Remember, safety always comes first. Know your limits. Be aware of your surroundings. Getting hurt while in the woods or mountains is no fun and can risk the safety of you and the rescuers. There is no shame in turning around and trying another day.
If you are going to suffer with East Tennessee’s drippy nose and red, itchy eyes caused by the springtime pollen, you might as well get out and enjoy the flowers. In the area we live in, there are numerous hiking trails with some of the most beautiful wildflowers you can find in this country.
The ones that I will discuss here are just a few of the shorter springtime gems. Also, remember that in addition to the colorful and sometimes fragrant wildflowers, spring hiking gives some of the best chances of the year to enjoy the pleasant cascades, rushing streams, and spectacular waterfalls created by the spring rains.
Norris Dam River Bluff Trail
Trailhead: West Side of Norris Dam, Head South on Dabney Lane and make a quick left. At the end of this twisty paved road is the parking area.
Mileage: 3 miles
Difficulty: Easy
The River Bluff Trail is a well-maintained 3 mile National Recreation Trail along the tailwaters of Norris Dam. When you see the red white and blue triangular National Recreation Trail sign you are usually in for a hiking treat, and this trail is no exception. This TVA trail gives the hiker opportunities to birdwatch (this area is a hot spot for various hawks) and enjoy the rapidly flowing Clinch River. There can be a few muddy spots near the river, but usually they are easy enough to navigate.
This is one of the most spectacular wildflower trails in the area with chances to see numerous varieties from trout lilies to trilliums. There is nothing wrong with just enjoying the flowers for their beauty, but if you want to identify the flowers, I recommend bringing a wildflower book or app. Furthermore, if you try to identify one or two flowers each time you go out, you’ll likely find that before long you’ll have grown a substantial catalog of plants within your memory. On weekends this trail can be full of photographers and wildflower enthusiasts from all over the country(it’s not unusual to see Ohio and other Yankee license plates in the parking lot).
Looking at the map (which can be seen at a kiosk in the parking lot), the trail is routed in the shape of a lollipop. Before setting off down the trail, I take a picture of the map for reference while hiking. Starting from the parking area, the trail goes for a couple hundred yards and forms a “Y”.
I prefer to take the right fork of the “Y” as this direction gets the climbing out of the way early in the hike and gives me a pretty good chance to see some morning deer on the ridgetop. After a few switchbacks the trail levels out and follows the ridge.
This higher ground is a hotbed for little brown jugs. Brown Jugs are half inch brown rubbery flowers that hug the ground and are thus easily missed since they tend to hide under the leaves. While on the ridge, keep an eye out for a 10 foot natural arch below the trail on your left. If you look closely, you will see the top of this arch is actually a completely separate piece of rock from the side pillars. This arch was not caused by slow erosion like most arches but rather just a lucky coincidence of fallen rocks. Continuing down the ridge, there are several sweeping switchbacks with a southern exposure.
In the Spring, this area is covered with mayapples which can be identified by their broad tropical looking leaves resting on stems about 2 feet off the ground and tending to usually grow in groups. If you look under the large leaves, you can often see the hidden white flower and, on the off chance you can beat the deer, you might also get to see the small yellow mayapple fruits themselves.
The trail then takes a left at the river and heads upstream. This next mile or so has a continuous display of various flowers. The variety of blooming flowers will change from one week to the next and are very weather-dependent as to which ones will be out and for how long, so it’s not a bad idea to walk this trail two or three times in the spring months and observe the changes.
The trail will eventually meet the stem of the lollipop and take you back to the trailhead. Although early Spring tends to have a lack of snakes, as they come out of their winter hibernation this section of trail often has some larger ones later in the season, so watch your step.
Summer Bonus: On the other side of the Clinch River is the Songbird Trail. There are two parking areas; one below Norris Dam and the other above the Weir Dam. The trail is about a 2 mile flat gravel loop. On the one leg of the trail that follows the river, cold water from the bottom of Norris Dam cools the air and creates what is essentially an “air conditioned” environment for any hiker wishing to get a break from the summer heat.
Falls Branch Falls
Trailhead: West Rattlesnake Pulloff, Cherohala Skyway
Distance: 2.5 miles roundtrip
Difficulty: Easy/Moderate
The falls so nice they named them twice. This hike is on National Forest Service land and is located within the Citico Creek Wilderness Area. The trails in designated Wilderness Areas are often poorly marked and are minimally maintained.
Fortunately, Falls Branch Falls is an easy out-and-back trail so navigation shouldn’t be a problem for most hikers. One difference for regional hikers compared to other areas such as the Smokies and state parks that should be noted though is that the Forest Service identifies trails by numbers instead of trail names. This system may seem a little strange at first, but just keep it in mind.
To start the hike, take the trail from the parking area. After just a few yards this trail splits. Take the left fork (Trail # 87) and continue downhill for a mile or so. The trail will level off with a small mound on the right. Just past this mound the trail splits again; take the right branch.
You will now start a long downhill stretch of trail . This section is a bit steeper than the rest of the trail and is often muddy and slick, so be careful. If you have hiking poles, this is a good place to get some use out of them. This steep stretch redeems itself though by showing off a spectacular display of several different colors of Trillium.
After the trail levels off at the bottom of the hill, there are two small stream crossings both of which are easily hopped across. After the second crossing the trail goes through a large cracked rock. The left side of this crack has an impressive tree root searching for the ground.
A short steep climb through some thick rhododendron and you can get your first glimpse of the spectacular falls. To my eye it is one of the most pleasing waterfall in the region and is definitely worth of stopping for a snack to enjoy the natural beauty of this majestic 70 foot falls. When you’re finished enjoying the view, it’s just a matter of retracing your steps back uphill to the trailhead.
Sugarlands Area
Trailhead: From the Sugarlands Visitor Center go South on 441. Park at the first quiet walkway after the Sugarlands Nature Trail.
Distance: Pick your own, give yourself 2 hours
Difficulty: Very Easy
It is hard to call this a hike; it is more of an exploration than anything. I had a little problem including this area in this list of spring hikes, but it does have some special history that’s worth seeing. You do have to decide if Pigeon Forge traffic is worth 2 hours of wandering in the woods though. Generally the trails of the Smokies are well-marked and well-maintained. This region between 441 and the river is not an official trail but is crisscrossed with quiet walkways and social trails that are both unmarked and unmaintained.
To explore this area, I prefer to park in the first quiet walkway lot and head downhill towards the river. At the river make a right and follow one of the paths upstream. As you wander along the river you will see a large concrete bridge base against the opposite bank. This used to be part of the road that linked the Sugarlands area with Gatlinburg.
Continuing up the river you will note several large stone walls on both sides of the trail. This must have been the “main street” of the settlement. This area has several sets of foundation stones, a cellar or two and a fireplace base. In the springtime these ruins are much easier to find. Just look for the patches of bright yellow daffodils! The daffodil is a non-native plant that is not devoured by deer, so they were often used for decorative garden flowers by the Appalachian people.
Over the years the daffodils planted to spruce up a homestead have become naturalized and form patches sometimes called “ghost gardens”. After 100 years these yellow flowers still peek out and give you an idea where these old houses stood. This area also has a good variety of other wildflowers as well.
As you continue upstream you will notice several burned trees; these are survivors of the 2016 wildfire. If you examine the muddy patches you will also see fine black mud colored from the ash from the fire. This area is fun to explore for an hour or so, see some of the changes of nature, and have a streamside spring picnic.
Bonus: If you decide to drive all the way up to the Newfound Gap parking area, there is an unmarked trail that shadows an abandoned roadbed. At the far end of the parking area there are three posts; this is where the footpath begins. This unmarked trail lies on the remnants of the original 441 into North Carolina and eventually meets the currently used highway 4 miles downhill. This trail has some swampy sections and has plenty of blowdowns, but if you are lucky there can be a spectacular display of white fringed phacelia. In this general area I have seen a bobcat and a mountain lion so keep an eye out for prints in the mud or snow.
Spruce Flats Falls
Trailhead: Behind Smokey Mountain Institute.
Distance: 1.5 miles
Difficulty: Easy
This is another Smokies hike. To me, the real advantage to this hike is that it avoids the Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg traffic. For some reason, this hike is not on the park map handed out at the Visitors Centers, so it is mostly free of tourists. That being said, it is still a fairly popular trail with a nice waterfall, but it is nowhere as
popular as the always-crowded Laurel Falls. The last time I was here the trail signs were laminated paper with the word “Falls”.
Start on the trail behind the Smokey Mountain Institute parking area. There is a short concrete walkway near the dorms before you get to the trailhead itself. Once on the trail, go uphill for 10 yards or so and then make a right at the Lumber Ridge trail sign.
From here there are a few uphill switchbacks, but once you see the water tower, you are about finished with the steepest climbing. There are a few spots scattered sporadically on the trail where there is enough of a clearing to see down the valley. After a good rain this section of trail can be a hotspot for mushrooms.
The trail soon descends to the waterfall. This is a beautiful 30 foot falls with some nice resting rocks and a cooling atmosphere. Watch your footing on the rocks by the falls though, since they can get slippery. When you are finished enjoying your time at the falls, turn left around and head back to the trailhead.
Bonus: When the trail first hits the stream below the waterfall there is a thin channel. If you can hop across in one jump there is a social trail that runs up the opposite bank. There are 3 or 4 steep switchbacks that will get you to an abandoned logging road. Take a left on this roadbed and follow it for 500-600 yards. Here you will find Honey Cove Falls below you on your left.
Conclusion
Springtime is fleeting in East Tennessee. Don’t wait too long to get out and see the flowers and falls. The flowers soon shrivel and the waterfalls dry up. If you wait to get out in the hot and humid summertime, your hike will have the additional joy of ticks, chiggers, snakes and poison ivy. So make a plan and get out and enjoy the richness of the East Tennessee outdoors in the Spring.
