On August 2, I hiked the Old Sugarlands Trail, a historic Smoky Mountains route that immerses hikers in the beauty of nature. The trail winds through the towering trees hiding the mountain views but providing a beautiful canopy allowing the sunlight to filter through, but shading from the heat of the day.

Two and half hours up the trail from the trailhead, I saw the flowers for today’s report.

  • Asiatic Dayflower: few – At peak bloom – very small but beautiful.
  • Doll Eyes (berries): few – Beginning to fade.
  • Flowering Spurge: few – Mostly past peak bloom.
  • Golden Rod: few – Appear to either be just starting to bloom or just finished blooming.
  • Heal All: many + – At various stages of the blooming cycle – many at peak bloom.
  • Queen Anne’s Lace: (1) – Past peak bloom.
  • Phlox: many – Just starting to bloom (not sure which species of the phlox).
  • Saint John’s Wort: some – Appear to be just starting to bloom.
  • Spotted Jewelweed: (2) – Past peak bloom (did not see many Jewelweed this year).
  • Thimbleweed: few – Mostly past peak bloom (quality of blooms better the higher you go up the trail).
  • Tick Trefoil: few – Past peak bloom.

Maybe not a lot of flowers seen today, but nothing takes away from the beauty of a hike and still the fading blooms catch the eye of the passerby.

 The accompanying photos are file photos.

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