October evenings in downtown Gatlinburg have a look and feel you cannot get any other time of year. If you stand just above the Parkway right at dusk, you get two shows at once. Up on the ridges of the Great Smoky Mountains, the fall leaves catch the last orange and gold light of sunset. Down on the street, the neon arcade signs and string lights kick on as the evening crowd heads out for dinner, candy shops, and spooky Halloween week fun.
All week long, the town is decked out with pumpkins, scarecrows, and creepy displays from the Parkway to River Road, while live acoustic music drifts off the rooftop patios. One minute you are watching a rare pale white wild turkey wander past the edge of the woods like a little Smoky Mountain ghost, and the next you are under glowing Edison bulbs watching the sky turn bright pink behind the mountains.
I spend time in Gatlinburg every month with my camera capturing real moments like this around town and up in the mountains. If you want a piece of the Smokies for your home or rental cabin, or if you run a local business and need fresh Gatlinburg photos every month, take a look at our new print and photography options below: