It's been a very wet start to the winter here in East Tennessee, so we decided to go check out a few nearby waterfalls. There are several waterfalls called "laurel falls." This is one of the most well-known here in Northeast Tennessee. It's also known as Laurel Fork Falls, and is located in the Pond Mountain Wilderness Area not far from Dennis cove. It's an easy hike of not much more than a mile down the Appalachian Trail to this 55 foot high waterfall. In dry summers it's sometimes just a wide trickle, but not this time!
Was glad for a WR camera body (and a good raincoat) - we were soaked by the spray off the falls from many yards downstream!
Since Laurel Falls was running so well, we decided to stop off at Blue Hole on the way home. It's a series of waterfalls at the foot of Holston Mt, and a popular swimming hole at times of warmer, lower water. Here's a view of what is usually a rather peaceful swimming pool!
The main falls feeding this swimming hole is usually a graceful thin flow...
The middle falls was overflowing its sheltered little grotto. Water was too fast, and rocks too slick, for me to get a better shot than this.
And the upper falls were too powerful for any safe approach, so we left them alone.
Came home to this little guy (White Throated Sparrow) wondering when we were going to fill his feeder!
Have visited a few more falls recently, and will post those photos later, as time permits. Hope you enjoyed these soggy views, and that you'll share your comments & critique!
Post #1 by mole
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