Big Creek Cathedral

I've been trying to get a shot of this location along Big Creek, in Great Smoky Mountains NP, NC, for years. Actually, seeing a picture from this spot was not ...
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I've been trying to get a shot of this location along Big Creek, in Great Smoky Mountains NP, NC, for years. Actually, seeing a picture from this spot was not only one of the main reasons I first visited Big Creek, but also one of the main reasons I continued to pursue landscape photography several years ago. I very much love the way the trees form a cathedral over the cascading stream, giving a sense of depth that's hard to find in most stream shots. Big Creek also lacks the same crowds along it's length, as this area of the part is completely disconnected from both Gatlinburg and Cherokee. If you're looking for a great place in the park with phenomenal hiking while still keeping your distance from the craziness of Gatlinburg, this is a good place to check out!

Big Creek itself is the most scenic in the park, in my opinion. Very few other streams have the same gradient, water flow, and amount of large rock in the water, while still not being open to the sky above in many places. The creek is also very accessible, as the Big Creek Trail follows very closely to the water's edge. If you're hiking the trail, this spot is hard to miss.
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