2021-04-25 Smokies Fork Ridge/Deep Creek Wildflower Hike

Fork Ridge / Deep Creek Wildflower Hike

with Andy and the Professor

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Swain County, NC

Sunday, April 25th, 2021

 

I joined Andy and Scott (aka The Professor) on a hike into the Smokies.  Andy suggested the Fork Ridge / Deep Creek area as a prime spot for wildflowers this time of year.  He was right on as this was one of the most impressive wildflower hikes that I have ever been on.

 

Here are a few photos from our adventure:

 

Smokies View

Three went in

Cool Tree

Trout Lilly

The Professor Crossing Deep Creek

Andy crossing Deep Creek

Group Selfie

Fiddleheads and Trillium

Trillium in a forest of Phacelia

The Professor hiking through a forest of Phacelia

Trout Lillies

Three came out and enjoyed some post hike beverages

 

 

 

My complete set of photos is posted here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/8146392@N05/albums/72157719059210998

 

 

 

 

2021-04-18 Tumblin' Fun and High Falls

Tumblin' Fun Falls on Mill Creek

and High Falls on the Thompson River

with Brenda Wiley

Transylvania County, NC

Sunday, April 18th, 2021

 

Scott, Dillon, Blizzy, and I made a return visit to Tumbin' Fun Falls!   Here are some of the photos from our adventure.

 

Group Selfie

L to R:  Me, Blizzy, Dillon, Scott (aka The Professor)

The Professor felling up the Amazing Green Wall

Dillon and Blizzy hiking along the Amazing Green Wall

Trillium Bloomin' at the Amazing Green Wall

Selfie with Blizzy

Dillon at Tumblin' Fun Falls

The Professor at Tumblin' Fun Falls

The Professor at the top of High Falls

The Professor at the top of High Falls

Blizzy and the Professor at High Falls

Bluets bloomin' at High Falls

Bluets at High Falls

Blizzy fetchin' sticks at High Falls

Group Selfie at High Falls

 

 

My complete set of photos is posted here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/8146392@N05/albums/72157719067729517

2021-04-13 Headwaters State Forest Birthday Hike with Brenda

Headwaters State Forest Birthday Hike

with Brenda Wiley

Transylvania County, NC

Tuesday April 13th, 2021

A few photos from my Birthday hike with Brenda Wiley into Headwaters State Forest, NC.

Birthday Hike with Brenda

Buttermilk Falls

 

 

 Buttermilk Falls

 Trail Turtle

 

 

Brenda

Brenda

East Fork Falls

East Fork Falls

My complete set of photos is posted here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/8146392@N05/albums/72157719045506272

2021-03-19 Cane Creek Tributary with Jen

Cane Creek Tributary Waterfall Discovery Adventure

with Jen Loow

Jocassee Gorges Wildlife Management Area

Pickens County, SC

Friday, March 19th, 2021

 

Jen and Me at my favorite waterfall discovery of the day

 

Andy suggested we explore the Cane Creek area of South Carolina in hopes of finding some Oconee Bells.  I never fully understood Andy's plan, so when he had to bail on us, Jen and I came up with our own plan to explore a tributary of Cane Creek to the west of Cane Creek Falls.

 

I think we ended up on the wrong side of the creek early in the hike which led to us stumbling upon the most impressive cluster of Oconee Bells that I have ever seen.  The Oconee Bell is a relatively rare wildflower that only blooms around a small area around Oconee County, SC.   These managed to find a suitable habitat in neighboring Pickens County.

 

 Jen loving the Oconee Bells

Oconee Bell Blooms

 

We continued our hike/bushwhack/creekwalk up Cane Creek stopping many times to check out various cascades, rocks, caves, trees, flowers, etc.   It was an absolute forest paradise with perfect temperatures, cloud cover, and water flow!

 

 Tree Hugger Jen

 

Bloodroot Blooms

 

Waterfall on a blueless Tributary of Cane Creek
 

Gnarly Tree

Small waterfall on Cane Creek

Rue Anemone

 

Rather than continuing on to the very impressive Cane Creek Falls, we decided to explore up a major tributary to the west.  Here is some of what we found!

 

This was my favorite waterfall discovery of the day

 

Waterfall on tributary of Cane Creek

Jen and me by a waterfall on tributary of Cane Creek

Waterfall on tributary of Cane Creek

Waterfall on tributary of Cane Creek

Waterfall on Tributary of Cane Creek

 

Selfie with Jen by the tallest waterfall discovery of the day

 

Waterfall on tributary of Cane Creek

 

Waterfall on tributary of Cane Creek

 

Waterfall on tributary of Cane Creek

 

We also found some cool caves, some more twisted trees, and a few fellow waterfall enthusiasts on the hike out!

 Jen finds a cave along a blueless tributary

Jen peering through a hollow tree

 

Tree fairy playground

Jen at a cool cave along a blueless tributary

 

Jen cops a feel while sharing a rock bench with a tree

Four Came Out?

We ran into fellow waterfall enthusiasts Everette Robinson and Ken Smith on the hike out

My complete set of photos is posted here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/8146392@N05/albums/72157718926391813