Great Smoky Mountains National Park is world-renowned for its wildflower diversity, and springtime delivers your best opportunity to witness, and photograph, amazing blooms across the landscape. This glorious display of wildflowers, in addition to a bewildering variety of other flora and fauna is to the Smokies what granite domes and waterfalls are to Yosemite, and geysers and wildlife are to Yellowstone. This dazzling display is precisely what draws Backcountry Journeys here for springtime.

As the mountains begin to turn shades of green and the wildlife emerges from its winter slumber, springtime proves to be one of the best times to visit Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Great Smoky Mountains has over 1,500 flowering plants, as well as 100 species of tree spread throughout five different forest types including Eastern Hemlock, Mountain Ash and various Maple trees. The intense diversity here at this Park makes it a destination for landscape and wildlife photographers from all over the world.

We’ll be photographing ethereal waterfalls under budding canopies, as well as abundant wildlife such as Black bear, elk and a wealth of birds and amphibians.

Macro photography is second to none here with ample opportunities to capture images of snail, salamander, moss covered trees and other things like clear water droplets on newly fallen maple leaves. Excellent photography opportunities such as misty sunrises from grassy balds overlooking a sea of mountains are the norm on this trip.

Find yourself at America’s most visited national park with Backcountry Journeys on this Lodge-Based Hiker Photo tour this spring. Our handcrafted itineraries let you photograph the best Great Smoky Mountains National Park has to offer while on this all-inclusive photography tour. Excellent accommodations in cozy lodges, great meals and fun groups of like-minded photographers will only add to a fully immersive Smoky Mountains photography experience during the park’s most magical of seasons; spring.