Raccoon Mountain is near Chattanooga Tennessee, and in the 1970’s TVA built a power storage system on the mountain – they pump water out of the Tennessee River during periods of low electricity usage, storing it in a reservoir at the top of the mountain, then use that water to turn turbines to generate electricity during period of high demand. But TVA has developed it, as with many of their properties, for some recreational uses, including hiking and mountain biking. But it’s also a really nice drive, with great view of the area. Much to my embarrasment, I’ve only been up on the top once or twice. Today was beautiful, and my wife and I spent a GREAT day driving, walking, and photographing the fall colors around Raccoon Mountain today. Here are a dozen photos.
First, a view from the reservoir dam looking across the gorge that many refer to as “The Grand Canyon of the Tennessee River.” As usual, click on the photo to go to Flickr where you can view a larger version.
Fall colors in the Grand Canyon of the Tennessee River