Great Smoky Mountains Five Decades of American Landscapes

This third edition includes 55 new images. Over the years this book has won numerous book and photography awards.

Richard takes us from Cades Cove in the west to Big Creek and Cataloochee in the east. The book is arranged in easy-to-navigate sections based on specific areas within the park. The narrative text is imbued with a deep personal passion for the park’s natural history and beauty, a passion that brings Richard back year after year. Richard has vividly captured the spirit of this “land of smoke,” from the rugged peaks to the mysterious valleys where clouds and moisture hover. Within this vast landscape, he reveals the solitude of a rain-drenched forest, the energy of water tumbling over rocks, the vibrant explosion of wildflowers in bloom, and the myriad wildlife species. Whether it’s a coyote roaming the fields in Cades Cove, a black bear perched in the trees, or the stillness of deer nestled in an early evening mist, the inhabitants of the park will mesmerize you.

Start turning the pages, and you will discover why Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited national park in the United States. It is the breadth of these landscapes that show you why the park is nicknamed The Great Smokies. The national park has given this book to its retiring workers as a gift, including past Superintendents of the park.