Hike to Look Rock Observation Tower (Smokies-10/23/12)

Look Rock Observation Tower

George and I spent a day in the beautiful SMOKY MOUNTAINS in Tennessee on 10/23/12  visiting the Foothills Parkway near Townsend, Tennessee... If you missed my first post showing all of the gorgeous colors up there,  click HERE.

Today I will share another post from that day.  We hiked up to the Look Rock Observation Tower on top of the mountain.... It's not a hard hike (only about a mile round-trip) and on a clear day,  you can really see a long distance from up there.  If you are ever in the Smokies,  we recommend this hike.

The picture above was taken on the Foothills Parkway---looking up at the tower....  Below are more.   Be sure to click on the pictures in order to see them larger.

Now we are on the TRAIL leading up to the tower... George took this picture of me. The Fall colors were still gorgeous here.  You can see that I am wearing my Camera Vest --with water on my right hip and my long lens on my left hip!!!!!!  I'm ready to go!!!! ha

Here is more of the pretty Fall colors on our walk!!!!  Isn't that blue sky just great as a backdrop?

We are almost at the TOP.....  Here is a picture I took of George on the ramp up to the tower... We both took lots of pictures while hiking up to the tower.

I snapped this picture of the Look Rock Observation Tower --up close and personal!!!

I took this picture from the top ---looking down at the Foothills Parkway.   That is where I took the first picture at the top of this page.

Here's George at the top of the tower.  I'd love to be up here either at sunrise or at sunset.  Wouldn't that be tremendous????

Here's another picture taken from the top of the tower.  You can see the beautiful Smoky Mountains in this picture... We were there in the middle of the afternoon ---so the sun wasn't always in the 'correct' place for some good photos... Like I said above,  we need to come really early in the morning sometime--or stay until sunset.

George took this picture of me ---on the top of the tower.  As you know,  I love being on top of a mountain.. This one is awesome!!!!

Here's a neat picture of the sun shining on some yellow leaves  we saw on our way back down the mountain...

I'm going to finish with two more pictures taken while we were on the top of the tower.  I used my long lens to get a good picture of a farm in the valley below the mountain....

And finally,  here's one more ---showing a lake in the valley below.  The last time we came to this observation tower,  it was in September of 2010 I think.... It was nice --but the Fall colors weren't nearly as pretty as they were this year...

Hope you have a good week.   As you probably know,  this is a busy time of the year for us... We are taking the week off ---so our next blog posts will be on Monday,  Nov. 12. 

Hugs,
Betsy

More from Colorado Springs 9/15/12

After visiting Pikes Peak and Garden of the Gods on 9/14,   since we were still in Colorado Springs on 9/15,   we visited the Air Force Academy Chapel,  Seven Falls and the South Cheyenne Canyon,  Helen Hunt Falls and the North Cheyenne Canyon,  Silver Cascade Falls,  and the Royal Gorge.... It was GO GO GO all day long --and we loved it.

Today I will share some of our day with you that beautiful Fall day in Colorado.   The picture above is of the beautiful CHAPEL at the AIR FORCE ACADEMY.  I had always seen pictures of this gorgeous place ---but seeing it up close and personal was AWESOME.  Be sure to click on the photos for enlargements. 

As gorgeous as the outside of that chapel is,  let me tell you that the inside (all of the colors) is even more beautiful...  Here is only one photo (of many which I took) from inside that chapel...  Isn't it amazing?

After leaving the academy,  we headed to Seven Falls.   In order to get there,  we had to drive through the SOUTH CHEYENNE CANYON...  Wow--what a neat place!!!!

Here is a picture of SEVEN FALLS.  Seven Falls is just what it says that it is:  it is seven different waterfalls (all with their own names).  In this picture,  you can see FIVE of the SEVEN.  There is a small one (named SHORTY FALLS) hidden from your view in the middle,  and there is another drop at the top --to the left (also out of view)...

For your information,  here are the names of the SEVEN falls (from bottom to top):  Hill Falls,  Weimer Falls,  Hull Falls,  Shorty Falls,  Bridal Veil Falls,  Feather Falls,  and Romona Falls.  If you'd like more information as to how these falls got their names,   click HERE .

Look at this photo ---and find the OVERLOOK  'way' up there!!!!  See it?   NOW---go back to the previous photo... The overlook is where we were when we took the photo of Seven Falls, in the previous photo.   Interesting, huh?

Here is a picture of us taken at that overlook shown previously.   We really enjoyed being at SEVEN FALLS.

I took this picture from the bottom of Seven Falls --looking up!!!!!  You can see all of the steps that we climbed, much better in this picture.  

I took this picture of George --as we were climbing those steps....Pant Pant!!!! You can see the bottom drop (Hill Falls) to the left in the picture.   (In order to see the top waterfall,  we 'had' to climb up those steps!!!!  YES---the climb was worth it!)

After leaving Seven Falls,   we traveled in the NORTH CHEYENNE CANYON area... This canyon is also marvelous!!!!  I took this picture of a cute little cabin we passed... Neat,  isn't it???? 

Here is a picture of HELEN HUNT FALLS.  This waterfall was named after local Colorado writer,  Helen Hunt Jackson.  There is a little bridge above the waterfall where you can walk and then eventually get to another waterfall,  Silver Cascade Falls.  There was not much water up there this time of year.

This picture is out of order---but I saved my favorite photo 'til last!!!!!   Every once in awhile,  a photo comes along which "I" took that just blows me away...  This one did it for me...  I LOVE LOVE LOVE it.... Be sure to enlarge this one!!!!!

To me,  this is the PERFECT reflection photo straight out of the camera!!!!!  This was taken at Seven Falls ---and I am looking back toward the visitor center on the left.   The reflection makes the visitor center appear as if it is built on a big rock or cliff hanging out over the water....   It's NOT ---but wow--what a picture!!!! Hope you like it as much as I do.  Pictures like this make photography SO SO SO much fun!!!!!

Hope you have a great weekend.  I will see you on Monday.

Hugs,
Betsy