Springtime in the Smokies is a delightful time to visit the area, as you’ll not only find perfect weather for the great outdoors, but gorgeous blooming wildflowers in every direction! While you can see these magnificent flowering plants virtually anywhere throughout the region, the best way to enjoy these lovely spring colors is with a hike through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park! Here are the top 4 spring hikes for viewing the beautiful wildflowers in the Smoky Mountains:
1. Porters Creek Trail
The Porters Creek Trail is well known for its spectacular wildflower displays in early spring, which start in late March with white fringed phacelia, violets, and white trillium. As the season progresses into April and May, you may spot Jack-in-the-pulpits, May-apple, woodland bluets, and yellow trillium. The Porters Creek Trail is an excellent destination as it also offers more than wildflowers, including building foundations from an old settlement, footbridges that cross creeks, old forest growth, and even a 60-foot waterfall! The trail is a moderate 7-mile out-and-back trail, but if you don’t feel like hiking the entire length, the first 1.5 miles are best for wildflower viewing!
2. Gregory Bald Trail
Another one of the top spring hikes for viewing the beautiful wildflowers in the Smoky Mountains is the Gregory Bald Trail, which is a mecca for azalea lovers from all over the world! According to the Great Smoky Mountains Natural History Association, the various hybrids of azaleas on Gregory Bald are so impressive and unique that the British Museum of Natural History has collected samples of them! The best time to visit is typically around mid to late June. Keep in mind that this trail is a strenuous 11.6-mile out-and-back trail where you’ll gain an elevation of 3,020 feet on your way to Gregory Bald, but you’ll be well rewarded with breathtaking views!
3. Schoolhouse Gap Trail
The Schoolhouse Gap Trail is a relatively easy 4.7-mile trail that climbs from Laurel Creek Road to Schoolhouse Gap, with a stunning variety of wildflowers to enjoy along the hike! In the early spring, the lower portion of the trail features many Virginia bluebells. May is the best time to hike this trail as the flowers are at their peak, and you may spot beaked violets, fairy wand, golden aster, pink lady’s slippers, red clover, star grass, and sun drops! You may also see rhododendron and mountain laurel at this time, as they are beginning to bloom for summer.
4. Cove Hardwood Nature Trail
For an easy hike with an amazing diversity of wildflowers, head to the Cove Hardwood Trail that starts in the Chimney Tops Picnic Area off of Newfound Gap Road! This pleasant family-friendly nature trail is a three-quarter-mile loop that travels through an old-growth forest and crosses several streams, and many people say that this is one of the best areas in the park for wildflower viewing! The best time to visit is in April and May, when you can see yellow trillium, white fringed phacelia, squirrel corn, wild ginger, white trillium, and Dutchman's britches. However, as early as March, you can begin to see hepaticas and trout-lilies!
Check out all of the rooms at our hotel in Sevierville TN today and plan your spring vacation near these wonderful hikes where you can enjoy the beautiful wildflowers in the Smoky Mountains! We look forward to welcoming you to the Smokies!
