The deciduous varieties common in the Central Appalachian Mountains flourish in the higher elevations and cooler temperatures. Two good walking trails for viewing wildflowers are the Deep Creek trails and the River Trail at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center in Cherokee. Black bear nursing her cubs in Great Smoky Mountain National Park, Sunrise view from Sparks Lane in Springtime, Rhododendrons in bloom on the Alum Cave Trail in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Synchronous fireflies in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Henry Whitehead Place in autumn, Cades Cove at Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Laurel Falls in the winter in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, breathtaking views from the top of Clingmans Dome, Find Authentic Charm Near Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Sevierville. The hillsides, valleys and peaks of the Smoky Mountains are covered with color in the late spring and early summer. BLOOMING UPDATE: Dogwood trees are already coming into bloom in the Great Smoky Mountains. The White, or Rosebay, variety is most often seen along the creeks at all elevations. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Within Results. Over 200 different species of rhododendrons can be found high up in the Hengduan Mountains. Head to Oconaluftee to tour the Mountain Farm Museum, a collection of structures from the late 1800s, or visit nearby Mingus Mill. We rarely miss a June visit. Ultimately, what this means is that the flowering period is susceptible to change from one year to another. Carolina Rhododendron: Late Apr-June: 308-310, 404-411: Catawba Rhododendron . During each month of the year, some forb, tree or vine is blooming in the Smokies. Johns WortTurtle HeadWild Asters (early species)Yellow-fringed Orchid, Asters ( various)Blue GentiansBonsetFleabaneGerardiaGolden AsterGoldenrodIronweedLobeliasSunflowersYarrow, Bryson City - Swain CountyChamber of Commerce 210 Main StreetP.O. The blooms then start popping out in South Carolina and into North Carolina, following the Blue Ridge Parkway into Virginia. If youre out walking with your dog, just make sure they dont decide mountain laurel looks good to eat as it is toxic to many animals (people included!). Required fields are marked *. From Gatlinburg, drive east along US 321 (stop-light #3 in Gatlinburg) for approximately 6 miles. Thats much longer than any other kind of flower out there, and its a great way to keep your garden in beautiful condition. The colors vary, and if you have several kinds of rhododendrons in your garden, it wont be long before the entire garden is covered in different hues. Flame azaleas bloom at the low and mid-elevations in April and May. 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", RELATED: Pickers and pics hurt wildflowers in Smokies, Appalachian Trail: access at Newfound Gap or Clingmans Dome; 2-mile section between Newfound Gap and Road Prong Trail has good flowers from mid-April through May, Cades Cove: one of the most popular destinations in the park; on the Blount County side; several trails connect here, Chesnut Top: strenuous difficulty; 8.5 miles roundtrip; in the Townsend area; several species bloom throughout the spring, Chimneys Picnic Area: off Newfound Gap Road; closes at 8 p.m. April 30 - Aug 31 and at sunset on other dates, Cosby Nature Trail:easy difficulty; roughly 1.1-mile loop; near Cosby in Cocke County, Tennessee; March and April are peak months for wildflowers, Cove Hardwood Self-Guided Nature Trail: easy difficulty; less than 1-mile loop; begins are Chimneys Picnic Area on Newfound Gap Road; offers some of the best spring wildflower viewing in the park, Huskey Gap Trail:moderate difficulty; 10 miles roundtrip; near Gatlinburg; best wildflower viewing times between April and May, Kephart Prong Trail: moderate difficulty; 4.2 miles roundtrip; North Carolina side of the park, Little River Trail: easy difficulty; near Elkmont; first 2 miles of the Little River Trail provide good wildflower viewing from mid-March through April, Middle Prong Trail: moderate difficulty; 8.3 miles round trip; near Tremont on the Blount County side of the park; leads to Indian Flat Falls; first 2 miles you may see foamflower, toothwort, violets, wood sorrel and trilliums, Mingus Mill:near Oconaluftee Visitor Center; near Cherokee, North Carolina, Oconaluftee River Trail:easy difficulty; 3 miles roundtrip; near Cherokee, North Carolina; peak time to see wildflowers in April, Porters Creek Trail: moderate difficulty; 4 miles roundtrip; on the Sevier County side in the Greenbrier area; flowers peak in late March through April in the first 1.5 miles of the trail, Whiteoak Sinks:easy difficulty; 4.6 miles roundtrip; near Townsend, RELATED: Great Smoky Mountains temporarily limits group sizes for Whiteoak Sink, Andrews Bald:moderate difficulty; 3.5 miles roundtrip; near Clingmans Dome; Catawba rhododendron and flame azalea peak in early July, Gregory Bald:strenuous difficulty; 11.3 miles roundtrip; access in Cades Cove;one of the most popular and stunning wildflower displays typically in the summer around mid-June. In the Appalachians, the early arrival of the colorful blossoms is a harbinger of spring, a welcome and beautiful sight after a mountain winter. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. But, this is a general estimate, and you need to understand that not all varieties of the rhododendron will bloom in spring. Blooming time is April and May in the pine and oak forests at low to mid-elevations, but not until June or early July on the mountain tops. If you are looking for the very best place to be in a rhododendron garden, then north of the GSMNP in the Cherokee National Forest is Roan Mountain. The selected locations are referenced to Parkway milepost markers beginning with Milepost 0 at Rockfish Gap in Virginia and ending at Milepost 469 in North Carolina. This includes plants like: White Trillium Crested Dwarf Iris Columbine Phacelia Pink Lady Slipper Orchids Purple Violets Catawba rhododendron in the Ericaceae (blueberry) family, is a large woody broadleaf evergreen, rounded to spreading, multi-stemmed shrub that often forms dense thickets. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. Your online resource for the Smoky Mountains. Over 1600 species of flowering plants live in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park which is why it's sometimes called the "Wildflower National Park." With the spring season approaching, what could be better than a weekend getaway to see one of the world's most mesmerizing floral regions in all its full bloom splendor. It can truly be a sight to behold. While the plants are hardy, do your research to make sure you live in a region favorable to these plants. Great Smoky Mountains Association 2010.Spring is here and the Flowering Dogwood trees are in full bloom! Rain and afternoon thunderstorms are common, so keep an eye on the weather and plan to get your hiking done early in the day. The second most popular location to view the Flame Azaleas is to hike the Andrews Bald in late June. Mitchell, Mt. Mid-June to July is the bloom time for the wild Smoky Mountains Rhododendrons. Download GAIA GPS to see real-time data: www.gaiagps.com. The Rosebay Rhododendrons are the most common rhododendrons in the Smokies. Unlike birds, the plants dont migrate, but the blossoms do, in a sense. They can often be found growing along streams and in shaded ravines, even roadsides. Temperatures and other weather conditions can trigger an early season or a late season, while different rhododendron species typically blossom at different times. Females with newly born cubs usually emerge from their winter dens in late March or early April. Nature lovers and flower enthusiasts . They are both 5 lobed. Pricing. Where can you see the rhododendrons the best: One thing to remember about rhododendrons is that each bush does not bloom every year. If you do visit during the summer, stick to higher elevations where highs range in the 60s and 70s. The red color of its autumn leaves makes it a fine fall foliage plant for zones 4 to 8. . From the earliest hepaticas and spring-beauties in the late winter to the last asters in the late fall, blooming flowers can be found year-round in the park. "Wildflowers don't particularly stick to the map, and, you know, some years, you can have great things in surprising places, even just along any of our overlooks as well," Wise said. There are certain types of rhododendrons that are able to survive in temperatures as low as minus 25 degrees F. There are only a few other flowering plants that are able to survive in temperatures this low, and come out and bloom the next year as the seasons begin to change. One to four cubs are born during the mother's winter sleep, usually in late January or early February. Wildflowers bloom from late February thru September. The non-profit partner, Friends of Great Smoky Mountains, holds an annual " Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage " with seminars, guided hikes and wildflower programs. Flame azalea can also be seen on Balsam Mountain Road. Includes information on suggested walks, hikes, and drives in the park, as well as wildflower conservation. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. They are both beautiful shrubs and among the most eagerly awaited wildflowers blooms in the Smokies. Back to Article Lists. Rosebay Rhododendron. If every person picked one wildflower, how many wildflowers would we have for the future generations? This cookie is set by Google. It can be found from the south of Maine down to northern Florida, and as far west as Indiana and Louisiana. Along with the azaleas, there are more than 20,000 hybrid species as well. However, the peak wildflower season is mid-to-late April when the spring ephemerals make their appearance. This is also a time when soil moisture is high and soil nutrients are plentiful due to the decomposition of tree leaves that fell the previous autumn. You need to at least wait a few months and see when the plant actually blooms. Each spring, the park hosts the Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage, a week-long festival of programs and guided walks and hikes that explore the wondrous diversity of life in the park. The hillsides are alight in reds, yellows and oranges and it feels like youve stumbled into a fairytale at every turn. The blooming rhododendrons are gorgeous to see, but you might also want to take a short hike to the observation deck at Roan High Bluff. Also at the top of the mountain, in the spring, visitors are welcomed by a covering of pink from the blooming of the catawaba rhododendron that inhabit the rhododendron garden. The Cataloochee and Cades Cove areas of the park are ideal if youre hoping to spot some serious cuteness. Spring Ephemerals Are The Big Kahuna of Smoky Mountains Wildflowers. Click into your cross-country skis and take in the breathtaking views from the top of Clingmans Dome. Historical records show that the peak bloom for these Flame Azaleas is between June 13th and June 24th. Some of its most famous species are mountain laurel, rhododendron and flame azaleas. You can see where to find many of these flowers on the Species Mapper. Mountain Ash: June-July (bloom) Sep-Oct (berry) Higher elevation spruce-fir forests, Mt. The year ends with the yellow flowers of witch-hazel, which blooms from October through January. So what makes the Rhododendrons in Great Smoky Mountains National Park so special? As an example, early season azaleas and rhododendrons can start blooming any time between December and March in mild climates. One of the best things about the rhododendron is the fact that the plant has a wide variety of different flowers. 37738, Download the official NPS app before your next visit. Found predominantly on grassy balds in the southern Appalachians. Known for its biological diversity, the region is home to an estimated 12,000 species of flowers. In summer the display continues with brilliant red cardinal flowers, pink turtleheads, Turks cap lily, small purple-fringed orchids, bee-balm, butterfly-weed, black-eyed susans, jewel weed, and many others. Very little," she said. In the Southern Appalachians, they can grow to 25 feet or higher. By late summer and through the fall, goldenrod, wide-leaved sunflowers, tall ironweed, mountain gentian, monks hood, coneflowers, and numerous varieties of asters begin to bloom. And if you are a wildflower enthusiast, please join my Smoky Mountains Wildflowers Community page on Facebook. Although the round trip hike is a strenuous 11.3 miles and you will gain a total elevation of 3,020 feet, the mountain views and terrain make this hike well worth it! For the best views, take a low-elevation hike by the end of June and a hike at higher elevations in July. Despite these off years, many rosebays will bloom annually throughout the park, especially those along roadsides that receive ample direct sunlight. Rosebays big clumps of whitish flowers appear in June at the lower elevations and from July into August at the middle altitudes. Occasionally the majority of the shrubs will all bloom during the same year, this is called a super bloom or a big bloom. The mountain laurel start blooming in May. Showy trees such as serviceberry, silverbell, flowering dogwood, redbud, Fraser magnolia, and tuliptree soon follow. In other words, the flowers rarely appear at the same time every year. In the Smokies, flame azalea flower colors range from white to peach to orange, yellow, or red. Get inspired with tips about where to go and what to see on your national park vacation, delivered right to your inbox. When is the peak blooming of rhododendron in the Smokey's? Below shows the pineapple-shaped bud of a Rhododendron. The Purple, or Catawba, variety is more often seen at high elevations along hillside trails. When blooming they produce beautiful white flowers. Blooms: August-September Angelica triquinata Commonly found in North Carolina Mileposts 294.7, 339.5, 355 Also at Craggy Gardens and Nature Trails Aster Blooms: September Aster spp. Three tag durations will be available for purchase for all vehicle sizes and types: Daily, $5; Weekly, $15; or Annual, $40. Tennessee's Roan Mountain State Park recently won the 2016 Park of the Year for how well the staff manages the park. In addition to certain standard Google cookies, reCAPTCHA sets a necessary cookie (_GRECAPTCHA) when executed for the purpose of providing its risk analysis. It is spelled "Smoky Mountains" The term Smokey is a slang term for a police officer, because Smokey the Bear wears a trooper hat.) Mid-June to July is the bloom time for the wild Smoky Mountains Rhododendrons. In the Smokies the Laurel bloom primarily during May, while the Rhododendron come along in June and July. Wildflowers like rhododendrons are in bloom and in late May and early June, the Elkmont area sees an incredible natural display when the synchronous fireflies appear after dark. However this hike is still very popular during the peak blooming period. This blooming calendar gives the approximate emergence of the most popular species. Enjoy this 6.9-mile loop trail near Gatlinburg, Tennessee. While several types of rhododendron exist, including azaleas, three are very often responsible for electrifying the views from Carolina trails. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Visit US Wildflowers Database of Wildflowers for Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Used to track the information of the embedded YouTube videos on a website. We rarely miss a June visit. We share photos and trade information on flower locations. Do not rely on your cell phone because there may not be cellular For more on the Great Smoky Mountains, check out our YouTube playlist: While wildflowers bloom year-round depending on elevation in different areas of the national park, springtime offers the widest selection of trails to explore.