Elkmont: The Last Pictures Part Two - Series Finale

Can you feel the ghosts in this room? I could.

Love the details and contrast in this, and the picture below.

This town rotting into the ground up in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park actually used to be someones daily life. Can you imagine it? This was once a lively place. People lived and died here. There was a hotel here. And there is apparently so much more that I missed from what I have found searching for more information online. It's so cool.

Elkmont: The Last Pictures Part One

Another Healthy Serving Of Your Favorite Great Smoky Mountains Ghost Town

Love the contrast in this picture, the temptation to go black and white was great, but I couldn't part with the warm color of the wood.

Some of these houses look like they could almost still be lived in...

...and other's not so much... 

More Of Elkmont

Steps that now lead no where.

Above and all below. . . the coolest Elkmont building standing.

In my opinion at least.

Must have been like a country club or something. Check out that massive fireplace above!

The first time I was up there and saw all these buildings, this one was not boarded up. I wish I had ventured inside the first time around, but all the "No Trespassing" signs deterred me. Mainly because they were Government no trespassing signs! Anyway, I know that the Elkmont hotel was destroyed several years back, so I am not sure exactly what this building was, but if anyone knows - let me know! And I am more than anxious to learn more of Elkmont's history. 

Elkmont

From my after the fact research online, apparently there are quite a few Elkmont structures that remain that I missed! I'm disappointed! But hopefully next year I will get a chance to go up there and explore some more (and catch some more trout.)

I recommend that you Google Elkmont and read about it. It's very interesting! A Park Ranger that I met while photographing the buildings told me that one of the ladies that works at the current Elkmont Camp Ground actually grew up in Elkmont and she knew all about it, and recommended I talk to her, but unfortunately I was out of time. . .

Wandering Elkmont

Getting into Elkmont now, this is the building my Wagoneer is photographed sitting in front of a few posts down. This cabin is set aside a bit from all the others, down a small side road. The road leading down to this cabin was partially blocked by a cut down pine tree. . . possibly intentionally blocked, but my Wagoneer founds its way around. . .

Look at the rich colors in the wood! It's not that hard to imagine that not that long ago there was LIFE here!

Imagine living in this cabin. Restored of course. Having the Great Smoky Mountains surrounding your home. Or maybe just staying here as a holiday get-away cabin, depending on how nightmarish the idea of being surrounded by nothing except woods is to you. Personally, I think I would take choice two. Choice one seems to have higher odds of winding up like 'The Shining!'  

Welcome to Elkmont

Elkmont.

Elkmont is really cool. I first discovered the area on a visit to the Great Smoky Mountains a couple years back. I just happened upon it while I was checking out trout streams. But I did not actually venture into the area and for some insane reason I did not take pictures that first time around. What was I thinking?! This time, I made sure I explored all that I could, and I still have a feeling I missed some. . .

We'll start here. . .

Is that a ghost... or a lens flare? In this case, I'm pretty sure it's a lens flare. . .

The graves up here seemed to be mostly children.

Moving on. . .

Exploring Elkmont - Preview

Here is a little teaser preview to my next series of photographs from my trip to the Smoky Mountains - exploring Elkmont! This series will feature some of my favorite from my entire trip.