2013 Wildflower Reports

2022 Reports

2021 Reports

2020 Reports

2019 Reports

2018 Reports

2017 Reports

2016 Reports

2015 Reports

2014 Reports

November 12
Finely Cane (B-E) – Last mile before Bote Mountain Trail has nice colorful foliage – mostly yellows and orange – It is especially nice when the sun is shining through the foliage.

November 4
Laurel Falls (B-E) – Beautiful foliage before reaching the falls – beyond the fall almost to Little Greenbrier Trail Junction scattered bright foliage – above Little Greenbrier Trail junction most of foliage down.   
Cove Mountain (From Laurel Falls Trail to Park Headquarters) – Most of the foliage down in higher elevations – mid-elevations has very bright and beautiful foliage – Lower elevation scattered colorful foliage (not as vivid as mid-elevations).

October 28
Rabbit Creek (From Abrams Creek Ranger Station to Hannah Mountain Trail) – Curtis Aster, Curtiss Milkwort (Very beautiful – good selection), Hearts-a-busting, Black Eyed Susan, Heal all (1),?Purple Gerardia, Hawkweed, White Top Aster, Erect Goldenrod and Southern Harebell.
Hannah Mountain (From Rabbit Creek Trail to Campsite #14) – Teaberry (1), Flowering Spurge (1), Curtis Aster, White Top Aster, Erect Goldenrod and Mountain Gentian (very nice blooms).

October 21
Flowers in bloom on Huskey Gap Trail, Erect Goldenrod, Curtis Aster (3), Hearts-a-busting (2), White Top Aster, Pale Jewelweed, White Snake Root, Canadian Violet (3) and a nice showing of Mountain Gentian.

September 20
Roundtop (B-E) – Black Eyed Susan, Curtis Aster, Great Lobelia, White Top Aster, Coreopsis, Erect Goldenrod, Southern Harebell, False Fox Glove, Curtiss Milkwort, White Snake Root,?Hearts-a-busting, Dark Jewelweed, Pink Turtlehead (the tallest I recall seeing), Star Grass (1), Cardinal Flower, Hawkweed, Purple Gerardia and Mountain Gentian (1).

September 16
Meigs Mountain (B-E) – Erect Goldenrod, White Snake Root, White Top Aster, Pink Turtleheads, Mountain Gentian (really nice ones about 2 miles from Jakes Creek), Hearts-a-busting, Asiatic Dayflower (1), Curtis Aster, Pale Jewelweed and Southern Harebell.
Meigs Creek (B-E) – White Top Aster, White Snake Root, Erect Goldenrod, Hearts-a-busting, Whitewood Aster, Pink Turtlehead, Ironweed (1), Cardinal Flowers, Curtis Aster, Curtiss Milkwort, Southern Harebell, Great Lobelia and False Fox Glove.?? Few Sourwood, Sugar Maples and Red Maples are starting to change colors.

September 13
West Prong (B-E) – White Snake Root, Golden Rod Erect, Pale Jewelweed, Hearts-a-busting, Great Lobelia, Wood Nettle, Love Vine, White Top Aster, Curtis Aster, False Fox Glove and Southern Harebell.   Note:   The display of the Hearts-a-busting at the junction of West Prong and Bote Mountain Trails is outstanding (have never seen such an abundance of these blooms).
Finley Cane (B-E) – White Top Aster, Erect Goldenrod, White Snake Root, Heal All, Pale Jewelweed and Hearts-a-busting.

September 2
Lumber Ridge (B-E) – False Fox Glove, Erect Goldenrod, Southern Harebell, Coreopsis, Curtiss Milkwort, Hawkweed, White Top Aster, Wood Nettle, Starry Campion, Star Grass (2), White Snake Root (Just starting to bloom) and Yellow Fringed Orchid (1). 

Meigs Mountain (From Lumber Ridge Trail to Curry Mountain Trail) – Southern Harebell, White Top Aster, Pale Jewelweed and White Snake Root (just starting to bloom).

Curry Mountain (B-E) – Curtiss MIlkwort, White Top Aster, Coreopsis, Asiatic Dayflower, Heal All, Cardinal Flower, Joe Pye Weed, Dark Jewelweed, Ironweed, Wild Golden Glow, Wild Phlox and Great Lobelia.  Note:   After first four flowers mentioned all were blooming at the trailhead at Little River Road.

August 26
Trillium Gap (Roaring Forks Motor Trail to Trillium Gap) – White Top Aster, Heal All, Pale Jewelweed, Erect Goldenrod, White Snake Root, Pink Turtleheads, Wood Nettle, Rattlesnake Plantain, Black Cohosh and Filmy Angelica.
Brushy Mountain (B-E) – White Snake Root, Crimson Bee Balm, White Top Aster, Erect Goldenrod, Rattlesnake Plantain, Indian Pipe, Pale Jewelweed, Pink Turtleheads, Wood Nettle and Yellow Fringed Orchid.

August 23
Rich Mountain Loop (B-E) – Flowering Spurge, Red Clover, Hairy Angelica, (1) Mountain Mint, Southern Harebell, Heal All, Coreopsis, Curtiss Milkwort and Great Lobelia.

Crooked Arm (B-E) –Mountain Mint, Wood Nettle, Southern Harebell, Tick Trefoil, Coreopsis, Erect Goldenrod, Yellow Fringed Orchid, Reclining Saint Andrews Cross, Great Lobelia,?False Foxglove and White Top Aster.

Indian Grave (From Crooked Arm Trail to Rich Mountain Loop Trail) – Erect Goldenrod, Southern Harebell, Yellow Fringed Orchid, False Foxglove, Coreopsis, Hairy Angelica, (1) Star Grass, Flowering Spurge, Curtiss Milkwort, Curtis Aster (1), Heal All and Reclining Saint Andrews Cross.  Note:  The Yellow Fringed Orchids are really beautiful now.

August 12
Mount Sterling (B-E) – Starry Campion, Heal All, Spiderwort, Coreopsis, False Fox Glove, Southern Harebell, Hairy Angelica, Indian Pipe, Joe Pye Weed, Tall Bell Flower, Pale Jewelweed, Love Vine, Turk Cap Lily, Rattlesnake Plantain, Whitewood Aster, Tea Berry, Mountain Saint John’s Wort,  Orange Touch-me-nots, Crimson Bee Balm (nice), Filmy Angelica, Erect Goldenrod, Basil Bee Balm, White Snake Root, Wood Nettle  and Yarrow
Baxter Creek (B-E) – Pink Turtlehead (nice), Wood Anemone (1), Indian Pipe, Pale Jewelweed, Wood Nettle, White Snake Root, Rattlesnake Plantain, Hawkweed and Rosebay Rhododendron (1 large shrub blooming).

August 9
Chestnut Top (B-E) – Flowering Spurge, Reclining Saint Andrew’s Cross, Yellow Fringed Orchid (very beautiful), Curtiss Milkwort, Star Grass (1), White Top Aster, False Fox Glove, Rattlesnake Plantain, Horse Nettle, Pale Jewell Weed, Tall Bell Flower, Coreopsis, Pokeweed, Purple Phacelia, Tick Trefoil and Basil Bee Balm.
School House Gap (B-E) –Wood Nettle, Heal All, Tick Trefoil, Orange Touch-me-nots, Coreopsis, Flowering Spurge, Hairy Angelica, False Fox Glove, Curtiss Milkwort, Yellow Fringed Orchid and Reclining Saint Andrews Cross.

July 29
Goldmine (B-E) – Hairy Angelica, Reclining St. Andrew’s Cross, Heal All, White Top Aster and Coreopsis.??Cane Creek (B-E) – Wild Potato Vine, Rattlesnake Plantain, Wood Nettle, Heal All and Asiatic Dayflower.

July 22
Ace Gap (B-E) – Hairy Angelica, Black Eye Susan, Queen Ann’s Lace, Coreopsis, Reclining St. Andrews Cross (many – at peak), Rattlesnake Plantain, Starry Campion, Tall Bell Flower (about gone), Spiderwort, White Top Aster, Curtiss Milkwort, False Fox Glove, Heal All, Indian Pipe, Star Grass, Rosebay Rhododendron (about gone) and Smooth Phlox.

July 15
AT (From Newfound Gap to Boulevard Trail) – Wild Hydrangea, Tassel Rue, Wood Nettle, Rudgel’s Indian Plantain, Wood Sorrel and Love Vine.
Boulevard (B-E) – Bush Honeysuckle, Tassel Rue, Dwarf Rhododendron, Blackberry, Wood Sorrel, Rugels Indian Plantain, Indian Pipe and just starting to bloom Crimson Bee Balm, Wild Golden Glows Michaux’s Saxifrage and Turk Cap Lilly.
Alum Cave Bluff – Wood Sorrel, Mountain St. Johnswort (really nice blooms), Bush Honeysuckle, Wild Hydrangea, Wild Golden Glow, Wood Nettle, Prostate Bluet, Rosebay Rhododendron, Michaux’s Saxifrage and Crimson Bee Balm. Note: Not a lot of blooms at this time.

July 5
Little River to Huskey Gap Trail – Wood Nettle, Wild Hydrangea, Black Cohosh, Rosebay Rhododendron and Heal All.  Note: Not many blooms.
Huskey Gap (From Little River Trail to Huskey Gap) – Pipsissewa, Basil Bee Balm, Wild Hydrangea, Coreopsis, Rosebay Rhododendron, Star Grass, Wood Nettle, Narrow-leaf White-Topped Aster and Mountain St. Johnswort.
Sugarland Mountain (From Huskey Gap to Fighting Creek Gap) – Pipsissewa, Star Gras, Coreopsis, Black Cohosh, Rosebay Rhododendron, Narrow-Leaf White topped Aster and Flowering Spurge.  Note:  Not many blooms.

June 24
Bullhead (B-E) – Wild Hydrangea (Many & at peak bloom much of the way), Canadian Violet, Flowering Spurge, Purple Flowering Raspberry (about gone – just a few blooms), Galax, Golden Ragwort (one plant with blooms), Wood Sorrel (nice blooms), Mountain Laurel, Partridge Berry, Dwarf Rhododendron, Catawba Rhododendron, Blackberry, Prostate Bluet, Spring Ladies Tresses, Wood Nettle, Pipsissewa and Tassel Rue.

Rainbow (B-E) – Prostate Bluet, Blackberry, Wood Sorrel, Catawba Rhododendron, Dwarf Rhododendron, Galax, Wild Hydrangea, Partridgeberry, Tassel Rue, Wood Nettle and Loosestrife.

June 21
Jakes Creek Trail (B-E) – Rosebay Rhododendron (only a few), Ox Eye Daisy, Wild Hydrangea, Flowering Spurge, Red Clover, Partridge Berry and Pale Jewelweed (Yellow Touch-me-nots).

June 14
Gregory Bald – Flame Azalea Progress Report – There are only a couple of Azalea Shrubs in full bloom, there are probably less than a dozen with a fourth to a third of their blooms open and many of the shrubs buds are showing no color at this time. Layman’s estimate of the peak of blooms – 10 days to two weeks from now although a period of hot weather could shorten the time before the peak of the blooms.

May 27
Middle Prong (B-E) – Maple Leaf Viburnum, Tassel Rue, Blackberry, Canadian Violet, Mountain Laurel, Lyre Leaf Sage, Common Cinquefoil, Sweet White Violet, Wild Strawberry, Foam Flower, Dog Hobble, Wild Ginger, Blue-Eyed Grass and Wood Lily (2) – (Hopefully I identified them correctly – do not recall ever seeing them previously). Greenbrier Ridge (B-E) – Blackberry, Dog Hobble (nice fragrance), Lyre Leaved Sage, False Solomon’s Seal, Foam Flower, Prostate Bluets (nice fragrance), Sweet White Violets, Silver Bells, Meadow Parsnip, Canadian Violets, Squaw Root, Clinton Lilies, Brook Lettuce, Doll Eyes (2), Sweet Cicely, Common Blue Violets, Star Chickweed and Blue Eyed Grass.

May 24
Rabbit Creek (from Abrams Creek to Hannah Mountain Trail) – Spiderwort, Solomon’s Seal, Lyer Leaf Sage, Flowering Spurge, Teaberry, Star Grass, Galax, False Solomon’s Seal, Mountain Laurel, Blackberry, Robin’s Plantain, White Milkweed, Golden Ragwort, Hawkweed and Ox Eye Daisy.
Hannah Mountain (from Rabbit Creek to Campsite #14) – Flowering Spurge, False Solomon’s Seal, Meadow Parsnip, Star Grass, White Milkweed, Galax, Mountain Laurel, Maple Leaf Viburnum, Solomon’s Seal, Common Cinquefoil, Blackberry and Rue Anemone.

May 10
West Prong (B-E) –  Sweet White Violet, Foam Flower, Yellow Trillium, Dog Hobble, Solomon’s Seal, Crested Dwarf Iris, Blackberry, Star Chickweed, Sweet Cicely, False Solomon’s Seal, Cancer Root, Trillium Erect, Canadian Violet, Robins Plantain, Rue Anemone, Vasey Trillium (few – others budded), Galax (just starting to bloom), Fairywand (nice), Common Cinquefoil, Common Blue Violet, Prostate Bluet, Little Brown Jugs, Star Grass, Hawkweed, Hooked Buttercup and Mapleleaf Viburnum.
Bote Mountain (B to West Prong Trail) – Common Cinquefoil, Lyre Leaf Sage, Hawkweed, Sweet White Violet, Yellow Trillium, Hooked Buttercup, Star Grass, Crested Dwarf Iris, Hispid Buttercup, Lousewort, Robins Plantain, Dog

Great Smokies

Welcome Center

Hours of Operation

(subject to change)

Open year round (closed December 25)


January - February

Open Daily 9:00 am - 4:30 pm

March - November

Open Daily 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
December

Open Daily 9:00 am - 4:30 pm

The Great Smokies Welcome Center is located on U.S. 321 in Townsend, TN, 2 miles from the west entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Visitors can get information about things to see and do in and around the national park and shop from a wide selection of books, gifts, and other Smokies merchandise. Daily, weekly, and annual parking tags for the national park are also available.

Physical Address

7929 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway Townsend TN 37882

Contact

865.436.7318 Ext 320