Wildflower Report – West Prong Trail – Beginning to Campsite #18 – 18 March 2024
- Blue Cohosh – 1 Bloom – Few budded – about 6/10 of a mile up the trail on the left.
- Dutchmen’s Breeches – Some – Full bloom.
- Fraser Sedge – (1) – Full bloom – just after crossing the good-sized creek just before campground #18.
- Halberd Leaf Violet – Many – Most just starting to bloom but decent number at full bloom.
- Hepatica – Many – At full bloom – first mile of the trail.
- Long-Spurred Violet – Many – Mostly at full bloom – mostly on first mile of the trail but some scattered along the rest of the trail.
- Rue Anemone – Many +++ – At full bloom – Mostly on first mile of the trail – some white, some pink & some lavender in color – beyond outstanding!
- Seersucker Sedge – Some – At lower elevation past peak bloom – upper elevation at full bloom.
- Solitary Pussytoe – Few – At peak bloom – about mile and a half up the trail on the left shortly before campsite #18.
- Star Chickweed – Some – At full bloom – mostly first half mile of the trail.
- Stone Crop – Few – Just starting to bloom – at the trail head on the right.
- Sweet White Violets – Some – Mostly at full bloom – first half of the trail.
- Toothwort – Some – Approaching full bloom – first mile up the trail.
- Trailing Arbutus – Few – At full bloom – on the left about 1.3 miles up the trail (after starting down the ridge to the campsite).
Halberd-leafed violet
Dutchmen’s Breeches
Budded Flowers
- Blood Root – Many – Believe if the sun had been out the blooms would have opened.
- Spring Beauty – Many + – Believe had the sun been out and it had been warmer some would have been blooming – On first mile of the trail.
- Yellow Trillium – Many – First mile of the trail.
Notes: Evidence of recent activity of wild boars on the first ¾ of the trail.
The trail crew has done an amazing job removing the blow downs on this trail (appears to have been done in the last couple of weeks).
Photos of wildflowers taken from files (not made today).
Tom Harrington is a regular hiker who reports on wildflowers in the Smokies.