Wildflower Wandering

Here in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, we are blessed to be able to enjoy the Spring season multiple times if we so desire. Spring starts in the valleys and makes its way to the tops of the mountains. The same flowers we see blooming here in the valley right now can be seen blooming again at higher elevations weeks from now. With that being said, there are a few hotspots here at the Farm that sport surpassing numbers and varieties of wildflowers due to especially fertile soil, abundant moisture and the availability of sunlight in the weeks before the canopy of leaves overhead closes in for the Summer.

One such place is on the Blair Gap Trail, along the headwaters of Blair Branch. This rock-strewn cleft in the southeastern flank of Hurricane Mountain is an enclave of stinging nettle by late Summer and only the hardcore adventurer need apply. In the Spring, however, it is an inviting grotto of some of Appalachia’s most beloved early-blooming wildflowers: Hepatica, Bloodroot, Anemone, Trillium and Wild Geranium, just to name a few. When the valley pinches out at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park boundary, and the intrepid hiker is forced to traverse nearly a dozen switchbacks to attain the top of Hurricane Mountain (2,200 feet above sea level), one is rewarded with the fragrant blooms of Trailing Arbutus and the finest long-range views available on the Farm’s maze of trails. The descent back to the trailhead along the Boundary and Trunk Branch trails is complete with rugged rock outcroppings and centuries-old stands of emerald green moss.

The Hurricane Branch watershed along the lower portions of the Boundary Trail offers a similar wildflower experience, minus the long-range views, but with the added bonus of a bolder stream.

Our experienced guides would be delighted to show you these and other wonders, while providing you with identification and the cultural significance of the many wildflowers you may encounter along the way.

Boyd Hopkins, Activities Guide