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Best Photos of Great Smoky Mountains National Park

24-hour Great Smoky Mountains Photo Story

November 4, 2021 Staff

Each year we ask national park travelers to enter their best photos in our annual photo contest. From dawn to dusk and the deep darkness of night, here are some of the best Great Smoky Mountains National Park photos we’ve received that were taken in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

As the Sun Rises

Misty Morning at Cades Cove in Great Smoky Mountain National Park — Misty Morning at Cades Cove by Jonathan Hill

Cades Cove sunrise while deer graze in Great Smoky Mountains National Park — The sun rises over grazing deer in Cades Cove by Patrick Morgan

Black bear up a tree in Great Smoky Mountains National Park — Black bear up a tree by Pasquale Mingarelli

Misty mountain sunrise in Great Smoky Mountains National Park — Misty mountain sunrise by Nelson Rudiak

Watching the sunrise from Charlie's Bunion in Great Smoky Mountains National Park — Watching the sunrise from Charlie’s Bunion by Anthony Toribio

Sunrise from Purchase Knob in Great Smoky Mountains National Park — Sunrise from Purchase Knobby Patricia Cox

Afternoon Adventure

Autumn glow on a Smoky Mountain stream — Autumn glow on a Smoky Mountain stream by Jose Torres

Millipedes on Gabes Mountain Trail in Great Smoky Mountains National Park — Millipedes on Gabes Mountain TrailPaul Garland

Children playing while hiking a misty Forney Ridge Trail on Andrew Bald in Great Smoky Mountains National Park — Children playing while hiking a misty Forney Ridge Trail on Andrew Bald by Lauren Kennedy

Smoky Mountain cascades — Smoky Mountain cascades by Tony Wayman

Black bear nursing her cubs in Great Smoky Mountain National Park — Black bear nursing her cubs by Robert Strickland

Fishing under a canopy of autumn trees in Great Smoky Mountains National Park — Fishing under a canopy of autumn treesby Matt Waggoner

Henry Whitehead Place in autumn, Cades Cove at Great Smoky Mountains National Park — Henry Whitehead Place in autumn by Lane Rohling

An elk bugles in Great Smoky Mountains National Park — An elk bugles in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (Photo: Ryan Shean)

Sunset Moments

Sunset from Clingmans Dome in Great Smoky Mountains National Park — Sunset from Clingmans Dome in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (Photo: Patricia Dortch)

Scenic Smoky Mountain drive at sunset in autumn — Scenic Smoky Mountain drive at sunset in autumn by Patricia Giraldo

Red sunset in Cades Cove — Red sunset in Cades Cove by Norman Lathrop

Sunset after the rain in Great Smoky Mountains National Park — Sunset after the rain by Courtney Westlake

Night Glows

The night stars over Clingmans Dome, Great Smoky Mountains National Park — The night stars over Clingmans Dome by Paul Hoying

Synchronous fireflies in Great Smoky Mountains National Park — Synchronous fireflies in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (Photo: Randy Yost)

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Park Entrances to Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Official Great Smoky Mountains National Park Map PDF