My wife, two granddaughters, and I spent the week prior to July 4 in and around the western part of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. We spent four nights dry camping in our motorhome in the Park’s Cosby Campground – a beautiful place – and then moved for the final three nights to a nice RV park about halfway between Cosby Campground and Gatlinburg.
Sydney crosses Cosby Creek on our Low Gap Trail hike.
While it isn’t springtime in the Smokies, there were still a lot of wildflowers to be seen. I thought I’d share photos of a few of them, four three of which are “lifers” for me (in my haste I originally identified the white Monarda as Monarda bradburiana; I now believe it to be Monarda clinopodia.)
My wife was thrilled as we entered the park – she’s been wanting to get back into the mountains when the Rhododendron was blooming, and it was at absolute peak while we were there. These were photographed along the Low Gap Trail, but they were everywhere.
Rosebay Rhododendron – Rhododendron maximum – along the Low Gap Trail
Not as showy as the abundant Rhododendron, but showing their heads everywhere were the long-stalked Thimbleweed, aka Tall Anemone.
Thimbleweed – Anemone virginiana – We spotted their heads all over the western half of the park.
My granddaughter Sydney and I hiked the Low Gap Trail up to the Appalachian Trail at, reasonably enough, Low Gap. You’d think “Low Gap” would mean a relatively easy hike, but, while it is low relative to the surrounding peaks, was still about 2,000′ of elevation increase in 2.5 miles. Steep hike, but beautiful. The following flowers were along the Low Gap Trail.
My grandaughter learned to love Whorled Loosestrife – Lysimachia quadrifolia – on our Low Gap hike
Originally I called this Eastern Bergamot – Monarda bradburiana – but now believe it to be White Bergamot – Mondarda clinopodia. Love the purple dots.
Large Bluet – Houstonia purpurea all along the Low Gap Trail
This Crimson Beebalm – Monarda didyma – was right off the Appalachian Trail in Low Gap. Also at the bottom of the trail, and at various other places during our GSMNP visit. Lovin’ it.
Sydney had just gotten her learner’s permit. I had been taking her driving on some isolated roads on parking lots since she was nine, so I knew she was ready. She drove us up to Clingman’s Dome. Every time we go up there we find some beautiful flowers. Here are only two of the many we saw.
Small Purple Fringed Orchid – Platanthera psycodes – another lifer; this in the Clingman’s Dome parking lot.
Mountain Saxifrage – Micranthes petiolaris – which I first saw here about a year ago. It is undergoing classification review, and may be removed from the Micranthes genus only a short time after it was moved there from Saxifraga.
As I mentioned, Cosby Campground is beautiful. There are a lot of scenes and flowers right around the campground and along the road into it.
Creek along Cosby Campground Road – A popular stopping spot. Mossy rocks are classic Smoky Mountains.
American Germander – Teucrium canadense – This lifer for me was spotted by my wife right next to the checkin station at Cosby Campground. Also saw it along TN 32 on the way to Davenport Gap.
Tall Hairy Agrimony – Agrimonia gryposepala – This was a lifer for me as well; right above the bath house.
And while enjoying God’s natural beauty was the highlight of the trip for us, we did make a side trip into Pigeon Forge for some more earthly thrills. Both Sydney and Kate enjoyed the ride.
Sydney and Kate on the Skyscraper