I have been on two beautiful hikes in the last week: Porter Creek Trail and Chestnut Top Trail.

Porter Creek Trail starts at the end of the Greenbrier Road, which turns off of US 321 east of Gatlinburg (1st right turn after leaving Gatlinburg City limits going east). The park has done recent major work on Greenbrier Road (large potholes a few weeks ago – now gone on the road after the first mile). Parking is tight at this time of year.  Early arrival recommended.

Wildflowers on this hike:

Bed Straw – Just starting to bloom.

Blood Root – Couple at full bloom.

Blue Cohosh – Some just starting to bloom.

Common Blue Violet – Few – In full bloom.

Common Cinquefoil – Many in full bloom.

Dutchmen’s Breeches – Few – At peak bloom.

Dwarf Crested Iris – (1) – At peak bloom.

Hooked Buttercup – Some – In full bloom.

Jack-n-Pulpit – (1) – Perfect bloom below falls.

Large Flowered Trillium – Many + – In full bloom.

Little Brown Jugs – Few really nice ones.

Meadow Parsnip – Some – Just starting to bloom.

Robins Plantain – Many – Mostly in full bloom.

Rue Anemone – Many at full bloom.

Solomon’s Seal – Mostly just starting to bloom.

Spring Beauty – Many – Mostly at peak bloom.

Star Chickweed – Many – Mostly at peak bloom.

Sweet White Trillium – Many ++ – In full bloom.

Sweet White Violet – Many at peak bloom.

Toothwort – Few blooming – most past peak.

Trout Lily – Few in or just full bloom.

White Fringed Phacelia – Many ++ at peak bloom.

Wild Geranium – Some – In early blooming stage.

Wild Ginger – Some near Fern Falls

Wild Phlox – Some – Mostly just starting to bloom

Wild Strawberry – (1) – At peak bloom.

Wood Anemone – Many – In full bloom (nice).

Yellow Mandarin – Some – In early blooming stage

Yellow Trillium – Many + at full bloom.

The Chestnut Top Trail starts at the Townsend Wye across the road from the large parking lot.  It is about 4.3 miles long and climbs fairly steeply for the first 2.5 miles.  A vast majority of blooms are on the first half mile of the trail.

Bishop Caps – Few – Just starting to bloom.

Blood Root – Few – In full bloom.

Common Blue Violet – Few – In full bloom.

Common Cinquefoil – Many – In full bloom.

Dogwood – Some – Approaching full bloom.

Halberd Leaf Violet – Many – Mostly at or near peak bloom.

Long Spurred Violet – Many ++  – In Full bloom- some sections of the hillside are covered with them.

Lousewort – Few – Some at peak bloom – some just starting to bloom.

Meadow Parsnip – Few – Just starting to bloom.

Purple Phacelia – Many – About 3rd in full bloom.

Rue Anemone – Many ++ – In full bloom.

Seersucker Sedge – Some – Lower elevation past peak bloom – higher elev. at or just beyond peak bloom.

Solitary Pussytoe – Many – Well past peak bloom.

Solomon’s Seal – Some – Appear to be just starting to bloom.

Spring Beauty – Some – In full bloom.

Squaw Root – One clump in full bloom.

Star Chickweed – Many ++ – In full bloom.

Stone Crop – Some – Just starting to bloom.

Sweet White Trillium – Many – Mostly at peak bloom.

Sweet White Violet – Some – In full bloom.

Toothwort – Few – Most well past peak bloom.

Trailing Arbutus – Some – At various stages of the blooming process.

Wild Oats – Few – Just starting to bloom.

Wood Vetch – (2) – Approaching peak bloom.

Yellow Mandarin – Few – Just starting to bloom.

Yellow Trillium – Many in full bloom – some budded.

The following appear that will be blooming very soon:

Bedstraw

Doghobble 

Tom Harrington is a regular hiker who reports on his hikes and mountain stories from the Smokies. See more of his column here.

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