Hope springs eternal is a phrase that has been in my mind this season. It was a tough winter in many ways- for all of us. The hope of spring hikes loomed large, with spring ephemerals representing the abundance and perfection of nature’s resilience, and a sumptuous prelude to summer Read more…
Since 2013, I have been a bit obsessed in the search for purple-fringed orchids, and other native orchids that hide amidst the herbaceous understory of the Southern Appalachians. Purple-fringed orchid, both large and small, are found in our beautiful mountains. Sometimes their locations are easily accessible and other times, you Read more…
I love native orchids; they exist right in front of us, but hide in plain sight. Catching them in bloom requires diligence and/or habit. There are times when I have rushed to see Showy Orchis, Pink Lady’s Slipper, or Yellow Lady’s Slipper in bloom, and found only stalks holding shriveled Read more…
No spring is complete without several April hikes in Big Ivy area of Pisgah National Forest in order to embrace the incredible diversity and abundance of spring ephemerals. Big Ivy has it all: rich coves, pine-oak-heath forest, rocky streamsides and chestnut oak forests. The catch? Most trails have recently been Read more…
The last weekend of March found us searching for spring wildflowers and a place to hike and camp where we could safely social distance. We focused in on two locations, hiking about 8 miles in the Pisgah National Forest with proximity to the Appalachian Trail. The next day, we visited Read more…
The Big Butt trail runs between Rt. 197 from the Cane River Gap to the Balsam Gap on Blue Ridge Parkway. This is one of my favorite places to hike year-round. Regardless of where you start, you will hike through different plant communities along the way, including spruce-fir forest, high Read more…
Hey y’all, these two hikes in North Carolina and Tennessee national forests increased our orchid count in a year that has already surpassed expectations for orchid sightings. Over a two-week period with rain and extreme heat, we accumulated fewer miles, but there was always something unexpected on the trail. Our Read more…
The blooms in the Big Ivy area have SPRUNG! We took a short 4 mile hike after work to check out this ever-evolving wildflower haven. The bright blue skies and warm temperatures over the past few days mean that the forest understory is greening up with spring ephemerals. Some wildflowers Read more…
Day One: HIKING-weather or not? Hike, see spring wildflowers, repeat….again and again, but always a thrill! There are not many weather events- springtime or not- that deter our hikes. However, predicted high winds, heavy snow and lightening are weather conditions that cause re-evaluation of the best laid plans. During the Read more…
Live in accordance with the nature of things. In dwelling, be close to the land. In meditation, go deep in the heart. In dealing with others, be gentle and kind. Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching We often string together different trails in the Big Ivy/Coleman Boundary area for a longer, Read more…