Tom Harrington went hiking on April 22, 2024, on the Lumber Ridge Trail, from the beginning to top of the ridge.
- Blackberry – Few – Just starting to bloom.
- Brook Lettuce – Some – Right at peak bloom – little over a mile up trail on the right.
- Cancer Root – Few – At or just beyond peak bloom – approximately mile and a half up trail.
- Common Blue Violet – Few – At peak bloom.
- Common Cinquefoil – Many – At peak bloom – mostly on first half mile up the trail.
- Crested Dwarf Iris – Many – past peak low elevations – at peak bloom higher elevations – 3 white ones.
Dog Hobble
- Dog Hobble – Many – Approaching peak bloom – mostly 1-½-miles up trail. Wonderful fragrance.
- Dogwood – Some – At peak bloom – Exceptionally beautiful this year as they were last year.
- Fairy wand – (1) – Just starting to bloom – do not recall seeing on this trail before.
- Foam Flower – Few – Past peak bloom – Around a mile up trail on the right.
- Galax – Few – Just starting to bloom – first ½-mile up the trail.
- Hawkweed – Some – Just starting to bloom – mostly on first ½-mile of the trail.
- Long Spurred Violet – Few – Well past peak bloom.
- Lousewort – Few – At peak bloom about 2 miles up trail – Few, almost gone in the lower elevations.
Blackberry blooms; looks like a big crop for the critters
- Mountain Laurel – Few blooms – many buds – first 1-½-miles up trail.
- Meadow Parsnip – Many – Close to being at peak bloom.
- Plantain Leaf Pussytoes – Many – Well past peak bloom – almost gone.
- Robin’s Plantain – Many – Past peak bloom lower elevations but a few at peak bloom in higher elevations.
- Rue Anemone – Many – At peak bloom – Most of the blooms seem smaller than normal – about 1-½-miles up trail.
- Silver Bells – Few – Appear past peak bloom – About 2-½ miles up trail – high up above ground.
- Squaw Root – Some – Just past peak bloom – almost 2 miles up the trail.
- Star Chickweed – Many – At peak bloom – Very beautiful when in clumps.
- Star Grass – Many – At peak bloom – So colorful in full sun – bright yellow.
- Sweet Shrub – Some – Almost at peak bloom – about 2 miles up trail on the left – vivid maroon/purple.
- Sweet White Violet – Some – Past peak bloom – about 1-½-miles up trail on the right.
- Wild Oats – Few
- Yellow Mandarin – Few – Past peak bloom – about 2 miles up the trail on the right.
Notes
- About 2-¼ -miles up the trail some Flame Azalea bushes should be blooming in a week – left.
- About 2.3 miles up the trail it appeared that the Umbrella Magnolia are starting to bloom – two far away for me to determine for sure – left side of the trail.
- Yellow Trillium blooming to the left of the walkway headed toward the Tremont Dorm.
Tom Harrington is a regular hiker who reports on wildflowers in the Smokies.