Big Creek Wildflower Hike

Despite an ominous forecast the week before, the weather gods smiled on the Blue Ridge Naturalist Network for our annual pilgrimage to Big Creek in Great Smoky Mountains National Park on April 6th.  Rain the previous evening gave way to partly sunny skies and a high temperature flirting with 80 degrees by mid-afternoon.  Approximately 25 members in total convened to appreciate all that an Appalachian spring has to offer.  

As in past years the wildflower buffs split into two groups, capably led by Scott Dean and Marilyn & Lou, each exploring the Baxter and Big Creek trails in turn.  New for this year, Randy Richardson led a third group on a longer hike along the Big Creek trail to see Midnight Hole and Mouse Creek Falls in addition to the usual  bouquet of wildflowers.  Despite a date earlier than many of our past visits, the wildflowers did not disappoint, featuring the fernleaf and fringed phacelia and a wide variety of trilliums as well as wild geranium, dwarf crested iris, rue and wood anemones, and showy orchis.  For additional photos from the event, follow this link https://www.amazon.de/clouddrive/share/RB5jai2nbwW7XVP10kL7TQ8SOHUBOdR9EEeEznf

featuring photos taken by Scott Dean, Jack Ollis, and Randy Richardson.
As always thanks are due to our volunteer hike leaders and all the members who joined to make the event a success.