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Fall At The Whitehead Home
Henry Whitehead Cabin
Cades Cove
Great Smoky MountainsFalltheWhiteheadHomeHenry Whitehead Cabin2022cabinsautumncades cove photosCades Coveforge creeknaturesmokiesgreat smoky mountainsGSMNPMD Hills Photographymdhillsphotography.comsmokies photosgreat smoky mountains imagesmattanddeliahills
Autumn Amble
Two deer and a fawn amble down Sparks Lane.
Cades Cove
Great Smoky MountainsAutumnAmbledeerfawnSparks LaneCades Cove PhotosFallscenicwildlifenaturecades covesmokiesgreat smoky mountainsGSMNPMD Hills Photographymdhillsphotography.comsmokies photosgreat smoky mountains imagesmattanddeliahills
Colors Of Autumn
Roaring Fork Overlook
Great Smoky MountainsColorsAutumnfallRoaring Forkoverlookscenic2022Octobernaturesmokiesgreat smoky mountainsGSMNPMD Hills Photographymdhillsphotography.comsmokies photosgreat smoky mountains imagesmattanddeliahills
Between Heaven And Earth
Clingmans Dome Afterglow
Great Smoky Mountains National ParkBetweenHeavenandEarthafterglowscenicsunsetsFallOctober2022Clingmans Domenaturesmokiesgreat smoky mountainsGSMNPMD Hills Photographymdhillsphotography.comsmokies photosgreat smoky mountains imagesmattanddeliahills
Autumn At Carter's Cabin
Cades Cove
Great Smoky MountainsAutumnCarter'sCabin2022OctoberCarter Shields Cabinfallsplit rail fencehistoric structurescades cove photosCades Covemisty rainnaturesmokiesgreat smoky mountainsGSMNPMD Hills Photographymdhillsphotography.comsmokies photosgreat smoky mountains imagesmattanddeliahills
Endless Autumn
Newfound Gap
Great Smoky Mountains National ParkEndlessAutumnFallOctober2022scenicoverlooknaturesmokiesgreat smoky mountainsGSMNPMD Hills Photographymdhillsphotography.comsmokies photosgreat smoky mountains imagesmattanddeliahills
Fall At Bud's Place
Noah "Bud" Ogle Cabin
Cherokee Orchard Road
Great Smoky MountainsFallBud'sPlaceNoah Bud Ogle Cabinhistoric structuresOctober2022autumnseasonsnaturesmokiesgreat smoky mountainsGSMNPMD Hills Photographymdhillsphotography.comsmokies photosgreat smoky mountains imagesmattanddeliahills
The Horizon
Clingmans Dome Sunset
Great Smoky Mountains National ParkTheHorizonClingmans DomeOctobersunsetsscenicnaturesmokiesgreat smoky mountainsGSMNPMD Hills Photographymdhillsphotography.comsmokies photosgreat smoky mountains imagesmattanddeliahills
Time Passage
Newfound Gap Road
Great Smoky MountainsTimePassage2022OctobertunnelNewfound Gap RoadscenicFallAutumnnaturesmokiesgreat smoky mountainsGSMNPMD Hills Photographymdhillsphotography.comsmokies photosgreat smoky mountains imagesmattanddeliahills
Morning Tides Pano
The sun rises on a crisp, Autumn day at Clingmans Dome.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
The original version can be found here:
https://www.mdhillsphotography.com/Photo-Galleries/Landscapes-and-Scenic/i-DdbL5Pj/AMorningTidesPanoscenicsunrisesClingmans Domenaturesmokiesgreat smoky mountainsGSMNPMD Hills Photographymdhillsphotography.comsmokies photosgreat smoky mountains imagesmattanddeliahills
From Panoramic Images
Fall's Grace
The sun peeks through the clouds on a colorful fall day in the mountains.
Newfound Gap Road
Great Smoky MountainsFall'sGraceFallAutumnSceniccloud burstNewfound Gap Roadnaturesmokiesgreat smoky mountainsGSMNPMD Hills Photographymdhillsphotography.comsmokies photosgreat smoky mountains imagesmattanddeliahills
The Sound Of Music
We can all look at the same scene in the Smokies and have a different takeaway - and we believe this is one of them.
The rushing waters, the sound, the smell of petrichor and that feeling of wanderlust and curiosity that makes you wonder, "where does all that water come from?". 💦
Roaring Fork as fed by the Enloe Hollow Branch 2022.
Great Smoky MountainsTheSoundMusicRoaring Forkstreamsscenicsummernaturesmokiesgreat smoky mountainsGSMNPMD Hills Photographymdhillsphotography.comsmokies photosgreat smoky mountains imagesmattanddeliahills
Clover
We've had many black bears pass through our property again this year, coming up the path from one side and head into the woods. Most are very skittish so being camera ready isn't always convenient. It's been unseasonably warm this summer so some actually lay under our large pine tree in the shade. This beautiful bear took advantage of the shade lying among the clover. We *think* she's new to us but some have changed and grown through the years. Meet Clover bear.
🍀🐻Cloverblack bearsGatlinburg TNwildlifenaturesmokiesgreat smoky mountainsGSMNPMD Hills Photographymdhillsphotography.comsmokies photosgreat smoky mountains imagesmattanddeliahills
From Black Bears and Cubs
Passing Through
Quite often we have bears pass though our property nearly all year long. They come up the side of the hill and go off into the woods. We just happened to be camera ready this time.
Gatlinburg, TNPassingThroughblack bearssummerGatlinburgwildlifenaturesmokiesgreat smoky mountainsGSMNPMD Hills Photographymdhillsphotography.comsmokies photosgreat smoky mountains imagesmattanddeliahills
From Black Bears and Cubs
Bunny With A Mouthful
As the sun begins to set, an Eastern Cottontail Rabbit enjoys the bounty of nature.
Gatlinburg, TNBunnyWithMouthfulEastern CottontailGatlinburgwildlifenaturesmokiesgreat smoky mountainsGSMNPMD Hills Photographymdhillsphotography.comsmokies photosgreat smoky mountains imagesmattanddeliahills
Springscape
Sunrays at a distance as the sun begins to set.
Roaring Fork
Great Smoky MountainsSpringscapeRoaring Forkoverlookscenic vistanaturesmokiesgreat smoky mountainsGSMNPMD Hills Photographymdhillsphotography.comsmokies photosgreat smoky mountains imagesmattanddeliahills
Epiphany
There are few things more comforting than seeing an old friend; the kind of friend that you often think of and hope that they are doing well. We first photographed the mama of this beautiful bear in 2012, ten long years ago. She was with her mama and two siblings in our video “The Beauty of Cades Cove” - our very first. The following year we photographed her nursing from her mother with her siblings, "A Mother's Love". We have observed her skills as a mother in 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2021. She’s one of the most beautiful bears we’ve ever seen and a very good mama, so we were excited to see her with three more healthy cubs this year, including this one. Hence the title.
For a clear image of this cub's mama, look at "Angelic".
Cades Cove
Great Smoky Mountains National ParkEpiphanyblack bearsyearlingsgenerationsCades Cove PhotosSpringMaywildlifenaturecades covesmokiesgreat smoky mountainsGSMNPMD Hills Photographymdhillsphotography.comsmokies photosgreat smoky mountains imagesmattanddeliahills
From Black Bears and Cubs
Peace
We could all use some about now. ✌️
Roaring Fork
Great Smoky MountainsPeaceRoaring ForkstreamsscenicSpringnaturesmokiesgreat smoky mountainsGSMNPMD Hills Photographymdhillsphotography.comsmokies photosgreat smoky mountains imagesmattanddeliahills
On Alert
Ever have one of those days when you didn't know if you were coming or going, or what you were doing next? Well, you aren't alone. Seriously, this female groundhog heard something that put her on alert so she stood silent to listen. She likely has babies burrowed in a den nearby.
Wears Valley
Great Smoky MountainsOn Alertgroundhogwhistlepigwoodchuckeastern marmotMarmota MonaxcloverWears Valleywildlifenaturesmokiesgreat smoky mountainsGSMNPMD Hills Photographymdhillsphotography.comsmokies photosgreat smoky mountains imagesmattanddeliahills
Mowing The Grass
Lawnmower unnecessary. 🐻
Great Smoky MountainsMowingtheGrassblack bearsbear cubswildlifenaturesmokiesgreat smoky mountainsGSMNPMD Hills Photographymdhillsphotography.comsmokies photosgreat smoky mountains imagesmattanddeliahills
From Black Bears and Cubs
Early Fall At A Thousand Drips
Roaring Fork
Great Smoky MountainsEarlyFallThousandDripsRoaring ForkwaterfallsSeptemberseasonsscenicnaturesmokiesgreat smoky mountainsGSMNPMD Hills Photographymdhillsphotography.comsmokies photosgreat smoky mountains imagesmattanddeliahills
Crossing Paths
While hiking, we came upon a mother bear and her three cubs. After taking an image of the mother bear, we didn't even notice the little one standing next to her until we uploaded our images. She's a strong and protective Mama bear and as most of our wildlife images are, this was taken from quite a distance.
Great Smoky Mountains National ParkCrossingPathshikingMama bearbear cubSummerblack bearswildlifenaturesmokiesgreat smoky mountainsGSMNPMD Hills Photographymdhillsphotography.comsmokies photosgreat smoky mountains imagesmattanddeliahills
From Black Bears and Cubs
Above The Clouds
Morning sunrise at Clingmans Dome.
Great Smoky Mountains National ParkAbovetheCloudssunriseClingmans Domenaturesmokiesgreat smoky mountainsGSMNPMD Hills Photographymdhillsphotography.comsmokies photosgreat smoky mountains imagesmattanddeliahills
A Frosty Nibble
A buck grabs a small branch of leaves on a snowy day in the mountains.
Cades Cove
Great Smoky MountainsFrostyNibble11x14buckWintersnowingcades cove photosdeerwildlifenaturesmokiesgreat smoky mountainsGSMNPMD Hills Photographymdhillsphotography.comsmokies photosgreat smoky mountains imagesmattanddeliahills
From Deer and Elk
The Lure Of Little River
Little Pigeon River
Roaring Fork
Great Smoky MountainsTheLureLittleRiverFallAutumnscenicRoaring ForkRoaring Fork Creekstreamsseasonsnaturesmokiesgreat smoky mountainsGSMNPMD Hills Photographymdhillsphotography.comsmokies photosgreat smoky mountains imagesmattanddeliahills
Felicia
Don't let this smirk fool you. The first time we saw this beautiful bear was early in the morning as we took our dog outside. We didn’t notice her, and she didn’t expect us, surprised she stood, outside our front door on her hind legs looking bewildered only a few feet away. We scooped up our dog and immediately took him back inside. With the knowledge that he still had to potty, and the fact that she hadn't left, we blew a whistle – that didn’t deter her. Knowing what might work, umbrellas often scare bears, so by using a whistle and large umbrella we managed to chase her off. ☂️ Being that close to our front door made us realize she’s found human food, whether intentional or not. She continued to pass through over the summer, but if she kept her distance, we let her wander through or relax for a bit. Each time she approached the door, out came the whistle and umbrella again! We only had to do this once with Ellis, but three times for her. This is an image where she kept her distance but could see us through the glass. She may not be very fond of us, but for her safety we'd rather she wasn't. We haven’t seen “Felicia” for a few weeks so hopefully she’s finding plentiful natural food sources in the area.
Bye, Felicia... we wish you well.
Gatlinburg, TNFeliciablack bearswildlifenatureGatlinburgsmokiesgreat smoky mountainsGSMNPMD Hills Photographymdhillsphotography.comsmokies photosgreat smoky mountains imagesmattanddeliahills
From Black Bears and Cubs
Scruffy's Kiddos
The previous image tells the story, but here are two of Scruffy's four or five kits.
Gatlinburg, TNScruffy's Kiddoskitsbaby raccoonsGatlinburgwildlifenaturesmokiesgreat smoky mountainsGSMNPMD Hills Photographymdhillsphotography.comsmokies photosgreat smoky mountains imagesmattanddeliahills
Scruffy
Scruffy has been visiting our property for a couple of years now. We often know when she's here because our motion lights come on or our cloud cam captures her. What we didn't know was that she has kits! Not sure if she has four or five, but we have seen as many as five, although one could be tagging along. She usually passes through at night but this time she and her kits came by during the day. Here she is smiling for the camera. :) Not really, this was taken through the glass.
Gatlinburg, TNScruffyraccoonsowGatlinburgwildlifenaturesmokiesgreat smoky mountainsGSMNPMD Hills Photographymdhillsphotography.comsmokies photosgreat smoky mountains imagesmattanddeliahills
Bob
We'd like to introduce you to Bob, aka "Big Ole' Bear". He has passed through our property for several years now, but we've never been able to capture his image as he's very skittish - as most bears are. He's old and VERY large (one of the largest we've ever seen!) so when he decided to take a break and lie down for a bit, we captured his image through the glass but he didn't see us. He has before and taken off into the woods. We were lucky this time. 🐻
Gatlinburg, TNBobblack bearsboarGatlinburgwildlifenaturesmokiesgreat smoky mountainsGSMNPMD Hills Photographymdhillsphotography.comsmokies photosgreat smoky mountains imagesmattanddeliahills
From Black Bears and Cubs
Alpha Bull Of Cataloochee
Cataloochee Valley
Great Smoky MountainsAlphaBullCataloocheeelkwildlifenaturesmokiesgreat smoky mountainsGSMNPMD Hills Photographymdhillsphotography.comsmokies photosgreat smoky mountains imagesmattanddeliahills
From Deer and Elk
Vixen Visitor
This beautiful Red Fox has passed through our property on multiple occasions. After repeat attempts, we were finally able to capture a photograph.
VixenVisitorRed FoxGatlinburgwildlifenaturesmokiesgreat smoky mountainsGSMNPMD Hills Photographymdhillsphotography.comsmokies photosgreat smoky mountains imagesmattanddeliahills
Fall At Grotto Falls
Falling water at one of the most popular and walk behind falls in the Smokies
Trillium Gap Trail
Great Smoky Mountains National ParkFallGrottoFallsautumntrillium gap trailfalling waterwaterfallsseasonsfogmistnaturesmokiesgreat smoky mountainsGSMNPMD Hills Photographymdhillsphotography.comsmokies photosgreat smoky mountains imagesmattanddeliahills
Behind Grotto Falls
Standing underneath one of the most popular and walk-behind falls in all of the Smokies
Grotto Falls ~ Trillium Gap Trail
Great Smoky Mountains National ParkBehindGrottoFallsTrillium Gap Trailmistfogfallautumnseasonswaterfallsnaturesmokiesgreat smoky mountainsGSMNPMD Hills Photographymdhillsphotography.comsmokies photosgreat smoky mountains imagesmattanddeliahills
Bird Watcher
A male black bear notices a flock of birds that landed in our large pine tree above.
Taken from inside at Gatlinburg, TNBirdWatcherblack bearbear boarGatlinburgmale bearwildlifenaturesmokiesgreat smoky mountainsGSMNPMD Hills Photographymdhillsphotography.comsmokies photosgreat smoky mountains imagesmattanddeliahills
From Black Bears and Cubs
Bird Watching
This male bear was sitting in our yard grooming himself when a flock of birds flew into the trees above. He kept looking up with a frightened expression. Anyone who understands these animals know that they can spook at the slightest of things, and spooked he was. Shortly after he took off like a rocket into the woods.
BirdWatchingblack bearsmale bearwildlifenaturesmokiesgreat smoky mountainsGSMNPMD Hills Photographymdhillsphotography.comsmokies photosgreat smoky mountains imagesmattanddeliahills
From Black Bears and Cubs
Bugle Boy
Oconaluftee
Great Smoky Mountains National ParkBugleBoybull elkoconalufteewildlifenaturesmokiesgreat smoky mountainsGSMNPMD Hills Photographymdhillsphotography.comsmokies photosgreat smoky mountains imagesmattanddeliahills
From Deer and Elk