Mountain Lore Photo Tours & Workshops
The Great Smoky Mountains are one of the most popular outdoor destinations in the US for a reason. Hundreds of waterfalls, sweeping vistas, incredible backcountry trails, and of course, some of the most beautiful skies in the country. What photographer or photography enthusiast wouldn’t love to visit?
But so often when you have to travel and make arrangements, getting the shot isn’t guaranteed. Are you going to get to the trail in time? Did you bring the right lenses/housing? Can you bring your drone and are there are fines when you don’t know for sure? Are you even on the right trail? What’s the wrong time of day to go? Will you have cell service? Are you sure you can make it up and down the trail to the location?
As a photographer, I’ve spent hundreds of hours researching, hiking, trekking, camping, and shooting in the Smokies. I’ve done the hard stuff so you don’t have to. Want to know where the best waterfalls and vistas are? Got you. Want to know what time of day you need to be there and what equipment to use? Got you. Want to book a trip just to get the shots you want, but don’t enjoy all the planning, driving, map ogling, and misleading AllTrails gibberish to get them?
WE GOT YOU!
Booking with Mountain Lore Photo Tours will help you get you there without the hassle and uncertainty.
Our Photo Tours are tailored to you and your party.
Location planning
Guided tours
Equipment and framing coaching
Drone photography lessons (upon request— and licensing permissible)
Snacks and water
Travel to and from trailheads (we are not offering airport shuttling just yet, but check back next year).
We’ve put together a few packages to help you figure out which photo excursion is right for you:
Waterfall Tours
#1. The Lazy Shooter (Easy)
— $100 per person, for parties up to 4 — 2-person minimum/ 2 hours. If 4 hours are required, please add $100 per person.
Okay, so you’re coming to the Smokies on vacation and you want to get what you can get without having to trek to get it. Well, no worries. We know the spots and can get you there at the exact right time— no serious hiking required.*
Please choose from one of the following:
Pisgah (Looking Glass Falls, Moore Cove, Falling Waters, and Sliding Rock (weather permitting)
Nantahala (Bridal Veil, Dry Falls, and Bust-Your-Butt Falls)
Nantahala West (7 drops on the Nanthala River, including Nantahala Cascades.) Bonus: burgers and snacks at NOC are optional.
Cherokee (Woodfin, Mingo, and Soco Falls (be aware, some walking and bouldering required at the last two, so wear comfortable shoes or stick to the viewing platform at Soco)
Smoky Mountain National Park (1-mile Deep Creek waterfall loop, very easy path to each: Indian Creek, Juney Whank, and Tom’s Branch, plus Mingus Mill) with bonus Elk viewing.
None of these waterfalls requires much physical activity, but if you struggle on stairs, or need assistance walking, please choose one of the first 3. We aren’t saying YOU can’t do it, we are saying WE CAN’T. These outdoor locations lack bathrooms and/or handicap-accessible platforms and trails. Be advised that nature is nature, and even super fit athletes get hurt at these sites with or without gear and training. BOOK AT YOUR OWN RISK. All guests will be required to sign safety waivers.
#2. Casual Hiker’s Dream (Easy to Moderate)
— $150 per person, for parties up to 4 — 2-person minimum/ 2 hours. If 4 hours are required, please add $100 per person.
You’re coming to the Smokies on vacation, and you WANT the shots other folks can’t get (easily), but you have no idea where to start— OR, you know what you want to get, but you’re not sure how much you can cram into a single day. That’s where we come in.
*Blue Ridge Parkway and Pisgah deep hikes are off limits until 2025-26 due to storm damage from Hurricane Helene. Check back next year. You can speed up relief efforts by donating here.
Please choose from one of the following:
Highlands Half Day (Secret Falls, Silver Run, and Highlands Falls)
Highlands Full Day (+ $100 per person, based on time. 2-person minimum, no exceptions please. Secret, Silver Run, and High Falls. Please be aware that High Falls is a moderately challenging route for experienced hikers in excellent shape. It is only a 1-mile in trail in, but that’s nearly straight UP AND DOWN. There are hundreds of very, very steep stairs. If you struggle with stairs at all, this is not the tour for you. Please book something from the section above, or try the Highlands Half Day Tour.)
Jackson County Gems (Alarka, Flat Creek, and Waterrock Knob)
Dealer’s Choice (Let us choose, based on your accommodations location and gear)
#3. Landscape Pro (Moderate to Hard)
— $200 per person, for parties up to 4 — 2-person minimum/Full Day Only
Book if you’re coming to the Smokies for vacation and you’re here to DO THE DANG THING. Please don’t book any of these unless you are an experienced hiker/boulderer/scrambler with trusted gear (we’re talking good hiking shoes with tread that you’ve worn before, you are prepared to haul yourself and your own gear up and down slippery, steep terrain that gets very difficult very quickly, and you pack light). You must be physically fit and hale enough to hike a mile straight up or downhill for an hour or more. If not, choose from one of the hikes in the last section.
Unfortunately, these trails are too time-consuming and technical to plan any astro shoots or late evening hikes. This means we leave early and get back well before the sun is down— no exceptions. Complaining or being rude about it won’t change our minds in the least… so be forewarned. Safety is our priority on these hikes, and remember, if you get hurt, rescue will run you between $8,000 and $25,000. BOOK AT YOUR OWN RISK. All guests will be required to sign safety waivers.
Please choose from one of the following:
Nantahala’s Best (On this trip we’ll take you to 2 or 3 jaw-dropping waterfalls tucked deep in the Nantahala National Forest, these will be dealer’s choice, and weather-depending: between Sol Duc Upper and Lower, Ranger, Dry, Paradise, or Cullasaja Falls. No, time will not allow a visit to each, and Paradise will eat up 2 slots by itself). If Paradise Falls or Sol Duc Falls is chosen, guests must be very accustomed to extreme scrambling/bouldering over damp earth and muddy rocks. If you don’t know what that means, you aren’t ready for either hike.
Highlands Best (Secret, High Falls, and Cullasaja Falls). STAIR-pocalypse. That’s all the warning you need.
Gorges Best (Panthertown trails up to Turtleback and Rainbow Falls. This trail is well-tended and not rocky at all, but it’s a straight up haul with very few switchbacks. Be prepared to be hiking up or down for hours).
Pisgah Deep Tracks (Schoolhouse, High Falls, and Dealer’s Choice. You’ll hit 7-8 miles for the day, so be prepared to crush your rings.)
#4. The Picky Shooter (Easy to Hard)
— $250 per person/6 hours (full day)/ 2 person minimum.
You’re the type who knows exactly what you want to shoot, where you want to go, and what aperture you’re going to shoot it at— but you’ve never been, you don’t want to go alone, or don’t want to drive while you’re chasing the Jeep with your drone. We respect that. You tell us where you want to go and we’ll get you there. Whether that’s along the Blue Ridge from Waynesville to Cherokee, or deep in Nantahala country— choose your own adventure. That said, please choose activities/sites that can be driven to, accessed (hiking or scrambling), shot, and left during a 6-hour period. If you need help with that, email me and we can discuss your options. We do offer weekend/week rates.
LASTLY, every one of these packages also includes a sweet adventure portrait of yourself doing what you do, free of charge. We shooters are always out there being heroes but so few us actually get to look cool while doing it. We got you there, too;)
*Discounts are available if you want to drive your own car and follow us to shooting spots, meet us at the first trailhead, or only want to do part of one of these tours.