Many people have never seen some of the flowers that bloom in great numbers here:
Celandine Poppy (aka Yellow Wood Poppy) and Twinleaf are two examples of flowers you don't often see in the Smokies.
You'll find it nearly impossible to miss all of the trout lilies since they literally border the trail like some kind of wildflower
sidewalk. Watch carefully and you'll also see lots of trilliums--especially yellow trillium and red trillium (aka Stinking
Benjamins).
Stinking Benjamins? 
Sure, just take a whiff of this plant's flower and you'll understand its common name. Some people say it smells
like a wet dog; others define the smell as some kind of rotting flesh. Whatever you think, I can almost guarantee that
if you have young kids (ages 6 - 14) that they'll get a kick out of seeing how many of these stinkers they can find to
sniff
and grimace!
Oh yeah, along the last part of this loop trail, just before it turns uphill for the return trip, are thousands of Dutchman's
breeches.
The climb up to the ridgetop for the return trip offers good examples of
rue anemone and toothwort. Coming back along the top are several examples of those most difficult of all wildflowers
to spot: Pennywort. Sometimes those pennywort are growing right in the middle of the trail. How do they
manage to survive there?
We've snapped a bunch of pictures for you to browse. Visit this trail
sometime within the next few days and you should still find lots of Celandine poppy, trilliums and purple phacelia in
bloom. Flowers like trout lily, bloodroot and twinleaf are just about past their bloom stage along this trail but not
to worry, there are plenty more that should start blooming soon.
Enjoy.
Al & Jan
