Smithsonian magazine's 22nd Annual Photo Contest | Made possible through the support of MPB.com

22nd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Natural World
Cataloochee Bull Elk in Afternoon Sun

A herd of reintroduced elk reside in the Cataloochee Valley on the eastern edge of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. On October 23, 2022 the family of elk slowly meandered through open fields, making their way to the top of the valley in the late afternoon sunlight. This bull elk was the largest of all, the King of October.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 10.2022
Date Uploaded: 10.2024
Photo Location: North Carolina, United States of America
Camera: PENTAX K-70
Copyright: © Erik Hogan