The morning of Day #4 I slept in a little bit (7:15am!  Woohoo!) and decided that on the way to the day’s hikes, I would stop along Laurel Creek Road (the main road from Sugarlands Visitor’s Center to Cades Cove) and take some photos.  There are tons of pull-outs along the road and some great photo-op moments, but later in the day when there’s major traffic, it’s a touch more difficult to navigate.

The other thing about enjoying the beauty of Laurel Creek Road is that it is really equal opportunity for all ages and types.  I saw some solo photographers (I don’t have a nice enough camera to be considered a photographer, but I like to dabble), some families wading in the water, and even some fishermen knee-deep in the creek.

It’s not something I would go out of my way to do, but if you’re already headed to Cades Cove (which you totally should since, as already discussed, it’s fantastic) then stopping along Laurel Creek Road is a nice little touch, either before or after completing the Cades Cove Loop.