I ventured to Husky Gap Trail and found many wildflowers to brighten the hike. Huskey Gap Trail starts off of U.S. 441 about 8/10 of a mile from park headquarters headed toward Newfound Gap. The trail is 4.1 mile long and runs to the Little River Trail about 2.7 miles from Elkmont. It is rather steep going to Huskey Gap.

  • Bishop Caps: Few – just starting to bloom (starting about a mile up the trail).
  • Bloodroot: Some – at peak bloom (mostly first mile of the trail).
  • Blue Cohosh: Just starting to bloom – (mostly first mile of the trail).
  • Canadian Violet: Some – right at peak bloom (mostly first mile.
  • Common Blue Violet: Some – mostly at peak bloom and striking in full sun.
  • Creamy Yellow Violet: Few – some at peak bloom, first half mile up the trail.
  • Crested Dwarf Iris: Few – just starting to bloom, first ¼ mile.
  • Dutchmen’s Breeches: Some – mostly at peak bloom.
  • Early Meadow Rue: Many – mixed stages of the blooming process, mostly midway up the trail
  • Halberd Leaf Violet: Many – at peak bloom along most of the trail.
  • Hepatica: Some – at peak bloom about half way up the trail.
  • Large Flowered Bellwort: Many + – close to being at peak bloom, mostly on the first mile of the trail.
  • Large Flowered Trillium: Many ++ – mostly at peak bloom with some budded (see note below).
  • Purple Phacelia: Few – just beginning to bloom at beginning of the trail.
  • Rue Anemone: Many ++ – at peak bloom along first mile and a half of the trail.
  • Seersucker Sedge: Few – some at peak bloom, some beyond peak bloom on first ¼ mile up the trail.
  • Spring Beauty: Many – at peak bloom starting about a mile up the trail.
  • Squirrel Corn: Many – at peak bloom.
  • Star Chickweed: Many – At peak bloom, mostly first half of mile up the trail.
  • Sweet White Trillium: Many ++ – mostly at peak bloom first mile and a half up the trail. (see note below).
  • Sweet White Violet: Few – at peak bloom, mostly first ¼ mile up the trail.
  • Toothwort: Few – mostly past peak bloom, few at beginning of trail and some 1 mile up the trail.
  • Trailing Arbutus: Few – at peak bloom in one spot 1.8 miles up the trail.
  • Trillium Erect: Many – mostly at peak bloom, more around half way up the trail. (see note below).
  • Wild Geranium – (1)
  • Wild Ginger: Some – just starting to bloom, scattered along first mile up the trail.
  • Wood Anemone: Few – at peak bloom, first 2/10 of a mile up the trail.
  • Yellow Mandarin: Few – just starting to bloom.
  • Yellow Trillium: Many ++ – mostly at peak bloom along most of the first mile and a half of the trail.
  1. Midway up the trail both above and below the trail the various white Trilliums are scattered 50 to 100 feet both below and above the trail. A real treat to see in full sun.
  2. About 1 and a half miles up the trail there is a huge tree across the trail. The embankment both below and above the trail is very steep – do not recommend trying to bypass it. It is possible to crawl under it.

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