Daffodils have already started bursting out of the ground and welcoming spring; soon the rest of the wildflowers will be joining. With this abnormally warm weather and good amount of rain, some wildflowers in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park have begun to bloom sooner than anticipated.
For wildflower pilgrimages, the Tremont area of the Smokies is often overlooked. Visitors know the names Cades Cove, Elkmont, Newfound Gap and Sugarlands like the back of their hand, but very few people actually have driven up the seven-mile road into the Tremont area near Cades Cove.
Tremont is an educational outpost for the Great Smoky Mountains National Parks, and this area has several really unique trails that get little visitation.
To start, Spruce Flat Falls is a hidden gem in the Smokies. The trail itself is only 0.8 miles each way with a steady climb, but not treacherous by any means. To get to the trailhead, enter the Tremont section of the Smokies near Cades Cove. Park at the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont and follow the sign that says “Trail to the Falls.”
After about 0.8 miles up and then down sharply, Spruce Flat Falls appears. Spruce Flat Falls has a total drop of about 50 feet. This three-tiered cascade is a huge reward for a short, simple and a little steep hike.
If a simple 1.6 mile round-trip hike wasn’t enough to fill you or your hiking requirements, feel free to try the Middle Prong Trail after shortly. The Middle Prong Trailhead is also accessible from the parking lot at the Tremont Institute.
The Middle Prong Trail, located in the west side of the park right outside of Townsend, provides a fantastic viewing area of several flowers and even more unknown cascades. This trail is easy to moderate depending on the length the hiker chooses to make it.
The trail can be as long as 8.2 miles round-trip. Personally, I think you should look no further than the three mile mark on this old road. This six mile round-trip hike will show you several flowing cascades located along the Middle Prong River as well as an old Civilian Conservation Corps camp from the very beginning of the Smokies.
The Middle Prong Trail walks along an old road. During the first two miles, the visitor may see several wildflowers, including foamflower, toothwort, wood sorrel and trilliums. Over the next month, this trail will be colored and fresh with signs of life.
In order to access Tremont from campus, follow Highway 129 to Maryville and into Townsend. Once you get to the split on Little River Road, keep to the right and prepare for an immediate left. The access road is marked by a sign that says “Tremont Institution at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.” Total travel time should take roughly an hour, if not less.
Be sure to dress in layers so you can peel them off as you either heat up or cool off. This weather has been sporadic and rain is common in the mountains. Water and snacks are always a necessity and as John Muir said, “The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness.”
Try to find a pair of your wool socks. Leave all your worries in Knoxville, and go discover sheer beauty.
