Near Cherokee, North Carolina, the open fields surrounding the Oconaluftee Visitor Center are a wonderful place to encounter the elk of the Great Smoky Mountains. This magnificent bull was peacefully grazing in the meadow, seemingly unconcerned with the people watching from a distance.

With his impressive antlers silhouetted against the soft autumn landscape, he seemed less like a visitor to the meadow and more like its rightful guardian. A quiet, unforgettable moment in the Smokies.