Cherohala Skyway Wildflowers

above: blue cohosh blooms along the Skyway

 Cherohala Skyway Wildflowers

Sun. April 26 2026

Kenny & Dana Koogler

Pictures are HERE 

Cherohala Skyway Map HERE 

   We headed down to the Cherohala Skyway on Sunday morning.  I reviewed my old trip reports for dates when I visited Jeffrey Hell in the past.  I hoped I'd be in plenty of time to check out some hybrid trilliums there and in other spots on the Skyway.   We arrived and set off down the trail and almost immediately I began to have a sinking feeling.  The vegetation didn't look right at all. It was the look the forest and trails get when flowers have finished and weeds are taking over.  I call it "The Doldrums".  

  Today I started off not seeing ANY trilliums.   Finally I spotted a few and they were crumpled, dry and brown.    They were finished in this area for the season.  What a let down.  Rather than waste more time we headed back.  We'd try going higher in elevation to see what was in bloom.  The dry, overly warm conditions of Spring this year seemed to have forced the bloom season into a fast finish.

Below:  Foam flower was one of the few things still in bloom along Jeffrey Hell trail.

Below: Carolina silverbells still bloomed which was nice. 

Above and below: Two views of the Jeffrey Hell trail. Anyone with any experience hiking in the woods during Spring can tell the plant life is too far advanced to be "Spring". 

     We kept climbing in elevation.  I remembered some slopes to the south that I hoped might have trilliums. I finally did spot a few.  I saw only purple wakerobin trilliums.  Nothing for them to hybridize with! The only place I've found hybrids here was done.  This year turned out to be not great on the Skyway for Spring flowers period.   Hybrids were non existent here.  

 

The Cherohala Skyway is a tough place to gauge for Fall foliage.  The upper elevations you have to go very early.  If you want to catch the colors on either end it requires a separate trip later!  Spring wildflowers turned out to be a similar story.  High elevations were still in stick season.  Lower elevations were done.   Today's trip made it clear to me this area will never be a favorite for Spring flowers.  It is tricky and on the tight schedule I've had it was doubly frustrating.  

     Below: blue cohosh blooms. It is an indicator species.  It grows in the right kind of forest for trilliums. 

Below: a thick patch of bluets near Mud Gap 

Below:  signs for Citico Creek

Below: Canada violets continued to bloom

Below:  purple wakerobin trillium is one of the few growing at higher elevations. Some were still looking okay.   Many were not.   I saw ONLY this type. Not one other color. 

Below: violets along Mud Gap Trail 

above: a few sweet white violets still bloomed

Below: toothwort in bloom at Mud Gap 

below:  the prettiest trillium of the day at Mud Gap.

Below: found one or two trout lilies in bloom at the highest elevations... Hooper Bald! 

Below: wood anemone at Hooper Bald

above:  saw one or two purple wake robins at Hooper Bald

Below: I did find a Spoon Man trillium where I'd seen it before!  

  The fog rolled across the Skyway on our way back down from Hooper Bald.  

Standing there looking at the fog as it rolled up was like looking at Fangorn Forest in Lord of the Rings. 

Below: The Skyway makes its own weather.  

Below: Mud Gap trail 

above and below: Hooper Bald Trail 

  We continued to be let down by the findings along the Skyway.   We decided to head back toward Stratton Meadows and go out to Wolf Laurel. Perhaps we'd have better luck in that area. 

The scenery down in this area was the prettiest of the entire day.  The area was logged a few years back, but is healing nicely.   We had gotten just past the turn for North River when we were greeted by a flock of goldfinches.  They were sticking together and going from tree to tree. They were so pretty!

Below:  I spotted the first and only hybrid trillium of the day.   A sessile type trillium with an unusual color blend.  It was past peak bloom, but it was at least something. 

Below:  golden alexanders were blooming at Wolf Laurel 

Below: Vasey's trillium was emerging. We saw several. Most were just getting started.

Below: Vasey's trillium in bud. 

  One of the things we spotted down in the Wolf Laurel area was an undocumented waterfall.  

We had seen it before, but today it was surprising in that as dry as we've been the flow on it was so immense!  You could glimpse it through the trees and hear it roar.  It takes in all the flow off the back of Huckleberry Knob and Little Huckleberry Knob as it is part of Santeetlah Headwaters.  We searched today in vain for a reasonable way off this bluff to reach it.  We are going to have to come back in cold weather to try this again. 

Below: two views toward Huckleberry Knob and Doc Stewart Ridge from Wolf Laurel

 

Below: glimpse of the waterfall through the trees.  I think about Predator..... Mac to Dylan "out there past them  trees. I seeeeeee youuuuuu! " 

  Today's wildflower adventure was not terribly successful, but it was good to get out. The views were pretty.   We went back through Tellico Plains and checked out the downtown area.  It is very nice.  Lots of new eateries, brew pubs, and stores!  Much more gentrified.   We went in the antique place called the Blue Opossum.  It was very pretty.    This year's wildflower season has been a struggle for me.  

Maybe next year will be better.   

Jamestown Weekend

above: Cypripedium calceolus found in Fentress Co. 

 Jamestown Weekend 

Thurs. April 16 through Sunday April 19, 2026

Kenny & Dana Koogler

Sharon McGee & Otey the Pup

Jared, Lydia, Gabe & Mia Koogler 

Photos are HERE 

  My friend Sharon lives in Fentress County out past Jamestown.   She asked me to come house and dog sit for her so she could hike Mount LeConte. I readily agreed and offered to let her "house swap" with me despite the kitchen being remodeled.    She had plans for lodging already so she did not stay here.  I made it over to her home around 3:30 p.m. on Thursday.  

I had my jeep throw a "Service Transmission" error code and go into limp mode on the interstate on the way over twice.  Each time I was driving the speed limit at 70 mph.   I had a shimmy in my left rear tire from where a flat got replaced with a new tire and was not properly balanced.  

Once I got off the interstate I didn't have anymore trouble.  I knew though that I'd want to leave on Sunday when Kenny did so I didn't travel home alone.   I'd get off I-40 east in Lenoir City to drive secondary roads in case of more trouble.  I also knew on Monday or Tuesday I needed to get to the dealership to get it checked. 

 

  I stopped briefly at  Cumberland Mountain General Store in Clarkrange.  I learned that they had put the antiques back in the store after having removed them.  I've been trying to find some unique items to freshen up our house.  The remodel really inspired me.  I found the store busy, but not crowded.  It is a nice compromise now between boutique and antique.   I found the blend to be just right.    

   I left with some decoration for my kitchen as well as our camper.  Limited space in the camper means the items need to be small and special.  I found that today! 

Below: paper flower bouquets and wreaths! 

above: shelves with more paper flowers, moon pies, hats, dolls, and jewelry

Below :  closer view of hat and sign

Below: the shelves are filled with antiques once again!  

   I had a nice visit with Sharon.  She had fixed dinner which we enjoyed.  She left that evening and it was just me and Otey on our own.  I took him on an evening walk down to the river and the beach area. It was pretty as always and the bird songs, sounds of the river and the quiet were lovely.

Below:  looking downstream. Water levels are low. We need rain!

Below: Looking straight at the bluff 

Below: zoomed in on the dogwood blooms on the bluff

Below is a short video clip of the evening sounds along the river.  The birds sound so pretty. 

  I watched TV for awhile and found some pastels in the closet. I sat down and drew with them. It was fun, but messy.  It is hard to get much detail with these. My daughter in law Lydia later told me she'd work with me on them to help me finesse how to blend and get detail.  She's talented!

Below: First attempt with pastels.  A scene up Bill's Creek.  Very rough. 

 

      Friday Morning I loaded Otey up and took a ride up Bill's Creek.  Based on what I had seen in the woods around the house and along the road I had a feeling wildflower season was mostly over at this elevation.   A drive up the road confirmed it.  It was pitiful.  I had missed it by a mile.  

 

  I was down about it, but realized that unless I could get up high in elevation there was nothing for it.

I decided instead to spend the day in Crossville.   I got Otey squared away and rode down to the Rocking Horse Antique Shop.  I am so glad I did! I was there a little over a month ago so I didn't hold out much hope of finding good stuff that was interesting.  I shouldn't have doubted them.  I came out of there with an entire box of wonderful unique home decoration.  Stuff for the bathroom, back screen porch, kitchen and more.   They have a great assortment of antiques and contemporary country home items.  

  I also went to McAllister's for lunch.  It was healthy and satisfying.   I hit Beall's before heading home.    I found a pretty new dress, sandals and a blouse for me.  I found a good candle for the house.

  I figured I'd best head back since Otey would be ready to eat.   I made a day of it and by the time I pulled in Jared, Lydia, and the kids arrived just ahead of me.   They were playing with the dog.

Kenny showed up a short time later.   He stopped in Jamestown to pick up some items for dinner.

    Sharon  had suggested the family join me over at the house.  What a great friend.  

I was happy to see them. I slept much better with Kenny there. I missed him. 

     The kids played with the dog and had fun. Mia drew and colored with me.  We planned to go riding the next day.  

Saturday 

   We had a nice breakfast Saturday morning.  Coffee on the deck.   Breakfast round the table. 

It was lovely.  Everyone rested well.    I packed sandwiches for everyone and we gathered our gear to go for a ride.    We went up the river trail and it was very pretty.  Lydia had never seen it before at all.

Jared had only seen a little of it.  

   Fringe trees were blooming all along the river and smelled heavenly.  

Below:  a fish eye view of the river and its mirrored surface. We had a bluebird day! 

Below: a little bit of golden ragwort blooming

Below:  violets in bloom 

Below: the river trail stretches onward 

Below:  wild geraniums still hung on

above and below: fringe tree in bloom. 

Below: the machines along the trail. Jared, my son at the far right. 

 What a change between visits to the River Trail.  Last Spring this time we had to turn back thanks to ultra high water crossings.  Back during Winter Kenny & the guys in the family couldn't get close to it thanks to high water.  Today the levels were low, but the river still very pretty. 

Above:  blue hole of water on the river

Below:  upper end of the Blue Hole

Below:  the blue hole up at the gully

Below:  the overlook at Wilder Subdivision 

     We wanted to ride through some areas where the kids could play in the creek and go along Wilson Ridge up high. I thought maybe we'd see some wildflowers up higher.   It turned out to be a good plan, but the wildflowers were still largely spent.   It was a real let down, but the kids enjoyed it and we made the most of it.  We sat near the creek to eat lunch.  

Above: Mia plays in the creek

Below: prairie trillium 

above and below.  We found yellow lady slippers in seven different spots today! 

  We  had a good day of riding and made it back to the house at a reasonable time.  Jared & Lydia wanted to leave Saturday evening to head home. They were considering how they'd have to return to work on Monday and wanted to have time to get prepped and rest some.   

     Below is a video of the highlights of our day's ride

I headed out with Kenny on Sunday after breakfast.   I took Otey home with me which lead to a few funny moments of Happy the cat being territorial.  

Below are two cute videos. One of Gabe playing tug o war with Otey

Happy trying to attack Otey 

 All in all it was a nice weekend.