I hiked a couple of times over the last week starting with the Huskey Gap Trail. This is usually one of the trails included in the Great Smoky Mountains Association’s Annual Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage Tour held in April.

The trail receives its name from Sam Huskey, who once owned a homestead near the gap around the turn of the 20th century. The Huskey Gap trail was originally the road built by the members of the communities in the area.

I went about one and half miles up the trail and was stopped by a large fallen tree. I did see the blooms and a bud emerging from the Rue Anemone wildflower.

I also hiked about a quarter mile up the Chestnut Top Trail which climbs to rise above the national park entrance road. Most of the trail travels through a mixed forest of trees.

There were a few wildflowers on this short hike:

  • Seersucker Sedge: Few blooming.
  • Star Chickweed: Seven blooms.

Later in the week, I hiked the Middle Prong Trail at the end of the Treemont Road in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and there were no wildflowers seen.

Lynn Camp Prong

A beautiful stream runs beside the road and then beside the Middle Prong Trail for about 3.8 miles. A half mile up the trail from the parking lot on the left below the trail one can see the beautiful Lynn Camp Prong Cascade which is really gushing after recent rainfall.

The Lynn Camp Prong Cascade starts at the end of the Treemont Road (first two miles paved – last three miles gravel – few pot holes) was so beautiful after recent heavy rainfall I thought you might enjoy some photos of the cascades.

Prior to the national park this trail was a logging railway belonging to the Little River Lumber Company which harvested trees between the years 1926 and 1939 along this stream. The trail has a gradual grade and is wide enough that in most locations five people could walk side by side.

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