I hiked the Lower Mount Cammerer Trail to find that spring beauty is coming and already here in some ways. Many wildflowers are at full bloom, mostly about 1.7 miles out on the trail, just below Sutton Ridge. See my past article on the uniqueness of this trail, here.

  • Hepatica – Many are at peak bloom & many more are budded. Mostly in the first third of the mile on the trail, then again at about two miles out on the trail.
  • Trailing Arbutus – Five clumps of blooms near peak bloom at about 2 miles out on the trail on the right.
  • Seven Halberd Leaf Violets budded.
  • Many Yellow Trillium leaves are coming up with some buds, ready to bloom.

Note: At about 2.5 miles out on the trail, there is a massive blowdown blocking the trail.  There are steep embankments on both sides of the trail at this point.

Blowdown

Tom Harrington is a regular hiker who reports on his hikes and mountain stories from the Smokies. See more of his column here.

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