Nantahala National Forest to the Rescue

Let’s be brutally honest. It has a been a fresh hell for hikers as COVID-19 has shut down access to our places of spiritual renewal and physical challenge. Die-hard hikers have worked together to flatten the curve and stay safe, while also searching for trails that are open and safe for social distancing. The answer? Nantahala National Forest. Derived from the Cherokee, Nantahala means “land of the noon day sun”. Nantahala provides a welcome relief and all the requisites for hikers: challenging trails, abundant wildflowers, and a lack of crowds.

Nantahala to the rescue

The largest of the three National Forests in North Carolina, Nantahala has 531,148 acres to explore. While many of the Nantahala trails leading to the Appalachian Trail have been temporarily closed, other trails beckon. And because Nantahala National Forest is so large, there are plenty of winding roads to welcome you to the forest . You can choose your trail based on how far you want to travel and the distance that you want to hike. The farther away you are from the hub of Western North Carolina, the less people you will see. https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/nfsnc/recarea/?recid=48634

We have been to Nantahala five times in the past 8 weeks. Each time we have found an off-road campsite, bounded by a branch gently flowing into a larger stream. Rushing water is so calming, drowning out the noise of life- and perhaps in one’s head…

This blog post is a compilation of several trips to Nantahala National Forest, with unpredictable weather: rain, sunny skies and varied temperatures.

Painted Trillium heaven

As soon as I arrive in a new place, I begin exploring the surrounding area. Here are some images of the newly emerged flowers of Painted Trillium, carefully guarded by their deep green leaves atop maroon stems. They are so striking, with the bold white petals and deep pink striations, standing out in contrast to their shady habitat.

Truth is, when I arrive on a trail or campsite, it is hard to drag myself away from exploring in order to get down to the more tedious business of preparing for camp or a hike! We set up camp, do a brief hike and settle in for the evening. In the event of rain, we are sheltered by the iKamper and rain tarps.

No hike is complete without rain gear- at least if you want to be comfortable. Partly cloudy weather is just perfect for wildflower photography. For me, what is the point in rushing when every turn in the trail holds a different view and variety of spring wildflowers?

Spring is such a delight, and one thing that I appreciate is the opportunity to re-live spring ephemerals, as their bloom times vary with elevation and location. The forest floor was sprinkled with these gorgeous yellow flowers and their spotted, iridescent leaves that are so very unique among spring ephemerals.

Trout lily in Nantahala

Dicentra

Interspersed among the Trout Lily were Dutchman’s Breeches, and Squirrel Corn. two very early spring bloomers. In the photo above, you can see the finely divided leaves of the Dutchman’s Breeches behind the Trout Lily.

It is such a gift to find these wildflowers over a nearly four week period! https://hikescape.org/glorious-april-in-big-ivy/. The Dutchman’s Breeches were resplendent, with their terminal golden spurs straddling either side of the style. In contrast, the Squirrel Corn displayed more sedate touches of deep pink and purple along the midvein of their petals, punctuated by tiny droplets moving downwards.

Other finds in Nantahala

Another beauty to behold is the Witch Hobble, a viburnum shrub that grows at high elevations. Witch Hobble has a spectacular fluorescence of large white sterile flowers on the outer edge, and smaller reproductive flowers inside. This paper references Witch Hobble, as well as other rare species found in Macon County. http://coweeta.uga.edu/publications/10516.pdf

Macon County is also home to one of 28 UNESCO Biosphere Reserves in the United States, and 302 worldwide. That’s another project for another day, to determine the Biosphere Reserves I have already visited, and those on the “to-do” list!

The inconspicuous, but unusual flowers of Blue Cohosh were beginning to bud out, averaging 3-5mm in size. It is their blue berries that typically attract the most attention.

Solomon’s Seal vs. False Solomon’s Seal

False Solomon’s Seal was abundant, but only a few early flowers were beginning to show at the tips of the stalk. This one caught my eye, despite its ability to hide in plain sight.

Here is the actual Solomon’s Seal. The flowers are completely different; only the leaves show any similarity.

And who doesn’t love stumbling across a Jack in the Pulpit in the woods, showing off the striped spathe? I love seeing the stripes morph into a darker maroon color as they age.

We covered several areas in our trips to Nantahala. Our trails included Chunky Gal, Kimsey Creek, and forest service roads lined with wildflowers. We walked through rhododendron tunnels, and gazed out over the Nantahala Mountains, in awe of nature’s giflts. Regardless of the day, any trip was a little slice of heaven in Nantahala National Forest.

One never knows what springtime weather holds! We have experienced night time temperatures in the high 20’s, to daytime temps in the 70’s. This particular day, we were on the Chunky Gal trail. The view was lovely, but the wind picked up, with clouds scuttling across the sky. We were headed straight down the mountain, off trail. Our pace was quick, and we broke camp before the rain arrived.

We will continue to explore Nantahala, just as Pisgah National Forest is beginning to open back up. I hope that you will join us again. Just this weekend, we found Yellow Lady’s Slipper on a steep embankment.

As more trail open, we will revisit our old favorite areas, and add new ones to the list. Stay healthy and safe, friends. I hope that your groove includes time in the woods, where ever it may be!