Hey everyone, sorry for the delay. I was caught up in Cherokee NC. Recently I took a trip out to Cherokee to capture some of the amazing waterfalls and breathe taking views this small city has to offer. Contrary to popular belief, there are tons of things to do outside of gambling. There are several hiking trails, fishing locations and even reenactment theaters. Only after completing all of these events should you head to the casino LOL :). I was only in Cherokee for a few days but in this short period of time I managed to capture a few amazing images which I believe help portray this unique little town.
Starting off this list we have SOCO falls. This waterfall is located only 15 minutes away from the casino and does not require much of a hike to reach. During the fall and winter, you can actually view this waterfall from the side of the road due to the lack of leaves obstructing your view. To get the shots seen in these images, a small walk was required but there are several ropes you can use to help pull yourself along the walk. Fortunately, someone had stacked several stones directly adjacent to the waterfall which made for some awesome shots.
Next up in Cherokee I decided to visit the Cherokee Veterans Park. This gorgeous park displays the names of several Cherokee Veterans that gave their lives in order to protect our freedoms. The park also contains a large tank and howitzer. Unfortunately, you are not allowed to touch either of these amazing pieces of military equipment but fortunately enough, photographing them were enough for me. If you visit Cherokee please do not pass over this Cherokee Veterans Park. It is located directly across from oconaluftee Island Park. Side note, I wish I could have taken some pictures of Oconaluftee park but by the time we arrived it was way too dark to snap any decent pics.
Another amazing aspect of Cherokee are the various colorful bear statues located all around the reservation. These bears are extremely unique and each display a variety of colors while telling completely different stories. The bear I captured was displayed within the Cherokee Veterans Park and was painted to mimic the American flag. What is more patriotic than a giant American bear flag. Spoiler alert, the answer is nothing!
Our next destination required a brief 20 minute drive from our hotel but was certainly worth it. Specifically, we decided to visit the historic Mingus Mill. This historic mill was built in 1886 and uses an old water powered turbine. This is very unique because at the time, most mills used a waterwheel to crush wheat. The water flows from a very long millrace into the mill. The mill is still functional and even offers tourists wheat products created directly at the mill. For more information about the Mill feel free to check them out at Mingus Mill.
Of course, I decided to save the best for last. On our drive through Cherokee into pigeon forge we stopped to take several pictures of the Great Smoky Mountains. This drive (US 441) is an absolute must. There are several stops along the drive which allow photographers to capture the breathtaking scenes only available in the Smoky mountains. Along this drive you will likely see several wild turkey and even elk. These massive creatures completely dwarf the deer so many of are used to seeing around town. If you are lucky enough to see these amazing creatures please keep your distance. They are great from a distance but the same may not be true up close.
Thanks everyone for checking out my brief Cherokee post. I hope you enjoyed all of the images and tips I offered for visiting Cherokee. More images from the trip can be found below. If you have any suggestions or recommendations, feel free to drop a few comments below. I would certainly love to her from some of you. Until Next time stay BOUNDLESS!
Cherokee Gallery
