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Stretching upward from the gorgeous
Unaka Valley of East Tennessee is a land of ancient tumbling
streams, deep green forests, and a living wild equaled only
in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This is the
extraordinary 10,000-acre Rocky Fork Watershed. Once
threatened by developers, Rocky Fork is now under contract
to be purchased by the Conservation Fund. On the opposite
side of the valley rises the Unaka Mountains, home to Beauty
Spot and the deep dark spruce forest of Unaka Mountain
summit.
Rocky Fork is the largest privately
owned tract of undeveloped mountain land in the southern
Appalachian Mountains. This huge landholding has changed
owners three times over the past 10 years, but has been
leased by TWRA (Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency) for
nearly 50 years. TWRA has been the publics’ only avenue for
visiting the Tract. Over the past 10 years, the land has
been sought after by the US Forest Service, timber
companies, and numerous land developers; and for the past
three years I have been part of an alliance of
preservation-minded individuals and groups trying to bring
protection to Rocky Fork.
Over the past three years I’ve had the privilege to work
extensively within the boundaries of Rocky Fork,
photographing at will and enjoying some of the most diverse
landscape in the Southeast. This tract has most everything
you’ll find in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park,
except the millions of visitors. I’ve spent an entire day
within its boundaries without seeing another person. It’s a
great feeling to explore a hollow or cove knowing that you
may be the first to leave footprints there in over 50 years.
Seeing remnants of the settlers from the early 1900’s, like
old wire fence, stone foundations and old roads, is the
norm. Finding the remnants in some of the most remote places
is really surprising! Rocky Fork really is an amazing place.
The reason most visitors come to the property is its
namesake, Rocky Fork Creek. It is one of the most scenic
streams in the southern Appalachians. Rocky Fork is one of a
handful of “Blue Ribbon” trout streams in East Tennessee,
and anglers from around the Southeast have been coming there
for years. My most memorable time spent along Rock Fork is
my trip up to where it cuts through the gorge, where there’s
no real trail and you have to wade the stream for over a
mile to get up into the chasm. It’s an extraordinary place
to visit, with house-sized boulders placed by nature
throughout, and Rocky Fork meandering in and around them as
it heads down to the lower reaches of the property.
Spending time in Rocky Fork and working with some of the
most amazing people has changed the way I use my
photography. Now, with a new understanding and knowing the
importance of environmental and conservation work, I feel
compelled to use my photography not only to expose
detrimental and illegal practices, but to also facilitate
the protection of our southern mountains.
I'm leading a
Workshop
into Rocky Fork July 11-13—hope to see you there!
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