I had a great week of hiking on Metcalf Bottoms, Walker Sisters Cabin, Little Brier, Little Greenbrier Trails, and Wears Gap Road. Many of the wildflowers are well beyond their peak bloom; however, there are still a lot of flowers at or just beyond peak bloom.

The Metcalf Bottoms trail starts at the end of the wooden bridge across Little River from the Metcalf Bottoms picnic grounds, and it ends at the Little Greenbrier School, .6 10th of miles later.

Flowers on Metcalf Bottoms Trail:

  • Erect Golden Rod
  • Great Lobelia
  • Heal All
  • Hearts-a-busting – (Seeds – not flowers)
  • Southern Harebell
  • White Top Aster

The Walker Sisters Cabin Trail starts across from the Little Greenbrier School, and 1.1 miles later, it ends at the Walker Sisters Cabin.

A tremendous number of Great Lobelia on the Walker Sisters Cabin trail.  Many blooms together in one spot about a tenth of a mile before the cabin.

  • Cardinal Flower
  • Curtis Aster
  • Daisy Fleabane
  • False Fox Glove
  • Great Lobelia

Hearts a Bustin

  • Hearts-a-busting (Colorful seeds not flowers).
  • Iron Weed

Pink Turtlehead

  • Pink Turtlehead
  • Red Clover
  • Southern Harebell
  • Spotted Jewelweed
  • Water Hemlock
  • White Top Aster
  • White Turtlehead
  • Wild Golden Glow (coneflower)
  • Wingstem

The Little Brier Trail starts from the Walker Sisters Cabin trail, 1 mile from the Greenbrier School, and dead ends on the Little Greenbrier Trail.

Flowers seen on Little Brier Trail:

  • Cardinal Flower
  • Erect Goldenrod
  • Great Lobelia
  • White Snake Root
  • White Top Aster
  • Wingstem

The Little Greenbrier Trail starts from Wear Gap Road at the park boundary and dead ends at the junction with the Laurel Falls Trail a little over four miles later.  The Little Greenbrier Trail would be considered moderately difficult, and the other trails would be regarded as moderate.

Flowers seen on the Little Greenbrier Trail:

  • Blue Asters
  • Curtis Aster
  • Curtiss Milkwort
  • Erect Goldenrod
  • False Fox Glove
  • Great Lobelia
  • Lion’s Foot
  • Water Hemlock
  • White Top Aster

On the Wear Gap Road, there are literally thousands of Spotted Jewelweed in bloom (most beyond peak bloom; however, still colorful).

  • Asiatic Dayflower
  • Black Eyed Susan
  • Cardinal Flower
  • Coreopsis

Field Thistle

  • Field Thistle
  • Flowering Spurge
  • Great Lobelia
  • Hearts-a-busting (colorful seeds – not blooms)
  • Hog Peanut
  • Ironweed
  • Joe Pye Weed
  • Lions Foot
  • Mist Flower
  • Mountain Mint
  • Partridge Pea (only location that I have found this flower in the park).
  • Red Clover
  • Spotted Jewelweed
  • Water Hemlock
  • White Top Aster
  • Wild Golden Glow
  • Wild Phlox

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

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