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On my way back from a friend’s wedding in Charlotte, I stopped by the Great Smoky Mountain National Park for a “quick” day-hike up the 6,593 ft Mount LeConte. The 10 mile round trip hike starts at Hwy. 71 on the Alum Cave Trail. Sites along the way include wildlife, an operating sorghum mill and furnace, a couple of water crossings, LeConte Lodge, and afterward I drove around to the north side of the park for a performance by the local band Boogertown Gap.

Early morning Elk sighting in the Smokies


Farm with sorghum mill and furnace near South Entrance







on the Alum Cave Trail



Alum Cave Trail Bluffs

Mt. LeConte Lodge





Back-country shelter



Ogle’s Broom Shop in Gatlinburg, TN – small detour.

David Ogle is a 3rd generation broom-maker! Dang! They also specialize in hand carved walking sticks.

Boogertown Gap playing to a packed amphitheater on the north side of the Smokies. Click to listen below.
:http://taylorlasseigne.com/slicesofamerica/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/smokiesband.mp3|titles=Boogertown
About Taylor Lasseigne
Taylor Lasseigne has written 87 post(s) for Slices of America.
Taylor Lasseigne – Slices of America Webmaster / I was born and raised in the south Louisiana coastal parish of Lafourche. There, I was exposed to the good Cajun people, a bounty of amazing foods, an easygoing way of life, and a lush “sportsman’s paradise” where I first learned to appreciate nature. From a young age, I always showed interest in music. In my college years, after percolating through several state schools, I took a position as a high school music teacher in New Orleans. While music education is my calling, photography has always been a fun escape for me. I enjoy peering through a lens to document our world, and I hope that I can continue to share this pastime with others through Slices of America. / e-mail: taylor at slicesofamerica.com