What a difference a day makes! From yesterday's cold, rainy weather, we awoke today to bright sun and a clear sky. It's still on the cool side, but comfortable.
We decided to head out to a nearby trail that stunned us last year with its beauty. We came to the Smokies specifically because it's wildflower time. The Smokies are a world-renowned preserve of wildflower diversity. Over 1500 kinds of flowering plants are found here, and wildflowers are here through 3 seasons. But springtime probably shows the greatest diversity. The coolness of spring makes it a perfect time to hike as well, with minimal buggy annoyances.
The hike to Whiteoak Sinks starts out with groupings of wildflowers along the path-- wild iris, violets, trillium, and so much more. The trail descends to an open area of acres of wildflowers laid out before you: blue phlox ( LOTS of blue phlox), bishops caps, phacelium, wild geranium, white and yellow trillium, and many more varieties everywhere you look. It's absolutely magical.
Once we got back to the trailhead, we ate a late lunch and set out for Cades Cove, a beautiful area, but for today, something of a mistake. Traffic at first wasn't bad, and the drive was leisurely. But at one point, it slowed to a crawl. The road is one way, with no exit point, and no place to pass. If someone spies a bear or other animal and decides to stop to take a look, the entire cortege behind them stops as well. That's what happened today. We finally stopped along the road at a historic farm with a mill.
But the Sinks, the sun, and the spring beauty ruled the day. Photos to come.
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