As reported a couple of weeks ago, we’ve had a VERY warm winter, with Hepatica and Harbinger of Spring blooming when I visited The Pocket on January 30 – the earliest I’ve ever seen native wildflowers blooming at The Pocket. We finally had some “real winter” in the weeks since then, so I wasn’t sure what to expect when I visited The Pocket today. That cold snap slowed things down, but there is some progress. If your “thing” is to see Harbinger of Spring at peak, or to see the waterfalls with a really good flow, this is a good time to visit The Pocket.
Harbinger-of-Spring – Erigenia bulbosa
As mentioned above Hepatica was blooming in January, but if anything it has regressed a bit with the colder weather. The blossoms that were there were huddled against the weather.
Sharp-lobed Hepatica – Anemone acutiloba
There were a half-dozen or so Star Chickweed plants in blossom. Back in January there was one that was just starting to bud.
Star Chickweed – Stellaria pubera
This is also a good time to check out the leaves of Puttyroot – they show up after the plant blooms, persist through the winter, and are withered by the time the bloom comes again.
Puttyroot Orchid, Adam and Eve – Aplectrum hyemale
And don’t forget that waterfalls at the end of the trail…
Waterfalls at The Pocket on Pigeon Mountain
Do you have to buy a permit pass to visit the Pocket?
Yes, The Pocket is within the Crockford-Pigeon Mountain Wildlife Management Area, and so if you’re not over 65 or under 16 years old you’ll need to have a Georgia Outdoor Recreation Pass (GORP), a Georgia hunting license, or a Georgia Fishing license. I always get an annual small-group GORP since it allows me to take up to 7 other people with me when I go to The Pocket or any of the other beautiful areas of Pigeon Mountain WMA.