Hunting for Three Birds Orchids

 Some type of Saint Johnswort flower at Elkmont 

Hunting for Three Birds Orchids

Dana Koogler 

Saturday July 27, 2019

Pictures are here starting with frame #926

**While I do not reveal the locations of native orchids I can tell you these were 

in the area of Elkmont.  They are very tiny and you have to be deliberately looking for them  in order to see them.   I can also tell you that in the end of July or first half of August the first cool down spell we have where you wake up and the mornings feel good again.  60-70 degrees... that is what brings their bloom.  They bloom nearly all at once and in great quantities.  They would be considered "locally abundant".  They like moist, sandy soil like the kind along rivers and streams.  **

      I had been very lax about my church attendance and felt I needed to remedy that.

I need to make sure I support my church which I love and get fed spiritually as well.    We have a new pastor who I really enjoy.  He has a sweet young family that I can really relate to. 

I decided since it was Three Birds season I would stick around closer to home and hike. I wanted to get out and exercise and get some fresh air and sunshine, but not wear myself out to the point I'd be whipped on Sunday.     I opted to hunt orchids and that was a good thing. I didn't get out to look for these little beauties at all last season.    

        I know of several locations where these little fellows bloom, but I had not hiked in the Elkmont area for a good while.   I figured I'd try that spot first and had me a couple fall back plans in case I was unsuccessful or felt froggy and wanted to tack more onto my days adventures.      I got out early because the parking situation on a Saturday morning at Elkmont can be horrendous.   It is a popular area all year long, but especially on Summer weekends. 

I enjoyed the drive over on this cool, sunny morning.   I saw a large group of hikers all from the same outfit getting ready to set out on their hike.   I was stunned to find a parking spot still readily available.  I parked in a great spot and got out to start my hike.    I didn't bother taking hiking poles or lots of the usual nonsense.   I figured the trails are fairly level and easy.  

      I was pleased to find that they have demolished several of the old cabins in this section of Elkmont also.   They have left the chimneys and fire places with the neat looking rock work.  I took time to turn aside and photograph some of these interesting structures.  

 Troll bridge in the morning light.

 Chimney and steps

 Front on view of the steps

 Above: directly in front of the first chimney

 Above: Chimney #2. I like this one even more. It has some sort of flashing around the top and I've never seen anything like it before.  Wonder what the purpose of that was?  Diverting water drips like a  gutter?!  I need to ask Curtis. He may know.

 closer look at the rock fire place. Love the vents in the front and the built in shelves instead of a mantle piece.

Below: a nice view of the river today.  Lots of rain have it really roaring. 

     

    I  was surprised that while the trail was peppered with that first group of hikers they motored on and I soon did not see anymore of them.  I did not encounter them again until I was leaving.  I passed them in Daisytown taking a tour of the old cabins.  

     The river flowed past with frilly white cascades and framed by the green leaves of Summer.

It was a nice morning for a hike.   It never got real hot today.    I was glad of that.   I stopped in several places to just enjoy the views of the stream to my left.  On my right the woods had several spots where springs of water flowed out on the right of the stream.   

Above: an un-named cascade flows down out of the hills by the trail

 Above and below.  views of Little River

 Above: a very mossy log I liked 

 Above: I saw a lot of rattlesnake orchids

 Above: Rattlesnake orchid close up.  It is past its peak bloom. 

Butterfly along the trail

Dolls eyes were in bloom today.  Here is a good example of them.

   

Above:  I noticed this spot today above the trail to the right.  It reminds me of a place in Snowbird on the way to Sassafras Falls and a spot on Bent Arm Manway in the Smokies.  Both those spots were where rail lines cut through the woods.   The banks of this were fairly high.  

Can't be 100% sure, but an old map might reveal if this was a road or railroad 

    I hiked along beside a fellow who was hiking up to Mt Collins to spend the night. He is working on completing all the trails in the park.    He was very nice.  We both had a good laugh together.   He was approaching me when we both stopped and stood gaping at a horrible sound down near the river.  It was a loud howling or baying sound.  It sounded maybe like a dog, but I had not seen any dogs thus far.    I turned on my camera to record the audio of it just in case.

We stood there both of us wondering what in the world that was?  I heard a metallic clink and looked down through the rhodo at the stream.  I saw a black lab down there with his people.  

They were avoiding the whole no dogs on the trails rule by having him in the creek I guess.

After hiking along with this man for a little I said my good byes and parted company with him.

      I was beginning to wonder if I'd have any luck finding Three Birds orchids today when at last I spied one!   Once I began seeing them I saw them by the hundreds.   I left the trail and went into the woods and just wandered around very carefully so as not to get snake bit or step on any of them.    The forest floor was pretty open so I had no trouble or worries.    

    I enjoyed seeing these delicate, tiny beauties.   I took lots of photos of them but finally stopped.  Once you see so many you may continue to look at each one, but you get weary of snapping photos.  I just wanted to be in the moment and marvel at them.   

I was very pleased to get to see them and enjoy their loveliness.  

Below are several images of the best of them.  

   

Below is a shot of a grouping of them.  

 Below: a ground pine 

Below is a video of the un-named cascade I saw and a quick clip of the river

   I hiked all I wanted to and headed home after a very satisfying day out. 

Jakes Creek Trail --Avent Cabin and Cascades Galore!

Avent Cabin sits up on its hill above Jakes Creek

Jakes Creek Trail --Avent Cabin and Cascades Galore! 

Dana Koogler solo 

Saturday March 5, 2016

Pictures are here: 

Jakes Creek Pix

   Kenny got home from working out of town in Bristol on Friday. I was glad to see him, but the reason they called him back was that the crane company could not cover a job at Kingston Steam Plant.  He was home, but he'd still be working Saturday. It would be at Kingston now instead.
We were both still glad he got home after two weeks.   He would be off Sunday so that was good too.
Meantime I had plan B ready for myself which was to go hiking in the Smokies on Saturday.
I had long wanted to go up Jakes Creek and photograph and videotape some of the many pretty cascades along it.   I always seemed to be using that trail as part of some long hiking loop.
Being in a hurry to get somewhere or tired returning from somewhere didn't exactly motivate me to climb down to the creek over and over to take pictures.   Mike Maples and Ben recently went
exploring up there and seeing their adventures moved it up my list.

           The day was supposed to be beautiful, but got off to a cold start so I lingered over a second cup of coffee at home giving the day a chance to warm up.   I followed someone in an SUV with Texas plates down Laurel Creek Road from Metcalf Bottoms until I turned in to Elkmont.
The guy was weaving all over the road. I couldn't tell if he was impaired, scared of the curvy road, or rubber necking the scenery.   He was scary in his driving though!  Lookout Gatlinburg, here he comes!   Glad to be shed of that I eased round to the parking areas near the trailheads.  The next thing I encountered was a church bus parked in the middle of the road in the parking area.  I sat there trying
to decide are they going to move here in a minute or do I chance passing him on the right?
I had enough room and so I chanced it.  I made it past and round to the Jakes Creek parking area.
Plenty of people, but not crowded.   The church bus pulled round there and parked. I thought my luck was run out and that I was about to be joined by an entire youth group on my hike.  A man and woman got off the bus and I heard her say something to the man. "Most of these people are poorly prepared to hike.  We can either hike Jack's Creek or Little River. I don't think they are able to handle Jack's Creek. Let's park over here and walk back there and let them hike that trail."  Yippee!
Park wherever you want but please don't come up this way.  Yes Lord!

 Jakes Creek below the Avent Cabin.

Bridge crossing to the Avent Cabin.
     
   I hiked straight out the shortcut and turned onto Meigs Mtn. Trail then on up to Jakes Creek Trail.  It makes it A LOT easier cutting off that steep climb at the start.   I mosied on and soon began climbing down to the stream to get photos and video clips.  It seemed like no time and I was at the Avent Cabin. My tummy was growling and I realized it was noon!  I sat on the porch and had the place to myself for the entire time.   For a pretty Spring Saturday I was suprised that while there were plenty of people I didn't encounter too many. A couple groups of backpackers and hikers coming in as I was on my way out..... that was about it.    The skies were blue. The sun shone down.  The breeze stirred and the air was fresh and cool. I was in shirt sleeves.  Perfect.

           Avent cabin sitting up on its little hill.

Jakes Creek Cascade  right in front of the foot log for the Avent Cabin.


          Once I had finished my sandwich I went back down to the footlog and just enjoyed the stream and the cascade.   I remembered two years ago Kenny bringing me there to do short hikes to rehabilitate me after getting out of the hospital.  I had almost no balance and was having double vision and wearing a pirate patch on my left eye.  I would hike and he would hold my hand while I tried and usually ended up crying and then laughing.  I realized I was crazy looking and acting, but determination, a sense of humor and God's mercy and healing power....... and a few weeks later I was right as rain.     Just getting to the cabin was a struggle then. Today it was a piece of cake.



           I climbed back up onto the trail and mosied on.   The trail is a gradual climb. I walked along enjoying the day and taking stock of what cascades I wanted to come back down to.   I inventoried them on the way up and when I got to the two mile point on the hike in.... I wasn't seeing as much that interested me. I figured I'd turn around and head back and start climbing  down into the stream now to actually take the images of all these things.   I stopped at the only bridged crossing on Jakes Creek Trail and began there  with the photos and video and worked my way backward.  I always like that little crossing.  It has cascades above it. and one coming in from the side!

More cascades along Jakes Creek.


   Further down the trail I climbed through the rhodo and got some images of some pretty scenic cascades that are visible from the trail, but they are so much prettier up close!

This one...

And this one......... What is neat here is that I am inches away from the water.  I am standing in a hole with rocks before me.. damming the creek and keeping this cascade from washing over me. If not for the natural rock dam stopping the flow of the water I'd be in it up to my waist.  The cascades here were particularly pretty. Very green and mossy with foamy white water tinged with aquamarine.


A little different view of a slide that is part of this set of cascades.


Sun peeping through the forest canopy and rhodo down into the spot where I am sitting.

I sat in the rhodo on a rock and ate an orange and soaked up the sunbeams and the sound of the stream.  Just let the peace flow in.  I left all the things that had been bugging me through the week in the forest down there tangled in the rhodo and washed down the stream.  I gradually hiked back toward the jeep just enjoying the sights and sounds.  I left the woods smiling and light hearted. I didn't meet anymore people until I was back on the main trail.     I put together a video of the different spots along the creek.

****Edited to Add*** Last weekend I lost my FitBit on Panther Creek Trail. It showed up on Rich Mtn. Trail three days later. BUT when it came back...... my little brown Smokies hiking guidebook disappeared from Rich Mtn Trail.  Today I stopped and purchased one at the Townsend Visitor Center to replace it.  I had searched car, backpack,house for it multiple times.  Today on Jakes Creek Trail the hiking guide rematerialized.  Thus.......... I am sure I have an INTERDIMENSIONAL VORTEX in my backpack.  I am going to start keeping a log book of "   <~~~It went missing here
And it showed back up over here~~~>" Magic!