Wildlife, Waterfalls, and Scenic Drives: What Makes the Smokies Special
Some places look good in pictures. The Smokies feel different in person. The iconic Great Smoky Mountains have this way of pulling you in slow. Not loud. Not flashy. Just steady. You roll down the window and it hits you - damp air, pine, earth. A little mist hanging where it shouldn’t be. And before you know it, you’re not checking your phone anymore. Wildlife in the Iconic Great Smoky Mountains You don’t have to go deep into the backcountry to see something move. White-tailed deer are everywhere. Wild turkeys too. And if you’re up early enough, when the fog still hugs the valleys, you might spot elk grazing in the fields near Cherokee or Cataloochee. It doesn’t feel staged. No fences. No handlers. Just animals doing their thing. Black bears live here too. Real ones. Not the cartoon kind on souvenir shirts. You’ll see warning signs about food storage for a reason. I’ve seen a mama bear cross the road with two cubs like she owned the place. Traffic just stopped. Nobody complained. That...