Ever since I traveled to Europe in 2011, I made myself a promise that I would travel to at least one exciting location per year. I've kept that promise to myself every year since then but one, when I traveled to Little Rock, Arkansas. That's not a knock against Little Rock, or Arkansas, but I'd been there before so I don't consider it exciting.
Anyway, last year, in 2016, I traveled to North Carolina and Tennessee as a part of the Herpetology class at my graduate alma mater. I say herpetology, meaning amphibians and reptiles, but it was a salamandering trip, plain and simple. There are six main locations we went to, seeing at least one unique species at each location, so I've decided to make this a six part series.
Here are the six locations:

• Cullowhee, NC

• Great Smoky Mountains National Park

• Highlands, NC and Dry Falls

• Nantahala National Forest, Sugarfork, NC

• Cashiers (near Highlands) NC

• Canasuaga River, TN

Let's get down to some pictures!

Cullowhee, NC

Eastern Fence Lizard

First I'll start with my only reptile from this location, a lovely fence lizard, specifically an Eastern Fence Lizard, Sceloporus undulatus. If this lizard looks overweight, that's because she's a very gravid mama!

Photo Credit: James Erdmann

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Ocoee Salamander

On to the salamanders. This picture is kind of blurry (it was taken at night and on my phone), but I just want to point out how hard these guys are to find. Look at that amazing camouflage! These are Desmognathus ocoee, the Ocoee Salamander, which is pronounced Oh-'koh-ee. They belong to the family Plethodontidae, which are lungless. They respire mostly through their skin, and so require fast-flowing cold streams to acquire sufficient oxygen.

Here's a clearer picture so you can admire how beautiful these tiny 'manders are.

Photo Credit: James Erdmann

And here's another picture for scale. Also note that this salamander's tail is a nubbin. They often lose their tail to predators, and can easily regrow them, as well as limbs.

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Blue Ridge Two-Lined Salamander

Here is a gorgeous salamander, Eurycea wilderae. It is also in Plethodontidae. Salamanders can respire out of water for a short time, and we made sure to splash cold water on them when we had them up on rocks like this for photographs.

Photo Credit: James Erdmann

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Seal Salamander

Desmognathus monticola are 3-5 inches long and quite similar to Ocoee.

Photo Credit: James Erdmann

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That's all for this location. We camped on the side of a mountain (everything is mountainous there!) and went looking for salamanders day and night. Part II in Great Smoky Mountains National Park will be coming soon!