Last week I hiked the Chesnut Branch Trail to find many wildflowers at peak or past peak in bloom. The Chestnut Branch trail starts on the right on the entrance road to Big Creek.  It is 2 miles long and dead-ends into the Appalachian Trail.  Much of it is very steep.

  • Bar Cucumber – Few – At peak bloom.
  • Blackberry – Some – Almost at peak bloom.
  • Brook Lettuce – Few – Past peak bloom.
  • Common Blue Violet – Few – At peak bloom.
  • Common Cinquefoil – Some – At peak bloom   (bright yellow)
  • Crested Dwarf Iris – Many – Past peak bloom.
  • Dog Hobble – Many – At or just beyond peak   bloom.
  • Dwarf Cinquefoil – Few –
  • Foam Flower – Many – Past peak bloom.
  • Golden Ragwort – Some – Past peak bloom.
  • Hooked Buttercup – Few – Past peak bloom.
  • Indian Cucumber Root – Few – Just starting to   bloom – Last quarter of mile of trail.
  • Long Spurred Violet – Few – Past peak bloom.
  • Meadow Parsnip – Few – Past peak bloom.
  • Rue Anemone – Few – Past peak bloom.
  • Solomon’s Seal – Few
  • Squaw Root – Many – Well past peak. (about   gone).
  • Star Chickweed – Few – Mostly past peak bloom.
  • Stone Crop – Many – Mostly past peak bloom.
  • Sweet Violet – Many – At various stages of   blooming.
  • Toothwort – (1) – Past peak bloom.
  • Wild Geranium – Many – Past peak bloom but still   many beautiful colorful blooms.
  • Yellow Trillium – Many – 70% past peak bloom –   balance has nice blooms.

The Appalachian Trail from Chestnut Branch Trail to Davenport Gap gave these beauties for view.

  • Bar Cucumber – Few – AT peak bloom.
  • Blackberry – Some – Approaching peak bloom.
  • Common Cinquefoil – Some – At peak bloom.
  • Crested Dwarf Iris – Many – Past peak bloom.
  • May Apple – Many – At peak bloom – (Mostly just   beyond Davenport Gap Shelter).
  • Meadow Parsnip – Few –
  • Nodding Trillium – Many – At peak bloom (mostly   about 2/10 mile south of Davenport Gap Shelter).
  • Rue Anemone – Many – At peak bloom.
  • Solomon’s Seal – Some –
  • Squaw Root – Some – Past peak.
  • Star Chickweed – Many – At peak bloom.
  • Star Grass – (1) – At peak bloom.
  • Sweet Cicely – Some – Approaching peak bloom.
  • Sweet White Violet – Many – Most at peak bloom.
  • Yellow Mandarin – Some – At or just beyond peak   bloom.
  • Yellow Trillium – Many – Some at peak bloom –   others past peak bloom.

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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