Pink Lady Slippers at South Cumberland

Pink Lady Slipper orchids are blooming now. The Fiery Gizzard Day Loop is a good place to see them. There are several near the trail head past the kiosk for those who cannot walk very far.

The Gizzard Creek is also very high and beautiful. Anyone that would like to do a volunteer good deed is welcome to help pick up the litter that has washed into the park from civilization upstream. Any collected litter can be left by the park trash barrel near the restroom and we will haul it off.

Thanks. John Christof Park Manager

Note from Ron the Webmaster: Not too far from the Park at our farm in Franklin County this morning I saw a female Rose Breasted Grosbeak and an Indigo Bunting, the neo-tropicals are coming through and there will be lots of them in the Park for a short while.

Earth Day Wildflower Update

Savage Gulf is blooming with all this great weather and thunderstorms we have been having.

Down in the gorges, Collins Gulf & Savage Gulf are full of trillium, jacks in the pulpit, blue bells and so many others that it is just beautiful.

Mary Priestley is leading a hike this weekend to view these wonders in Collins Gulf towards Horsepound Falls.

On top of the plateau the dogwoods and redbuds are beginning to flower and right outside the ranger station in our planters the flowers have emerged and the ferns are starting to unfurl.

Along the trails the shoots of lady slippers are peeking up and the mountain laurel will be ready to bloom before too long.

Spring is here! The waterfalls and creeks are up thanks to the much needed rainfall. Snakes are seen on the trail and of course one will get a tick or two, but its all worth it.

Ranger George Shinn

Wildflower Watchers Report

Park Manager John Christof advises today that wildflower viewing at South Cumberland is still good. The best spots are in Collins Gulf and down into the Fiery Gizzard Gulf.

The last guided wildflower hike of the season will be Sunday, April 27, 2008 at 10:00 AM, a Collins Gulf Hike. Meet Mary Priestley at the Collins West parking lot if you would like to hike the Collins West Trail.

Cheers,
Ron Castle

Savage Gulf Wildflower Report

Here's what's happening with wildflowers at South Cumberland today:

From Ranger George Shinn at Savage Gulf Ranger Station:

In Collins Gulf is an array of many wildflower showing now, from bluebells and trillium to hepatica and violets and many more. There is a lot of water from all the rain we have been getting, so Suter Falls and Horsepound are quite amazing. The redbud are of course flowering and others putting their new buds out and beginning to get green and lush down in the gorge.

On top as you hike to Savage Falls and around our day-loop there are shoots coming up for the appearance of lady slippers and others, already in our planters there are jacks in pulpit and bluebells and white trillium and more coming out and everywhere seems to have the new green of ferns beginning to unfurl themselves. Its just amazing, its beautiful, I can't even name all the plants out there... folks are just gonna have to come out and hike and view all these natural wonders.

From Jamie Hambrock, naturalist:

Hepatica, Wake Robin, Sessile, Some large flowered Trilliums are in bloom now. Also, Virginia BlueBells, Rue Anemone, Violets, Spring Phlox and Trout Lilies are starting to bloom.
Dwarf Iris, Purple Trilliums, Wild Geraniums, and Large Flowered Trilliums are still to come.
Most of the Blood Root is gone.

Cheers,

Ron Castle

March 24 Wildflower Report from Savage

Wade from Nashville emailed today: Coming your way and to Shakerag Hollow soon, about when do you think the wildflowers will peak this year?

Ranger Jason Reynolds reports what's blooming today: lots of hepatica, wake robin trillium (red purple not the large white flowered trillium), rue anomonea, star chickweed, scorpion weed, halbeard leaf violet, wild geranium, butterweed, spicebush, cherry, plum, flox species. Nothing too showy yet, a lot of this is small stuff but that's the way the season starts.

In reality there is no real peak of the season. Show time for the woodland plants quickly ends when the canopy closes in. The sun loving and fringe plants will continue through the season and the later in the season the taller the plants for the most part. Timing depends on what flowers you want to see. If you like trillium and Jacks-In-The-Pulpit it may be a week or two. Blood Root should be blooming now. Violets are among the earliest as is star chickweed.

As an amateur herbaceous plant taxonomist, I have photographed blooming wildflowers on the plateau area not too far from Shakerag Hollow and in the Park from late February through December. My guess is the second week of April will be prime visiting for Collins Gulf.

Cheers,
Ron Castle