Trails hiked Monday, May 22, 2023

Chestnut Branch Trail (B-E)

  • Bar Cucumber – Few – Past peak bloom.
  • Blackberry – Some – Mostly beyond peak bloom.
  • False Solomon’s Seal – Few – Just starting to bloom higher elevation – gone lower elevation.
  • Galax – Many – Stage of bloom depends on the elevation. Last mile at peak bloom.
  • Hawkweed – Some – Mostly at peak bloom.
  • Indian Cucumber Root – Some – At or just beyond peak bloom – Last mile of the trail.
  • Indian Pipe – Many (at one location) – At or just beyond peak bloom (nice).
  • Large Bluets – Many – At peak bloom.
  • Mountain Laurel – Many – Last mile of the trail.
  • Partridge Berry – Many – At peak bloom.
  • Solomon’s Seal – Few – Past peak bloom.
  • Solomon’s Seal Grande – Few – Past peak bloom.
  • Spiderwort – Few – Just starting to bloom.
  • Squaw Root – Many – Well beyond peak – about gone.
  • Star Grass – Very few – At peak bloom or just beyond peak bloom.
  • Sweet Cicely – Few – Past peak bloom.
  • White Violet – Few – Appear to be past peak bloom.
  • Wood Nettle – Few – Just starting to bloom.

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Appalachian Trail – (From Chestnut Branch Trail to Davenport Gap)

  • Blackberry – Few – Past peak bloom.
  • False Solomon’s Seal – Few – Just starting to bloom.
  • Galax – Some – Mostly at peak bloom.
  • Indian Cucumber Root – Some – AT or just beyond peak bloom.
  • Large Bluets – Few – At peak bloom.
  • Mountain Laurel – Many – Just beyond peak bloom – mostly about mile and a half up the AT from Davenport Gap.
  • Partridge Berry – Some – At peak bloom.
  • Solomon’s Seal – Some – Past peak bloom.
  • Solomon’s Seal Grande – Few – Past peak bloom.
  • Spiderwort – Few – Just starting to bloom.
  • White Violet – Few – Past peak bloom.

Note: Overall many of the wildflowers are past their peak bloom; however, the best display of blooms is in the higher elevations of the two trails checked today.

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