For Nature Lovers, The Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage in the Smoky Mountains

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) is a great place to enjoy wildflowers and teach children about them.  My child's alphabet book S is for S'mores, a Camping Alphabet, recognizes the GSMNP for it's wildflowers.  It specifically calls out an annual event, "Each spring wildflowers cover the land with a rainbow of color depending on the area, elevation, precipitation, and other conditions...The Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage is an annual event of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park."  It made me wonder whether the week long festival still exist since the book publishing (2007).  In 2011, The Spring Wildflower Pilgimage will celebrate it's 61st year.  Past events included a variety of flora & fauna programs:

wildflower photography, wildflower walk,

big trees walk, fern walk

birding for the experienced, beginners photographic workshop, organic gardening, black bear & wild hog walk,

salamander foray, aquatic insects walk, spider walk

http://www.springwildflowerpilgrimage.org/wildflower/index.cfm

Visit the website for more details or better, yet, go visit the 2011 festival in April.  Most programs are located within the Great Smoky Mountain National Park.  If you've attended the festival, please comment and let everyone know what you liked best.

Memories at Mingus Mill

We met "Flat Lauren" at Mingus Mill, a two dimensional paper doll cut out with the picture of a very loved granddaughter.  We met her grandfather carefully taking photograph after photograph of Flat Lauren proped along the 200 ft. wooden flume, so she could be a part of the mountain memories.  My kids showed interest and so he took photos of the kids with Flat Lauren.

You can be a part of the mountain memories, bring you whole family to Lightning Bug Lodge and visit Mingus Mill.
Interesting facts:
*Historical grist mill built in 1886 located at it's original site
*Cost $600 to build it within 3 months
*Largest mill in the Smokies, serving approx. 200 families
*Able to grind more than six bushels (approx. 350 lbs.) per hr.
*Uses a water power turbine instead of a waterwheel

Last year it was in operation.  This year a part broke and the Mingus Mill volunteer eagerly awaited a government bill to pass for the funding to fix it.  You can still buy corn meal at the mill and help support the non-profit.  We all enjoyed listening to the mill history and walking along the water flowing down the miltrace.
Tip:  Watch for the signs.  The mill is not part of the Mountain Farm at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center, but it's only a half mile north.

Which park is known as the "Wildflower National Park"?

Yes, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is known as the "Wildflower National Park".  And the GSMNP is listed as one of 501 must visit natural wonders in the whole wide world.  My 2007 edition of the book 501 Must-Visit Natural Wonders recognizes the park's unique wildflower diversity, "The park is noted for the wealth of its wildflowers, including spectacular meadow flowers, orchids, rhododendrons, and azaleas..."

Why does the GSMNP earn such recognition for wildflowers?  Because more flowering plants are found in GSMNP than any other North American national park (over 1,660 kinds). 

The variety in elevation and rain helps the diversity and can determine when you will best see a variety, for example:  The flame azalea peaks in April & May in low elevation, but at higher elevation, look for them in June & July.

I took this wildflower photo during July.  If you know the names of these flowers, please comment.

8 Easy to Moderate Hikes in the Smoky Mountains

Sitting on a tranquil beach outside our Club Med cabin in Moorea, we were used to being surrounded by happy honeymooners.  However, one afternoon, we clearly heard yelling.  Turns out our happy couple in the cabin next door just returned from a bike ride...a much longer than expected one around the island.  According to the groom, he just wanted his bride to have fun, but half way around the island she was hysterical that she was tired and wanted to turn around.  He was caught in a no win situation. 

Laurel Falls

Many newlyweds choose the Smoky Mountains for their honeymoon.  My advice is to choose an easy to moderate hike if you both haven't been hiking in awhile.  I read advice to choose a trail 5 miles or less considering the average Great Smoky Mountain National Park hiker walks approx. 1.5 miles per hour.  When I arranged our first trip to GSMNP with my extended family of various ages, we followed the advice and choose the easiest waterfall hike (Laurel Falls).

Here's 8 easy to moderate hikes:
1.  Laurel Falls:  2.5 miles, easiest access to waterfall, paved trail, reward - 60-75 ft. waterfall + see small white galax flowers in July; trail built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1935
2.  Clingman's Dome Tower:  only 1 mile, wide paved and cool temperature (10-20 degrees cooler than the lowlands), reward - reach the 3rd highest mountain eas of the Mississippi (6,643 ft.) and gain a panoramic view with 20 mile view
3.  Baskins Creek Falls:  3.8 miles, peaceful since less visited than others (especially Laurel Falls)
30 ft. hollow below the bluff
4.  Andrews Bald:  3.5 miles near Clingmans Dome, old creek bed trail adds a challenge to staying steady, reward - the view, ends at the highest bald (high elevation grassy meadow) in the Smokies + hike in 2 states in one day (TN & NC), +azalea and rhododendrom in late spring
5.  Abrams Falls:  5 miles close to Cades Cove, mostly level course, reward - one of the largest falls in the park + see 2 historic houses along the way (Elijah Oliver House, John Oliver House) + cool stream along the way, trail named after Cherokee Chief Abram
6.  Alum Cave Bluff:  4.6 miles, gradual path up, reward- multiple landmarks including 1) natural arching "Arch Rock", 2) Huggins Hell, 3) Inspiration Bluff (view of Little Pigeon Rivers Upper Basin), 4) Alum Cave - not really a cave, but rather a massive ledge of black slate
7.  Rainbow Falls:  5.4 miles, climbing up with switchbacks over Le Conte Creek adds a challenge, reward - takes you to the highest waterfall (80 ft)
8.  Grotto Falls:  2.4 miles, easy slope and close to Gatlinburg, reward - only trail where hikers can walk behind the falls