I hiked Roundtop Trail. Roundtop Trail starts from Wear Gap Road, about a tenth of a mile from the park boundary, where Lyons Creek Road comes to the park from Wears Valley. This trail is over seven miles long, one way, and dead-ends at Little River at the Townsend Wye (no bridge over Little River at this location). The trail would be considered moderately difficult. Approximately three and a half miles from the trailhead, there is a section of the trail that becomes very challenging to navigate.
Sadly, but as expected, the wildflowers are insufficient to report till next spring.
The foliage, though, is continuing to burst in beauty. A hike on this trail could be titled “Enchanted Technicolor Expedition”—many trees with foliage range from yellow to red to orange. There are a good number of trees with pink leaves. There are several trees that I was unable to identify.
- Beech – Brilliant yellow foliage.
- Blue Berry – Mostly red leaves (some pink/orange) – Mostly on the first mile of the trail.
- Greenbrier – Mostly yellow, but some orange ones.
- Hickory – Yellow foliage – some bronze.
- Red Maple
- Red Oak
- Sassafras – Some with red foliage, others with orange or yellow foliage.
- Scarlet Oak
- Sugar Maple – Various colors: red, pink, orange, and yellow. Brilliant display.
- Sumac – Few – 1st half mile up the trail – brilliant red.
- Sweet Gum – Few – dark red/maroon.
- Tulip Popular – Yellow foliage.
Sugar Maple
Sugar Maple
Tom Harrington is a regular hiker who reports on wildflowers in the Smokies.
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