I recently hiked the West Prong Trail from the trailhead to its end. The West Prong Trail starts off Treemont Road about 2 miles from the Laurel Creek Road (across from the Treemont Institute). The trail is 2.7 miles long and ends at the Bote Mountain trail. Some sections of the trail have a lot of acorns on them, which could cause a person to fall. It is moderately difficult and is a horse trail. Some wild hogs were rooting for the first half-mile up the trail, and in a couple of other spots on the first mile & a half up the trail.
Campsite #18 is closed because of aggressive bear activity.
Wildflowers
Blue Asters – Some – Past peak bloom.
False Fox Glove – (2) – Past peak bloom. (a delight to locate this late in the season).
Golden Rod – Few – Past peak bloom.
Mountain Gentian – (2) – At peak bloom. (between campsite #18 and the Bote Mt. Trail).
White Snake Root – Few – Mostly past peak bloom; however still a few with nice blooms.
White Top Aster – Many – Mostly past peak bloom; however a few a peak bloom.
Foilage
Sourwood foliage is very brilliant in sections along the trail. Most of the other foliage is marginal at this time (some faded, washed out, bland).
Sourwood foliage
Sourwood foilage
Orange Foliage – Some of the Sourwood and some of the Sugar Maple (not sure what color some of the Sugar Maple were).
Pink Foliage – Some of the Sourwood.
Red foliage – Blue Berry, Red Maple, Red Oak, Sourwood, Sweet Gum and Virginia Creeper.
Yellow Foliage – Hickory, Mountain Maple (faded yellow), some of the Sugar Maple, Tulip Poplar, and Green Brier.
Tom Harrington is a regular hiker who reports on wildflowers in the Smokies.
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