4 Awesome Scenic Drives to Savor Late Summer Wildflowers in the Smoky Mountains! In brilliant shades of purple, yellow and white, the late summer and early fall wildflowers in the Great Smoky Mountains bring joy to all who wish to savor the glorious days of the changing seasons!
Did you know the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is also known as the Wildflower National Park? There are as many as 19 different kinds of Goldenrod, over 20 species of Aster, and 6 different Rudbeckia that are native to the Smokies.
Check out these primo viewing locations we’ve scoped out for you to enjoy now on into the fall season!
Cades Cove is the #1 Scenic Drive for Late Summer Wildflowers in the Great Smoky Mountains!
At five miles long and less than two miles wide, the scenic valley known as Cades Cove offers visitors an 11-mile loop road to drive, bike, and walk to explore this natural wonder’s flora and fauna. The paved road skirts the open valley’s 6,800 acres providing ample opportunities for wildflower and wildlife viewing.
Some of the beautiful flowers you’ll spot in Cades Cove are the tall Joe Pye Weed, Purple and Yellow Gerardia, Great Lobelia, and Ironweed. You’ll also see Downy Aster, Goldenrod, Virgin’s Bower, and Wild Golden-glow in the meadows of the cove.
Although the road is open daily from sunrise to sunset, it is closed to motor vehicles each Wednesday and Saturday morning until 10:00 a.m. for walkers, joggers and cyclists only until late September. This is a great time to enjoy Cades Cove and really be able to stop and smell the flowers! The Cades Cove Nature Trail, near the bike rental shop, offers a chance to see the unusual non-green, Pinesap, with drooping red and tan flowers that bloom through September.
For more info on Cades Cove, check out our HeySmokies blog about the Cades Cove Experience.
Rich Mountain Road is the #2 Scenic Drive for Late Summer Wildflowers in the Great Smoky Mountains!
This less-traveled, country road begins just off the Cades Cove loop directly across from the Missionary Baptist Church at sign post #8 and heads north. Rich Mountain Road is a one-way, gravel road that climbs about eight miles up Rich Mountain and then descends into Tuckalechee Cove and travels for another five miles into Townsend.
In this oak-dominated forest, you’ll see the blue-striped Mountain Gentian and the delicate and rare Rose-Pink also known as Meadow Beauty. Rich Mountain Road also offers iconic views of Cades Cove that are certainly photo-worthy.
Please be aware that motor homes, buses, vans longer than 15 ft., and trailers are prohibited on Rich Mountain Road. The road is closed in winter.
Clingmans Dome Road is the #3 Scenic Drive for Late Summer Wildflowers in the Great Smoky Mountains!
Take the high road into the National Park’s Canadian Zone and see plenty of the 3-5 ft. tall White Snakeroot (there are 13 different types of Snakeroot in the Park) as well as the large clusters of Filmy Angelica, a member of the parsley family. There’s the easy to recognize Pink Turtlehead, Monkshood, and the Rugel’s Indian Plantain, found only in the high country of the Great Smoky Mountains.
Although not a wildflower but a tree, we have to tell you about the Mountain Ash trees found along Clingmans Dome Road. This time of year this tree’s shiny red fruits burst forth in an explosion of color found only in the north woods and the Smokies.
Clingmans Dome Road (7 miles long) is closed in winter. For more information, check out our HeySmokies blog, the Clingmans Dome Experience.
Gregory Bald Native Azaleas. Gregory Bald, a crown jewel of the Smokies, is renowned for its breathtaking displays of native azaleas and unfettered views of Cades Cove and the Smoky Mountains. This time of year the native azaleas take center stage in a botanical extravaganza. These delicate beauties, known scientifically as Rhododendron canescens, grace the landscape with their elegant blooms and fragrant presence, captivating all who wander through their domain.
Did you know that the Blue Ridge Parkway is connected to Great Smoky Mountains National Park? That’s right; another National Park is attached to the Smokies! The Blue Ridge Parkway begins (or ends) at milepost 469, a half mile south of the Oconaluftee Visitors Center in North Carolina. The Parkway meanders from there along the mountain tops to Shenandoah National Park in Virginia.
The Blue Ridge Parkway is a 469-mile long scenic drive through the Southern Appalachian highlands. The average speed limit on the Parkway is 45 mph. The Parkway has no red lights or intersections to slow traffic. All access to the Parkway is via on and off ramps connecting to nearby roads. There are no places to purchase fuel on the Parkway so plan carefully.
The Blue Ridge Parkway has access to camping, trails, waterfalls, and historic structures.
Blue Ridge Parkway Campgrounds
Otter Creek @ Mile Post 61 This campground has sites for 45 tents and 24 RV trailers. Facilities currently include water, comfort stations with flush toilets and sinks but no showers or hook-ups. Area hikes include Trail of Trees, Otter Creek, Otter Lake Loop and James River Canal Trails.
Peaks of Otter @ Mile Post 86 This campground has sites for 90 tents and 53 trailers or RVs, water, comfort stations with flush toilets and cold water sinks but no showers or hook-ups. Area hikes include Sharp Top, Elk Run, Harkening Hill and Johnson Farm Trails.
Rocky Knob @ Mile Post 167 This campground has sites for 81 tents and 28 trailer or RVs, restrooms, trailer dumping stations, and a campfire circle that accommodates up to 150 campers. For the more adventurous, backcountry camping is permitted at the designated site in Rock Castle Gorge. A permit is required and can be obtained from the Rocky Knob Campground by calling 540-745-9664 from May-October and calling 540-745-9668 during the off season.
For those in primitive camping areas, keep in mind the following: camping and campfires are only allowed in designated areas, only dead firewood may be gathered for fuel, pack out all trash, do not use soap or shampoo in any streams, and toilet facilities must be at least 200 feet from water supplies. Area hikes include Rockcastle Gorge, Black Ridge, Rocky Knob Picnic Area and Round Meadow Creek Trails.
Doughton Park @ Mile Post 241 This campground has 110 campsites and 25 trailer sites, 4 comfort stations, and a campfire circle at the campground. Area hikes includeBluff Mountain, and Fodder Stack Trails.
Julian Price Park @ Mile Post 297 This campground has 129 tent sites (2 handicap sites) and 68 trailer sites, 6 comfort stations (1 handicap accessible). Area hikes includeGreen Knob, Boone Fork, Price Lake, Gwyn Memorial and Tanawha Trails. For boat rental info call 828-963-2292 or visit blueridgeparkway.
Linville Falls @ Mile Post 316 This campground has 50 tent and 20 RV sites which sit on the banks of the Linville River. It is the Parkway’s smallest, most popular campground and the only developed site on the Parkway that allows group camping. Area hikes include Flat Rock, Camp Creek, River Bend, Duggers Creek, and Linville River Bridge Trails
Mt. Pisgah @ Mile Post 408 This campground has 70 tent and 70 RV sites and shower facilities are available. The campground is the highest, coolest and most secluded on the Parkway. The campground is located in Flat Laurel Gap. Area hikes include Buck Spring, Mount Pisgah, Picnic Area Loop and Frying Pan Mountain Trails.
Reservations for ALL campgrounds can be made online at recreation.gov or by calling 1-877-444-6777.
Blue Ridge Parkway Hiking
There are numerous trails suitable for hiking along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Find out about trails near you by stopping at a Ranger Station or Visitor Center for information. Trail conditions may change suddenly and unexpectedly. Bear activity, rain or thunder storms and downed trees may temporarily close trails.
At a minimum be sure to carry water, a raincoat or poncho, a warm hat, insect repellent, sunscreen, and a first aid kit. It is recommended that you hike with another person. No permit is required for hiking.
One of the most daunting tasks facing hikers is choosing a trail. Start by deciding on what you would like to see. Waterfalls? Old-growth forests? Endless views? Then decide how far you would like to hike. It can be as easy as that!
There are over 369 miles of trails to choose from along the Blue Ridge Parkway! The Appalachian Trail and Mountains-to-Sea Trail are two long distance trails that follow closely with stretches of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Sections of these trails can be hiked in a day, or for the more adventurous, over a number of days.
Blue Ridge Parkway Waterfall Hikes
Remember to always take caution while enjoying waterfalls around the Parkway. Do not climb on rocks near waterfalls and use extreme caution when walking along riverbanks. The rocks are slippery due to mist and algae. Never dive or jump into the water. Submerged rocks, trees or debris could be immediately below the surface of the water.
Here is a list of popular hikes with waterfalls along the Parkway:
Linville Falls @ Mile Post 360 Linville Falls has four different overlooks to properly appreciate the falls with two main hiking trails. Both begin at the Linville Falls Visitor Center and pass through remnants of a virgin hemlock forest mixed with other familiar tree species such as white pine, oaks, hickory, and birch. A colorful and varied display of wildflowers decorates the trails in spring. Red and golden leaves in fall beautifully contrast with the soothing green of hemlocks. The Linville Falls trails range in difficulty from moderate to strenuous.
Looking Glass Falls @ Mile Post 411 Looking Glass Falls is one of the most symmetrical waterfalls in western North Carolina. The name comes from Looking Glass Rock which resembles a wintertime mirror, or “looking glass,” of sunlight as water freezes on its side and reflects the sun.
Crabtree Falls @ Mile Post 339 At the base of the 2.5 mile loop trail is spectacular Crabtree Falls, where water cascades over a 60-foot rock cliff. Many types of ferns and wildflowers thrive in the hollow benefiting from the fall’s cool spray. Originally, these falls were known as Murphy’s Falls. The National Park Service changed the name to Crabtree Falls when the Parkway was built in the 1930’s.
Graveyard Fields Falls @ Mile Post 419 The name “Graveyard Fields” originates from a time when a great windstorm felled hundreds of spruce and fir trees in the area. The moss covered stumps resemble graves.
Skinny Dip Falls @ Mile Post 417 Skinny Dip Falls features a swimming hole at the bottom of the cascades. These falls lie along the Mountains-to-Sea Trail.
Falling Water Cascades @ Mile Post 83 Near Peaks of Otter, the trail is lined with rhododendrons creating a beautiful hike setting.
Apple Orchard Falls @ Mile Post 78 These falls have a viewing platform directly underneath the falls creating a refreshing shower during the summer months.
The Blue Ridge Parkway has something for everyone. Here at HeySmokies we love to pack a picnic basket and drive until we find a beautiful spot for lunch. Critters love your “pickanick” basket, so please be extra careful with your picnic supplies! Be mindful with your picnic basket or you may have some unexpected guests!
Smoky Mountain Ghost Stories. The Smoky Mountain region is steeped in strange and unexplainable occurrences that some say are supernatural. We have heard these tales in our exploration of the region and there is no better time than All Hallow’s Ever to share a few of them.
The Specter of Old Greenbrier Restaurant
It is only a short drive from the heart of Gatlinburg to one of the most haunted spots in the Smokies. The old Greenbrier Restaurant at 370 Newman Road hosts one of the most famous ghosts in the Smokies. The facility opened it doors as a lodge in 1939. Not long afterward, a young resident named Lydia was jilted by her fiancé- a heartless betrayal done literally at the altar of a local church. The young bride-to-be was humiliated and despondent. Still clad in her wedding finery, she returned to the Greenbrier, tossed a rope over one of the rafters and hung herself.
Only a few days later, in an ironic twist of fate, her heartless fiancé’s body was discovered. The young man had been horribly mauled by what some say might have been a large mountain cat, but locals contended that such a cat was long since extinct in the mountains. The mystery remains but through the years many have surmised that it was Lydia’s vengeful spirit that exacted a dreadful revenge on her faithless lover.
Although the restaurant has recently remodeled the actual beam where the unfortunate young woman hung herself is visible in the restaurant’s bar. For decades diners have reported seeing a bereft looking young woman on the staircase below where Lydia hung herself; while others report a brief chilling presence wafting through the site. The restaurant is noted for its good food and that is reason enough to visit-but keep an eye over your shoulder for Lydia’s pale misty figure lingering on the stairs.
The Devil’s Courthouse
The Devil’s Courthouse is a sinister name for a barren rock face cliff that shelters a small cave. Legend has it (or at least tales handed down from early settlers that were inspired by the rock’s foreboding visage) that the Devil himself once held court in that cave. The story is perhaps enhanced by early Cherokee tales of the god, Judaculla, who was said to live in the cave. According to Cherokee legend the slant-eyed giant Judaculla shook the surrounding hills with a voice of thunder and pelted low valleys with arrows of lightning. The Devil’s Courthouse is found on a short drive down our sister national park, Blue Ridge Parkway.
The Haint of Roaring Fork
Waterfalls are not the only attraction of Roaring Fork Motor Trail, whose entrance is located in downtown Gatlinburg, A picturesque drive, the trail offers spectacular views, waterfalls, great hikes and perhaps an eerie chance encounter. According to local legends, a lovely young woman named Lucy died in a cabin fire near the trail sometime around 1909. A short time later a man named Foster encountered a beautiful woman in the woods, fell in love with her, and sought out Lucy’s parents to gain approval for his courtship. Imagine his horror when they informed him that Lucy had died the year before. If you are very brave take a twilight drive around this scenic loop, but, be warned, if you encounter a beautiful pale woman on the side of the road near the remains of a burned cabin- DO NOT offer her a ride.
Ghostly Lantern
The Noland Creek area has numerous abandoned homesteads and cemeteries that bear the name of many pioneers that settled land that now lies under the deep waters of Lake Fontana. You can imagine sad stories of lost land, homes and gravesites associated with this place. One such features an early farmer who died while searching for his lost daughter. This story gave rise to the legend of an eerie lantern that is said to appear and guide lost hikers to safety at the trailhead. Most decidedly a scary, but welcome sight, on a dark cold night in the vast forest!
Huggins Hell
Trail maps of the Smokies offer up many strange place names, some of which conjure images of Dante’s Inferno. Huggins Hell, located on the steep slope of Mt. LeConte in East Tennessee, occupies a sinister, foreboding landscape. The site was named by early settlers, who perhaps decided that only the Devil himself would choose such a forsaken landscape. Inaccessible by maintained trails, the site draws rugged backcountry enthusiast with a taste for a challenging hike, and those who make the 4-hour vertical climb do it at their own peril. A misstep on one of the steep cliffs could be disastrous and since the area is not listed on authorized trail guides the odds of someone finding you or help arriving quickly is questionable.
Many adventurers entering the wild back country of the Southern Appalachians have disappeared from time to time. Some are found and some are legend. Take our advice, stay on marked trails and avoid encounters of the supernatural, or more importantly the caprices of Mother Nature.
Spearfinger
One of the oldest tales in the Smoky Mountains is the Cherokee legend of Spearfinger famous along the eastern side of Tennessee and western North Carolina. Her Cherokee name, U’tlun’ta translates to “she had it sharp” referring to a sharp finger on her right hand which was said to resemble a spear or obsidian knife. Spearfinger was a horrifying sight – her mouth stained with the blood from the livers of her victims and a stone-clad body. According to legend, when Spearfinger walked her stone body sounded like rolling thunder. The stone clothing came from a time when Spearfinger upset the “higher beings” by building a soaring “tree rock” bridge in a brash attempt to reach their domain. The “higher beings” struck down the bridge with a gigantic lightning bolt and cloaked Spearfinger in the rock and rubble. Today, it is said, the remains of Spearfinger’s “tree rock” is located in the area Nantahala. The Cherokee name for this place U’Tluntun’yi which means “the Spearfinger Place.” The next time you hear a loud clap of thunder on a clear mountain day you might want to pick up your pace and move far away from Spearfinger’s “hood.”
Wheatland Plantation
Wheatland’s Plantation in Sevierville has perhaps the bloodiest history in the Smokies. The Battle of Boyd’s Creek is the spot where Cherokee, supported by Redcoats, fought against John Sevier and the East Tennessee Revolutionists. Bodies of 28 Cherokee and two Revolutionary heroes, who died in the battle, are said to be buried in a mass grave on the property. A nearby cemetery is the final resting place for some 69 African slaves. According to legend, 70 murders and deaths are attributed to the property. It is said that the blood, still visible, on the living room floor marks the spot where a father was murdered by his son centuries ago. Such tragic events left a legacy of unquiet spirits that may still roam the halls of the historical site.
A Smoky Mountain poet was inspired by the season of haunted hikes and submitted this chilling poem.
Once upon a midnight dreary, as I hiked alone and weary,
searching for a lost blazed path.
While I stumbled, nearly falling, a scream rang out that was quite apalling.
A foreboding castle perched on a nearby hill, shrieks rent the night and parted the clouds – then only silence as bats took flight.
I hurried past, with no glance back; crossed a stream and dropped my pack.
It was drenched and cold but I shrugged it on, setting off again to try and find home.
A strange house appeared in the next small cove, a wondrous place with gingerbread walls, a refuge I thought then neared for a look. The kitchen glowed with fire in the oversize oven. The cook inside was straight from a coven. Inside were cages suspended from hooks.
I backed away slowly and continued my trek.
A cloak of darkness slowed my pace; just as hollow footsteps joined mine in this awful place. A lumbering giant shuffled near, his outstretched arms brushed me aside and I fell to the ground as he slowly went by.
“What horrors remain,” I sobbed to myself, as the full moon pierced the darkness from behind dense clouds bringing a dreadful howl from an unearthly wolf.
I ran through the brambles and slogged through the mud, then,
“What wondrous sight do I see ahead?” It’s my home nothing further to dread.
I fell through the door and shut out the night, threw the deadbolt and locked it quite tight.
My shaking fingers untied mud-encrusted boots – I laid my slimy, dripping pack on the floor, and thought myself safe.
From a darkened hall came a voice straight from hell, it chilled my blood and turned me quite pale, The most horrifying sound I had heard on this night.
I thought it familiar and soon came to know she had heard me arrive when I fell at the door. With a voice, quite satanic, Mom bellowed out loud “Wipe your feet I just mopped that floor!”
Do you have a spooky Smoky Mountain experience to share? Send it to us and we may feature it the next time things go bump in the night.
Smoky Mountain Turkey Tail mushrooms are always in season! Trametes versicolor (common name Turkey Tail mushroom) is a decomposing polypore mushroom found on logs, stumps and dying trees all across North America. You can find them year-round in an array of beautiful colors, concentrically lining the fan shaped or circular caps (zonate) and growing in rosette patterns or overlapping clusters on dead or dying hardwoods and sometimes conifers. The underlying pore surface has 3-8 tiny pores per mm that starts out white but gradually ages to buff or darker, with a white spore print. This mushroom is thin and flexible when young turning more rigid as it weathers and ages. The cap has zones of velvety or finely hairy rings, again weathering off sometimes with age. Not only are Turkey Tail Mushrooms beautifully photogenic, they are also being investigated medicinally worldwide. With their high levels of antioxidants and polysaccharides they are purported to help stabilize immunity levels and store energy to aid in the fight against colds, flu’s and the recovery process after cancer treatments. Turkey Tails simmered together with Chaga, cinnamon bark and pure maple syrup make a delicious tea. Make sure to check below the cap to correctly identify Trametes versicolor, for there are many Turkey Tail lookalikes with larger pore surfaces, toothed pores, even gills or just smooth.
