a series of images from United States. One of the most recognized natural landscape images – entrance to the valley in Yosemite National Park in California. The iconic Half Dome sandwiched between El Capitan on the left and Bridalveil Fall on the right.

Designated a World Heritage Site in 1984, Yosemite is internationally recognized for its granite cliffs, waterfalls, clear streams, giant sequoia groves, lakes, mountains, glaciers, and biological diversity. Almost 95% of the park is designated wilderness.

The name “Yosemite” (meaning “killer” in Miwok) originally referred to the name of a renegade tribe which was driven out of the area (and possibly annihilated) by the Mariposa Battalion. Before then the area was called “Ahwahnee” (“big mouth”) by indigenous people.

Yosemite Valley Entrance