Wildflower – Foliage Report – Chestnut Top (B to about a quarter of a mile from the end of the trail) – 30 October 2023

Wildflower Report – Chestnut Top Trail – 30 October 2023

  • Blue Aster – Many – Most at peak bloom (several different varieties).
  • Erect Goldenrod – Few – Almost gone.
  • False Fox Glove – (1) – Past peak bloom.
  • Mountain Gentian – (2) – At or just beyond peak bloom.
  • White Snake Root – Few – Well past peak bloom.
  • White Top Aster – Some – Well past peak bloom.

Note: Most of the wildflowers are on the first half mile of the trail from the Townsend Wye.

Brilliant foliage of a sourwood tree

Foliage Report – Chestnut Top Trail – 30 October 2023

  • Beech – Some gold and some yellow.
  • Blackberry – Few – Mostly red but a lot of brown on the leaves.
  • Fraser Magnolia – Many – Mostly bronze or brown in color.
  • Mountain Maple – Many – Pale yellow leaves.
  • Northern Red Oak – Some – Red foliage.
  • Popular – Many – Yellow foliage.
  • Red Maple – Many – Mostly bright red leaves.
  • Sasafrass – Many – Some of the foliage is yellow & some is orange.
  • Scarlett Oak – Many – Mostly dark red foliage some with a lot of green still on the leaves.
  • Sourwood – Many – Following colors: Bright red, orange, pink and variations in between.

Up on Chestnut Top Trail

Note: Much of the colorful foliage has fallen; however, there are still a good number of beautiful leaves still on the trees. There are areas with great displays of great foliage. A few sections of the trail have a heavy cover of Sourwood leaves that have fallen making it like walking on a red carpet.

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

Multiple trees form a canopy of color