It's that beautiful time of year again when the Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia) bloom along the trails and in the woods of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. There are perks to visiting in the warmer months, but if you can avoid the crowds and heat of the summer months, wed suggest it. It is spelled "Smoky Mountains" The term Smokey is a slang term for a police officer, because Smokey the Bear wears a trooper hat.) Enjoy this 6.9-mile loop trail near Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Wildlife Informer is reader-supported. . Media Properties. On Gregory Bald the colorful display peaks in late June or early July. 107 Park Headquarters Road When pioneer botanist William Bartram discovered flame azaleas in 1791, he described the plant as certainly the most gay and brilliant flowering shrub yet known. Some of its most famous species are mountain laurel, rhododendron and flame azaleas. Go Auto Touring on Historic Park Roads. ", RELATED: Pickers and pics hurt wildflowers in Smokies, Appalachian Trail: access at Newfound Gap or Clingmans Dome; 2-mile section between Newfound Gap and Road Prong Trail has good flowers from mid-April through May, Cades Cove: one of the most popular destinations in the park; on the Blount County side; several trails connect here, Chesnut Top: strenuous difficulty; 8.5 miles roundtrip; in the Townsend area; several species bloom throughout the spring, Chimneys Picnic Area: off Newfound Gap Road; closes at 8 p.m. April 30 - Aug 31 and at sunset on other dates, Cosby Nature Trail:easy difficulty; roughly 1.1-mile loop; near Cosby in Cocke County, Tennessee; March and April are peak months for wildflowers, Cove Hardwood Self-Guided Nature Trail: easy difficulty; less than 1-mile loop; begins are Chimneys Picnic Area on Newfound Gap Road; offers some of the best spring wildflower viewing in the park, Huskey Gap Trail:moderate difficulty; 10 miles roundtrip; near Gatlinburg; best wildflower viewing times between April and May, Kephart Prong Trail: moderate difficulty; 4.2 miles roundtrip; North Carolina side of the park, Little River Trail: easy difficulty; near Elkmont; first 2 miles of the Little River Trail provide good wildflower viewing from mid-March through April, Middle Prong Trail: moderate difficulty; 8.3 miles round trip; near Tremont on the Blount County side of the park; leads to Indian Flat Falls; first 2 miles you may see foamflower, toothwort, violets, wood sorrel and trilliums, Mingus Mill:near Oconaluftee Visitor Center; near Cherokee, North Carolina, Oconaluftee River Trail:easy difficulty; 3 miles roundtrip; near Cherokee, North Carolina; peak time to see wildflowers in April, Porters Creek Trail: moderate difficulty; 4 miles roundtrip; on the Sevier County side in the Greenbrier area; flowers peak in late March through April in the first 1.5 miles of the trail, Whiteoak Sinks:easy difficulty; 4.6 miles roundtrip; near Townsend, RELATED: Great Smoky Mountains temporarily limits group sizes for Whiteoak Sink, Andrews Bald:moderate difficulty; 3.5 miles roundtrip; near Clingmans Dome; Catawba rhododendron and flame azalea peak in early July, Gregory Bald:strenuous difficulty; 11.3 miles roundtrip; access in Cades Cove;one of the most popular and stunning wildflower displays typically in the summer around mid-June. And where can I see them? They are usually found only at elevations at or above 3,500 ft. A true high mountain bloomer. There are many spots on the mile-high bald summits to spread your blanket amidst the flowers with spectacular mountain views. Flame azaleas bloom at the low and mid-elevations in April and May. Catawba rhododendron, which lives primarily at elevations above 3,500, reaches it peak of bloom in June. Redbud and serviceberry trees are at their peak of bloom along Little River and Laurel Creek roads right now. Ephemerals appear before deciduous trees leaf out, when full sunlight is streaming to the forest floor. Cup-shaped flowers, up to two inches across, are borne in clusters in shades of pale pink and white. more, You seem to have JavaScript disabled. Another great choice, as you can probably tell by the name, is the Laurel Falls Trail. Example video title will go here for this video. The data collected including the number visitors, the source where they have come from, and the pages visted in an anonymous form. Please enter your username or email address. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. You can take an easy, scenic drive up to the balds through the state park or hike through Carvers Gap on the Appalachian trail in the same area to get the best views. Before you start working out how long a bloom is going to last, you need to first figure out what kind of rhododendron you have. In colder climates, the same can occur between the months of April and May. At 6,627, the bluff is one of the highest peaks in the Appalachian Mountains. The peak blooming period begins in early June at the 3,500 ft elevation. Wildflowers like rhododendrons are in bloom and in late May and early June, the Elkmont area sees an incredible natural display when the synchronous fireflies appear after dark. Despite these off years, many rosebays will bloom annually throughout the park, especially those along roadsides that receive ample direct sunlight. Crowds are usually minimal, especially in early spring, making it a good time to check out some of the more popular parts of the park. Before you go: Now is the perfect time to start tracking your gardening progress, and I created a garden journal to do exactly that. 0. Later in summer sourwood, a tree prized for the honey that bees produce from its small bell-shaped, white flowers, begins to bloom. A few shade trees are compatible with azaleas and rhododendrons, most notably the red oak ( Quercus rubra ). But, this is a general estimate, and you need to understand that not all varieties of the rhododendron will bloom in spring. . While several types of rhododendron exist, including azaleas, three are very often responsible for electrifying the views from Carolina trails. Together they cover thousands of acres in the national park. They bloom from April through June and sometimes into July. They can often be found growing along streams and in shaded ravines, even roadsides. 6. If the plant tends to bloom earlier in the season, you might want to consider adding a bit of frost protection around your plants. Kephart Prong trail, is located directly off Highway 441 through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, this moderate trail is full history, creekside hiking, bridges, and of course tons of wildflowers, including Rhododendron and Mountain Laurel in the spring. , This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Your email address will not be published. When blooming they produce beautiful white flowers. If in doubt, call the Park Visitor Center for current conditions. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. SEVIER COUNTY, Tenn. It's springtime in the Great Smoky Mountains, and wildflowers are blooming! As an example, early season azaleas and rhododendrons can start blooming any time between December and March in mild climates. This is used to present users with ads that are relevant to them according to the user profile. Pricing. 37738, Download the official NPS app before your next visit, You can see where to find many of these flowers on the, n fact, the park is sometimes referred to as the . Journal ARS Article. The strenuous trail takes hikers to the prestigious Gregory Bald, which is one of the most popular hiking spots in the Great Smoky Mountains. Give them what they need, and theyll give you what you need (without having to chase them) every spring. When Do Rhododendrons Bloom? At a Glance General Information In fact, the park is sometimes referred to as the Wildflower National Park. From the earliest hepaticas and spring-beauties in the late winter to the last asters in the late fall, blooming flowers can be found year-round in the park. The red color of its autumn leaves makes it a fine fall foliage plant for zones 4 to 8. If every person picked one wildflower, how many wildflowers would we have for the future generations? Here are the top 4 wildflower hikes in the Smoky Mountains to experience this spring: 1. The rhododendrons explode in crisp pink and white hues, while the azaleas bloom in bright shades of red, orange, and yellow. The blooms appear first at the lower park elevations in June, but can be seen at all elevations < 5,000 ft by July and August. Bring a picnic! Rhododendrons bloom in clusters. Known for its biological diversity, the region is home to an estimated 12,000 species of flowers. Wildflowers bloom from late February thru September. Rosebay rhododendron is in bloom at the lower elevations in June and at mid-elevations during July. This cookie is set by Addthis to make sure you see the updated count if you share a page and return to it before our share count cache is updated. The hillsides, valleys and peaks of the Smoky Mountains are covered with color in the late spring and early summer. The Purple, or Catawba, variety is more often seen at high elevations along hillside trails. Blooming time is April and May in the pine and oak forests at low to mid-elevations, but not until June or early July on the mountain tops. See Roan Mountain State Park. To get to Spence Field, hike the Anthony Creek trail to the end, then pick up the Bote Mountain Trail all the way to the top. The One Subscription to Fuel All Your Adventures. If youre out walking with your dog, just make sure they dont decide mountain laurel looks good to eat as it is toxic to many animals (people included!). This cookie is installed by Google Analytics. The deciduous varieties common in the Central Appalachian Mountains flourish in the higher elevations and cooler temperatures. This cookie is set by Facebook to deliver advertisement when they are on Facebook or a digital platform powered by Facebook advertising after visiting this website. Azaleas flower on many stems like an umbrella. TN (Heres What to Expect), not going to be able to sustain the blooms. A group of flowers known as spring ephemerals begins the yearly show. In 1799, the plant collector John Fraser discovered Catawba Rhododendron growing in the Great Smoky Mountains on a summit "which commands a view of five states." Fraser and his son brought plants back to Britain in 1809 where it soon became a valuable Rhododendron for breeding with species from Russia and the Himalayas. The Appy Trail runs through it. The North Carolina Rhododendron Festival is celebrated in the small downtown and creekside park (pic above) in Bakersville. Great Smoky Mountains Association 2010.Catawba Rhododendrons, a favorite flowering shrub of park visitors, are blooming right now in the Great Smoky Mounta. The colors vary, and if you have several kinds of rhododendrons in your garden, it wont be long before the entire garden is covered in different hues. Thats much longer than any other kind of flower out there, and its a great way to keep your garden in beautiful condition. This includes plants like: White Trillium Crested Dwarf Iris Columbine Phacelia Pink Lady Slipper Orchids Purple Violets I have seen people report that if you want to drive by a nice mix of both Catawba and Rosebays, you can drive on Newfound Gap Road from the Sugarlands Visitors Center to Oconaluftee Visitors Center. Includes information on suggested walks, hikes, and drives in the park, as well as wildflower conservation. Throughout late May and June (low elevations bloom first), the quintessential Carolina shrub bursts with brilliant color, decorating trails and covering hilly bluffs with their huge blooms. This cookie is set by Google and is used to distinguish users. Learn more. There were several pull offs along the river to stop and enjoy them. Thanks. Visit US Wildflowers Database of Wildflowers for Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Parking tags will NOT be required for motorists who pass through the area or who park for less than 15 minutes, or while parked at their designated campsite. These are just a few things that you should keep in mind when it comes to caring for the rhododendrons and making them grow properly while extending their blooming period as well. If peak color isnt as important to you, visit in September or November to get the same benefits with fewer crowds. Photos (1,681) Directions. Flame azaleas bloom at the low and mid-elevations in April and May. This cookie is used for load balancing services provded by Amazon inorder to optimize the user experience. Its all part of the thrill for those chasing the bloom, but the rewards are the exquisite colors and fresh scents of the flowers. The flowers with the most dazzling colors, though, appear in the mountains. While flowers bloom year-round depending on elevation in different areas of the park, springtime offers the widest selection of trails to explore. The equally spectacular flame azaleas, which are also considered rhododendrons by plant taxonomists, bloom orange on this stretch of the parkway in early May, James said. The Porters Creek Trail is a moderate 7 mile out and back trail that is a popular destination in the spring because of its stunning wildflower displays! The cookie is set by addthis.com to determine the usage of Addthis.com service. The plants can reach up to three feet tall, and the flowers are red or yellow, tubular, and face downwards. Like all other plants, your rhododendron is also going to require a considerable amount of care. Download GAIA GPS to see real-time data: www.gaiagps.com.
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