Fire Pink standing tall on Smokies trails

Tom Harrington hiked five trails on April 29, 2024, and files this report:

Metcalf Bottoms Trail (beginning to end)

• Blackberry – Few – Just starting to bloom.
• Carolina Vetch – Few – Well past the peak bloom.
• Common Blue Violets – Few – At peak bloom
• Crested Dwarf Iris – Few – Most past peak bloom – some at peak bloom.
• Daisy Fleabane – Few – Approaching peak bloom.
• Dog Hobble – Many – Past peak bloom but still nice – wonderful fragrance on sections of trail.
• Foam Flower – Few – Well past peak bloom.
• Large Bluet – (1) – Just starting to bloom.
• Lyre Leaf Sage – Some – Mostly past peak bloom.
• Meadow Parsnip – Few – Appear to be just starting to bloom.
• Robin’s Plantain – Many – Past peak bloom.
• Sweet White Violets – Few – Past peak bloom.
• White Clover – Few – Just starting to bloom.
• Wild Geranium – Many – Past peak bloom but still many at peak bloom.
• Yellow Trillium – Few – At peak bloom (nice).

Daisy Fleabane

Walker Sisters Cabin Trail (B-E)

• Bed Straw – Few
• Blackberry – Few – Just starting to bloom.
• Canadian Violet – Few – At or just beyond peak bloom.
• Carolina Vetch – Many + – Past peak bloom.
• Common Blue Violet – Few – At peak bloom.
• Crested Dwarf Iris – Many – Number of them at peak bloom – down embankments on the right side of trail.
• Daisy Fleabane – Some – Most at peak bloom.
• Dog Hobble – Some – Past peak bloom.
• Hawkweed – Few – Approaching peak bloom.
• Lyre Leaf Sage – Many – Most past peak bloom.
• Miami Mist – Few – At or just beyond peak bloom (almost to cabin).
• Robin’s Plantain – Many ++ – Past peak bloom.
• Solomon’s Seal – Few – At or just beyond peak bloom.
• Star Grass – Few – At peak bloom.
• Sweet White Violet – Few – Past peak bloom.
• White Clover – Few – Just starting to bloom.
• Wild Geranium – Many – Past peak bloom but large numbers of them are at peak bloom.
• Wood Anemone – Few – At peak bloom.
• Yellow Trillium – Some – Mostly at peak bloom.

NOTE: 1 Vasey Trillium budded on left of trail about halfway out the trail.

Little Brier Gap Trail (B-E)

• Blackberry – Few – Just starting to bloom.
• Common Cinquefoil – Few
• Crested Dwarf Iris – Some – Mostly past peak bloom.
• Daisy Fleabane – Few – Many at peak bloom.
• Fire Pink – Some – At or just beyond peak bloom – very colorful – standing tall.
• Galax – (1) – Just starting to bloom.
• Lousewort – Few – Well beyond peak bloom – about gone. Few decent blooms.
• Lyre Leaf Sage – Few – Well past peak bloom.
• Robin’s Plantain – Many – Past peak bloom.

Wild Strawberries are flowering

• Little Greenbrier Trail (B to Little Brier Gap Trail)
• Blackberry – Few – Just starting to bloom.
• Flame Azalea – Few – Well past peak bloom (about 2/10 mile up the trail).
• Galax – Few – Just starting to bloom.
• Hawkweed – Some – Just starting to bloom (approaching peak bloom).
• Large Bluet – Few – Just starting to bloom (small).
• Meadow Parsnip – Few – Appear to be in early blooming stage.
• Mountain Laurel – Many budded – some just starting to bloom – should be beautiful soon.
• Star Grass – Many – At peak bloom.
• Star Grass – Many – At peak bloom (very bright yellow).
• Wild Geranium – Many – Good number at peak bloom.
• Yellow Trillium – Some – Mostly at peak bloom – attractive.

Bear Note: Estimated 170- to 185-pound bear at junction of Little Greenbrier and Little Brier Gap Trails. Non-aggressive. Necessary to wait a while until bear moved more than 50 yds from the trail.

Wear Gap Road (Park Boundary to Metcalf Bottoms)

• Blue Eye Grass – (3) – Past peak bloom – very small.
• Carolina Vetch – Some – Past peak bloom.
• Common Cinquefoil – Few – At peak bloom (small).
• Crested Dwarf Iris – Many – Half at and half past peak bloom – nice on embankments.
• Daisy Fleabane – Many – Nearing peak bloom.
• Early Buttercup – Many – At peak blooms – brilliant yellow – Really nice with many blooming together.
• Fire Pink – Many – Most at peak bloom – some past peak bloom – outstanding display, especially on embankments.
• Golden Ragwort – Few – Well past peak bloom.
• Lyre Leaf Sage – Some – Mostly past peak bloom.
• Meadow Parsnip – Few – Appear to be just starting to bloom (small).
• Miami Mist – Many + – Slightly past peak bloom – Spectacular display – Looks like it snowed blue in some places.
• Red Clove – Few – Just starting to bloom.
• Robin’s Plantain – Some – Past peak bloom.
• Rue Anemone – Few – Just past peak bloom (hard to see with other vegetation).
• Star Chickweed – Few – At peak bloom – (hard to see among other vegetation).
• Sweet White Violet – Few – Past peak bloom.
• White Clover – Few – Just starting to bloom.
• Wild Geranium – Many + – Most at peak bloom or just beyond peak bloom – What a display!
• Wild Strawberry – Few – Just starting to bloom.
• Yellow Trillium – Some – Most at peak bloom – nice.

Special Note: For folks not able to get out on the trails, the Wear Gap Road presently offers an amazing display of blooming wildflowers. Fire Pinks, Wild Geraniums and Miami Mist are close to outdoing themselves at this time. One can park in one of three parking areas and very carefully walk short distances along the road to take advantage of this opportunity.

Disclaimer: Photos came from photo files (still having camera issues).

Tom Harrington is a regular hiker who reports on wildflowers in the Smokies.