These Firefly watchers had a great spot set up to watch the famous Synchronous Fireflies (Photinus carolinus) at Elkmont. These tiny insects put on quite an amazing show in mid-June each year. I set up next to a creek near one of the old houses. I had never seen this spectacular show before. I have seen the Ghost Fireflies at Tremont, they keep their light going and float slowly through the air. The Synchronous Fireflies flash together in groups. These fireflies are different than the greenish ones we have in our backyard, they are much smaller and have a bluish light.

These Firefly watchers are waiting for the sun to set and the "show" to start. This event has become so popular that the park service has a shuttle ($1) to bring people from the Sugarlands Visitor Center on the weekends. The only problem is it doesn't get dark until nearly 10:00 PM and it is hard to tear yourself away before an hour or so of watching the mesmerizing light show. The line to get on the return shuttle was an hour-long wait, I didn't enjoy driving down the dark, curvy Little River Road at midnight!

The Trillium Gap trail is used twice a week by the llamas that take the supplies up to Mt. Leconte. This area of the trail is their "potty section", watch your step!