I hiked two big trails this week finding many beautiful flowers to report.

I first hiked Big Creek Trail that starts in the Big Creek section of the park from the parking area for the picnic ground and hikers. The trail is approximately 5.2 miles long and is closed beyond the first large wooden bridge. It is not steep. Exit I-40 east at exit 451 (next exit after Hartford exit before entering North Carolina). It is about 2 miles to Big Creek from the interstate. For the first mile after leaving the interstate one can get an idea of the extent of the damage Hurricane Helene did to the interstate and other roads in the area. It is a major eye opener. Mouse Falls was very beautiful today with an excellent flow.

On this day, I saw the following beauties:

  • Asiatic Day Flower – (1) – At full bloom.
  • Beard Tongue – (1) – At full bloom.
  • Goats Beard – Few – Past peak bloom (first mile up trail).
  • Indian Pipe – (1)
  • Large Bluet – Few – Past peak bloom.
  • Mountain Laurel – Few – Past peak bloom.
  • Pale Jewelweed – (1) – Just started blooming – colorful.
  • Partridge Berry – Few – At peak bloom or just beyond.
  • Purple Flowering Raspberry – Few – At or just beyond peak bloom – Beautiful pink – first half mile up trail on right.
  • White Clover – Few
  • Wild Hydrangea – Many ++ – Many at peak bloom – some just starting to bloom – beautiful!
  • Wood Nettle – Some – Just starting to bloom.

For my second hike of the week, I ventured to Cooper Road Trail from Abrams Creek Campground to Cane Creek Trail. The Cooper Road Trail is over 11 miles long (one way). One end starts off of the Cades Cove Loop Road approximately 4 miles into the Cades Cove Loop Road. The other end starts at the Abrams Creek Campground. This entry to the national park is not easy to locate. If one comes from Maryville on the Montvale Road after going under the Foothills Parkway it is 2.5 miles to the Abrams Creek entry to the park (off of Happy Valley Road). The Montvale Road turns into the Happy Valley Road after crossing under the Foothills Parkway.

The shoulders of the gravel road had been mowed. Often there are wildflowers growing along the shoulders of the road.

Flowers followed by * were found on the gravel road between the ranger station & the campground.

  • Basil Bee Balm – Few – Just starting to bloom – about 3.2 miles out the trail on the right.
  • Beard Tongue – Few – Past peak bloom but still nice.*
  • Daisy Fleabane – Many – At peak bloom – last half of the trail.
  • Galax – Many + – Mostly past peak bloom but still attractive blooms – starting second mile out the trail.
  • Goats Beard – Few – Well past peak bloom – About gone.*
  • Hawkweed – Few – At peak bloom – last 4/10-mile out the trail.
  • Horse Nettle – Few – Just past peak bloom. *
  • Japanese Honeysuckle – Few – At or just beyond peak bloom. *
  • Large Bluets – Many + – At peak bloom – Along much of the first 3 miles of the trail.
  • Leather Base Vine – Few – Slightly past peak bloom. * (Along the Abrams Creek campground road is the only location in the park that I have found the Leather Base Vine. It is a really neat flower.)
  • Loosestrife – Few – At or just beyond peak bloom – last half mile up the trail.
  • Pipsissewa – Some – Some at peak bloom – Mostly about 2.5 miles out the trail.
  • Purple Flowering Raspberry – Few – Past peak bloom – still colorful.*
  • Red Clover – Few – At peak bloom. *
  • Spiderwort – Some – At or just beyond peak bloom. *
  • Thistle – (1) – Could not decide which Thistle it was – At peak bloom. *
  • White Clover – Few – At peak bloom. *
  • White Milkweed – Few – At peak bloom – about 2.5 miles out the trail on the left.
  • Wild Hydrangea – Some – Some at peak bloom – further out trail just starting to bloom.

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

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