BY LESLIE REGO
Last week I wrote about the Boulder Mountains, which are on the east side of Highway 75. This week I am showcasing the Smoky Mountains located on the west side of the Wood River Valley. Our beloved ski mountain, Baldy, is part of the Smoky Mountains, as well as Adams Gulch, Griffin Butte, and continuing north along Highway 75, some of the most popular kid-friendly hikes in the area such as Mill Lake, Baker Lake, Titus Lake and the Norton Lakes Loop.
Unlike the better known and much lower Smoky Mountains in Tennessee and North Carolina, the Wood River Valley is home to nine peaks over 10,000 feet and a multitude of peaks over 9,000 feet. Perhaps best known within this mountain range are the many pristine lakes that dot the landscape and are a wonderful destination point for many hikes.
The Smoky Mountains are surrounded by the Boulder Mountains, the Pioneer Mountains and the Sawtooth Mountains, creating great views from almost any trail one chooses to hike. I like to take my sketchbook and stop at various points to draw panoramic scenes of the other mountain ranges. I particularly like to place a few trees from the Smoky Mountain trail in the foreground and then pan out to the distant views. I think the juxtaposition of the nearby pine trees pointing toward the distant mountains is very dramatic.
Hiking along the trails in the Smoky Mountain range one sees many burnt trees from historic forest fires. The dark silver-black patterns on the bark of these trees create an eerie beauty, especially if the sun glints off of the burned areas. The trees themselves are sculptural with misshapen limbs and holes through which one can see the landscape. Recently, the wildflowers have been blooming with a vengeance, following the forest fires. The bright colors of the flowers against the black of the trees are a beautiful study in contrasts. Since this mountain range is lower than the other ranges in the area, hiking extends well into the autumn season.
There is still plenty of time to get out and enjoy some of the famous trails within the Smoky Mountains.
Leslie Rego is an Idaho Press Club award-winning columnist, artist and Blaine County resident. To view more of Rego’s art, visit www.leslierego.com