Earlier this week, I hiked about two hours up the Grapeyard Ridge Trail from Greenbrier Road. The Grapeyard Ridge Trail connects the Greenbrier area with the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail and has several old homesites and historical sites preserved for us history buffs. The Greenbrier community was home to many mountain families before the national park was ever created. The trailhead also lies near the headwaters of the Little Pigeon River.

Walk the trails and imagine the many pioneers who traveled the same paths and all the travelers since.

Based on the status of the blooms I saw earlier this week, I believe there will be little change within the next week other than the budded Cardinal flower might be blooming.

  • Asiatic Dayflower: few – At peak bloom – So small yet so beautiful!
  • Cardinal Flower: (1) – in bloom & 1 budded – In full bloom the brilliance of the red blooms is beyond description.
  • Coreopsis: many – About half in full bloom and about half are budded. Colorful.
  • Goldenrod: few – Believe the ones seen are either early or erect goldenrod (I have not been able to tell them apart).
  • Heal All: many – About half in full bloom and about half are just starting to bloom.
  • Saint John’s Wort: few – Appear to be just starting to bloom.
  • Tick Trefoil: some – Past peak bloom (still colorful, beautiful shade of pink).

Photos shown from file photo collection.

Approximately three miles on the Grapeyard Ridge Trail, below the trail, is the wreckage of an old steam engine. I did not make it this far today, but feel that some would like to hike out to see it.

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