Short Wildflower Stroll on Little Greenbrier Trail
Dana Koogler solo
Thursday May 14, 2015
Total hike distance 3 miles approx.
Pictures are here: Wildflower Pix
I had been trying to get back on track with my exercise routine. I was bored with my treadmill.
I had a good tip from a fellow wildflower enthusiast that I could see Southern Nodding Trillium on my
side of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. I decided to change the walking portion of my
exercise routine to a hike to see these. I had seen them before at Grandfather Mountain, NC. I had also
seen them on the North Carolina side of the Smoky Mountains.
I had decided also that I'd try out a manway into the park I had hiked only a couple times previous.
It was a very cool day for this late in the month. I opted to take advantage of a dose of Blackberry Winter
in order to enjoy this shortcut before it got too snakey. It had been long enough since the last time I did it
I checked out google maps before I tried it again. I found it without any problems and for that portion of my
hike I seemed utterly alone in the world. It was short lived because once I got into the park proper I
soon began seeing and hearing other hikers. I saw a total of about seven other persons.
New signs put up at this intersection.
Pink lady slipper.. the first one for me this season in bloom. Seen some others but they were not open yet.
Mountain laurel in bloom makes this trail especially pretty this time of year.
Southern Nodding trillium... what I was seeking. Thanks Ma for the tip. :-)
Trillium rugelii-- It has a form similar to Vasey's trillium which I also saw lots of on this trip.
They are some of the last to bloom in Spring among the trilliums.
Trillium vaseyii.. looks like the mirror image of Trillium rugelii with the color scheme reversed!
You have to look a bit harder to find these since the blooms on both hang below the leaves.
The leaves on both are large as a saucer and looking straight down at them you'd never guess there
was a bloom under there!
I saw some flame azalea in bloom as well. The showy orange really stands out.
I like the deep shade of this trail any time of year.
A few Clinton's lilies in bloom along the trail.
Pink lady slipper.. the first one for me this season in bloom. Seen some others but they were not open yet.
Mountain laurel in bloom makes this trail especially pretty this time of year.
Southern Nodding trillium... what I was seeking. Thanks Ma for the tip. :-)
Trillium rugelii-- It has a form similar to Vasey's trillium which I also saw lots of on this trip.
They are some of the last to bloom in Spring among the trilliums.
Trillium vaseyii.. looks like the mirror image of Trillium rugelii with the color scheme reversed!
You have to look a bit harder to find these since the blooms on both hang below the leaves.
The leaves on both are large as a saucer and looking straight down at them you'd never guess there
was a bloom under there!
I saw some flame azalea in bloom as well. The showy orange really stands out.
I like the deep shade of this trail any time of year.
A few Clinton's lilies in bloom along the trail.
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