Blue Ridge Parkway 444 - 413

BRP 444-416 - Balsam Gap to Graveyard Fields NOTE: FROM DECEMBER TO MAY THE PARKWAY IS OFTEN CLOSED – CALL TO VERIFY STATUS. Phone Numbers effective 2011.0721Th were 1828-456-9530, or 1828-271-4779, or 1828-298-0398. NOTE: Dates are year.month Date Day of week, time. ALL TIMES 2400 HOUR CLOCK. (First event of 911 would be 2001.0911Tu0815) Fractions indicate performance of item or event - IE 1/5 = FLOWER, E.G., IS 1/5 OF ITS MAXIMUM FLOWERING; 5/3 = FLOWER IS PAST PEAK. 444, 451, 437 ETC = MILE MARKERS OF PARKWAY. Excerpt from Macon County Trails: MACON COUNTY TRAILS ©John Womack, 1997 - Mountain Pathways - Dancing Trail Photographic Art Studios & Gallery - Soliloquy Press Publishing SAN:299-1888 - 444.5 ENTRANCE FROM US highway DEC 6, 1997 - closed. AUG yellow JW 5/5, 442.5 Standing Rock OL 3915' Trip around rock hardwood cove near by MAY Mt. maple blooming, witch hazel, Flame azalea bloom JUN daisies, NJTea, butter cups, solomon's seal, TClily. AUG yellow jewel weed, bee balm 441Waynesville OL (Pinnacle Gap Tunnel) Rhododendron APR Dutchman's breeches, squirrel corn. MAY Larkspur Buttercup, flame azalea, rhodo bloom, run cedar, silver bell, fawns breath, Dutch pipe vine, mt. laurel, mayapple, blackberry, buttercup, sol plume JUL bes, fp, tcl, bb, coropsos, basil b , yarrow AUG joepye 4/5, Skippertails 5/5, sunflowers 4/5, Turk CL 5/2 NOV 3: Birches bare, some oak leaves turning Joe pye weed, and Turk's cap lilies Joe pye weed, BESusan, some green/gray coneflower, TCL gone. 440 - OL Village of Saunook 4375 Rock wall MAY d. pipe vine, virgin bower, yarrow JUN pink yarrow, chickweed, M.sax. firepink 1998.0730 bee balm, purple flower, JoePye, BESusan. JUL daisy, bbalm, rhodo, fp, yarrow, fleaB. AUG Joe Pye, BESusan, very few bee balm OCT Maples very colorful, Birches yellow up to 5M. Main color yellow-green, with gold, orange & red spots. Grod, Blue asters. tunnel 439.3 crossing ridge - Passing 5000' MAY flame azaleas bloom, yarrow, ferns, rue JUN Turk cap lily, basil balm JUL TCL, BasilB, BeeB, AUG- Turk's cap lilies SEP-Dogwood lavender, BE Susan, Grod, sunflower, NJtea, OCT Maples bare - oaks dark brown 438.9 Steestachee Bald 4780 - "Solitary Tree" (red oak w/woodbine) Rock wall boulder field great ridgeline down to East Cove MAY - Golden Alex, yarrow Robin plantain, foam flw, mayapple, red clover JUN - flame azalea 438.8 OL Cove Field Ridge 4620' good rock wall, good view of ridge vt150° 438.2 - See Cove above 438 5200' first (last) view of Frazier Fir forest JUL- beeB, basilB, TCL, yellow coneflower, mt. mint, mt. phlox 437.4 Ridge view of wind oak ridge. 437 Glass Mine Ridge Mt. to Sea Trail Large bank with large wildflowers view is 320°. Good Noon shots on a clear day in summer due to bank slope! Scenes MAY 1997.0515 pussytoes, cinqfoil, bluettes, violets, Indian paint brush, w strawberry. 1997.0520 pussytoes, cincfoils, bluettes, violets, Indian paint brush W Strawberry 1998.0528 - hawkweed, Robin plantain, bluettes, Indian paint brush, crowfoot, buttercup, w. strawberry, bettony, yarrow, mtn phlox OL: black wind oaks have catkins and small leaves (20cm long). JUN 1997.0615 Indian paint brush, pusseytoes, bluettes, buttercups, lobelia 1998.0620 -mtphlox,hawkw,daisy,hustonioa,lobelia,strawberry,spfringedorchid, buttercup,cinqfoil,yarrow,fleab,cloverR&W,be Susan,Ipaintb,begrass,fpink,solseal,bettony,flame azalea JUL 1998.0730 - TCL, BESusan, Yellow Coneflower, beeB, basilB, firepink, mtMint, mtPhlox, yarrow Lots of bees and butterflies 2001.0710 bes, dais, rohod, carr, phlox, fpink, sundrop, fbane. spiderWort, IndPaintB AUG 1997.0815 Mt. Phlox, Be Susan, firepink, flea bane, yarrow, basil balm, clover, mountain mint and sunflowers. Lots of bees. 1998.0803 Ind pb, mt. phlox, be Susan, blue aster, yarrow, goldenrod 1998.0822 be Susan, blue aster, yarrow, goldenrod, bluebells, (IPB, mt phlox gone) 2001.0814 On downside of OL see 1,000,000 sunflowers! SEP 1997.0915 Be Susan, Golden Rod, sunflower, NJ tea, blackberries, yarrow mt ash. Purple Asters, Oswego Tea is seeding, pusseytoes, bluettes, buttercups, mountain mint, sunflowers, lobelia. OCT 1997.1015 NJ tea, mountain mint 1998.1010 NJ tea, mountain mint NOV 1997.1115 Overlook area destroyed by Bush hog Terminator. Basically bare, a lot of basal leaves, also looks like young yarrow. Also bluish, greenish small leaves of ?. 436.2 July - TCL, basilB, beeB, Yellow CF, firepink, mtPhlox, mtMint 2001.0710 tcl5/5, goatbeard AUG grod, some blush 435.5 1998.0803 great white flower field (Turk's cap lily gone) 435.2 OL Double top 5365' ridge view wind forest - oaks JUN f.azaleas, 1998.0620 - note astonishing defoliation of forests south of BRP - Gypsy Moth? 434.4 Ridge view, the GREAT RIDGE CROSSOVER 434.5 Great view of wind oak forest 434 forest trail ?? 433 slope to north - SEP - lots of blackberries! awesome mountain mint! OCT- 1998.1008 great color super shots 432 Richland Balsam OL - Highest point on entire BRP JUN - much rhododrendren in bloom .1301from here on. bluettes 431.2 OL Good views to SW OCT - great color 430.7 Cowee Mountains OL Vistas to east (SE, E, and NE) MAY - new green, yarrow, buttercups AUG - mt ash berries. grod SEP- Mt ash green. Yarrow, OCT- Mountain Ash berries, Peregrine Falcons, ravens 429.9 rocks JUN 45° ridge, vt 080° OCT - great color just north of cliffs 428.5 Beartrap gap - picnic bench 1998.1008 - great color 428 Caney Fork OL 427 Umbrella blooming 426 Rough Butt Bald OL OCT - great color, photo of trail entrance is great. 425.1 PO rhodo bloom + cliff wall 425 Wolf Mountain OL 5500' JUN Msax,sundrop,hypericum JUL - Micheaux Saxafraidge, Dwarf dandelion, sundrop, green orchis, aster with 1 purple star AUG hypericum, sundrop, beard tongue, micheaux saxafridge, hawkweed OCT - great color 423.5 Highway 215 ( North 18 mi/36min to U276 & Waynesville) 1.5 North short trip to small waterfall .5 South short trip to Tannasee view looking 180°, TAP .6 422.9 JUN - yellow buckeyes blooming both sides of road AUG- buckeye nuts on trees 421.2 View of Looking Glass at 100° Shuck Ridge - Blue Dot trail X BRP MAY yellow buckeye trees blooming, rhodo bloom 420 BLACK BALSAM ROAD (FR816) view of Looking Glass is 125° AUG Mt ash berries, goldenrod mt ash berries, njTea, yarrow OCT-Mt ash berries, NJ tea. Road .2 , .3, .4 POs, (the .4 PO is best.with good view of East Fork Ridge . Art Loeb Trail PA Christmas Forest hike Black Balsam Knob hike 4 min through red spruceforest (straight at split) 2 min through blackberries/blueberries 2 min to grassy knoll 2 min to rocks 2 min to cross rocks 3 min to cross "valley" 4 min to climb (straight at split) to top of Black Balsam Knob 6240' (17N 0329615E 3910761E) 419.6 View of Looking Glass - .2 mi from Black Balsam Road 419 Graveyard Fields NOTE: 30 miles from Asheville East view of fields 320° View of Yellowstone Falls is 280° Hikes Lower Falls High Falls Views along way Wildflowers 1998.0528 rhodo bloom, blackberry 1998.1008 - entire field in great color - reds, yellows, oranges SIGNIFICANT TRIPS 1998.0608su,.4-,.2~,3310+25,t55h1, 1998.0613Sa,.7^2.4,3325+40+100,t60/45H1,v10.8,5.8 1998.0620Sa.1000,.2~2.4v10r55h1v10.6,5.7/1630,.6~2.3lvt78h1v10.7,5.8,2.9(p.4) 1840.2^2.1,2740+75T58H1V9.1 1998.0727-30./.9=^2.4,2320,t60h4,v30.4,1.5h2 1998.1008t62>42h4b-2310+15+20,11x,==1.15,v0(viz dropped as evening came. Journal Entries NOTE: DATES ARE YEAR.MONTH DATE DAY ALL TIMES 2400 HOUR CLOCK. FRACTIONS INDICATE PERFORMANCE RATING - IE 1/5 = FLOWER, E.G., IS 1/5 OF ITS MAXIMUM FLOWERING; 5/3 = FLOWER IS PAST PEAK. 444, 451, 437 ETC = MILE MARKERS OF PARKWAY.   2001.0814Tu 444 woodlan sunflower 3/5, joepye 1/5, yellow jewel w 5/5, on up is basically green with brown ash, some cohosh. 441 TurkCaplilly 5/2, yellow jw 4/5, joepye 5/5 covered with Skippertails 5/5! (Probably 200 skippertails at this one site, mostly on joepye GREAT VIDEO! 438 yello Cone F 4/5, Goldenrod2/5, 437 basically a 5/1 on left & right BUT just past, to downhill side of Glassy Mine OL were sunflowers 5/5 - perhaps 1,000,000 of them! (Have to look to see them) 436 yellow cf, grod 2/5 some blush here & there 67° popcorn cumulus, sunny, breezy. 423 to 421 has spectacular wildflower display including oswego t, basil balm, mt mint, woodland asters, carolina phlox +++. Hiked Black Balsam Knob blueberries, strong wind, 19 min. hike up, beautiful views at top & during descent.   2001.0710Tu Field trip departing Pounding Mill OL (413) at 1600, to watch sunset at Waterrock Knob (451) at 2052. Best wildflower display I have ever seen anywhere anytime anyplace. Full panoply of summer wildflowers (depending on altitude), everything from mountain laurel and flame azalea to Joe Pye weed and goldenrod. Rhododendren shamelessly blooming in full abandon! 436 to 438 is unreal.   1999.0925 Sa To Water Rock Knob to watch sunseet and watch Harvest Moon rise. Hiked to top of knob, a 25 minute, strenueous hike to cover the 1/2 mile trail! View from top is outstanding - easily as good as anything I have ever seen. Color on BRP is beginning to show, although there are a lot of of brown (with a lot of brilliance at about 20% to 30%.) I take that to be where trees/shrubs have died from drought.   1999.0923Th From Balsam Gap (Mile 444) to Pounding Mill OL (414), and back to Water Rock Knob (451). Overall, not a lot of color. Aspect is generally green with birch trees going yellow around 5000 ft., some maples in bright orange and/or reds, but not many. Locust trees are dark brown. Lots of spots in the forest that are deep violet/orange-red, call it a 11 to 1 (HSB scale 5% to 95%) with a saturation of 90% and brillance of 40% (or roughly somewhere around a pinot noir and rusty guardrail). Blue asters coming on, lots of goldenrod and NJ tea. Some turtle heads at Wolf Mountain OL, along with hawkweed and grass of parnassas, Micheaux saxafridge and sundews are basically gone. Saw several perrigrine falcons and lots of ravens - two or three monarch butterflies (had hoped to see more). Lots of rhododendren leaves that are curled and yellow and even red.   1999.0911Sa Run from Asheville to mile 444. Not much color except for some rhododendren leaves turning yellow and RED!, probably due to the extreme drought and pollution. Some red and orange from maples, stands of birch seem to be going brown. A couple of mountain ash leaves are red, and some berries. Fire cherries are no longer dark green.   1999.0906Mo View from Black Balsam Knob showed a lot of particulate matter, to accompany the purple streak that extends from the Canton/Asheville area. No turning of leaves to speak of except for river birch that is yellowish/brownish. Wildflowers are in short supply except for Joe Pye, goldenrod, and a few blue asters.   1999.0811We There are a few oswego tea displays left, around miles 441 and 423. Otherwise, the main show comes from the yellow flowers with a lot of black eyed Susan, green and gray coneflowers, coreopsis, hawkweed, hypericum (along the cliffs near Wolf Mountain OL, and other south facing rocky cliffs. Two or three stands of Turk's cap lilies remain, along with some basil balm. Joe Pye is asserting itself along with golden rod and the the woodland asters, the latter of which have taken over several wooded hillsides (notably at mile 425.5, west side). Some blush here and there. I saw a bald eagle sail high over Cowee Mountain OL (mile 431), on his way to somewhere else. Several tourists saw him too, and were amazed. His white head and tail were unmistakable. 1999.0726Mo There is a very heavy concentration of summer wildflowers, along with spring and autumn wildflowers. Look for some remnants of oswego tea at lower elevatioins (mm441 to 438) along with a lot of snakeroot, basil balm and Turk's cap lily. From 438 to 436, look for Turk's cap, basil balm, yellow (either gray or green - I usually just call them yellow) coneflowers. Lots ot firepink, Carolina phlox, flea bane, daisys, and over around mm440 you can find first goldenrod and Joe Pye weed in bloom. Also lots of buttercups, sundrops, sundew (the carnivirous plant) is flowering especially easy to find and photograph at Wolf Mountain OL about mm 425 along with Micheaux saxifradge, some hypericum (St. John's wort), and hawkweed. Lots of sedges and other grasses are bearing blue "flowers", and some are already turning orange. Some "blush" of the aproaching autumn is visible and lots of extreme damage on fir trees.   Date: 1999.0715Th   Miles 424-440: Hypericum, #4 (two varieties), TurkCapLily #3, Solomon seal, snakeroot,sunflowers, firepink#4,Daisy, flea bane, sundrops, buttercups, spiderwort, blue eye grass, bluettes, heal all, bladder campion, rododendren, basil balm, oswego tea, New Jersey tea, yarrow, milkweed, mountain laurel, cynthia, hawkweed, sundew, dodder, goatsbeard, virgin's bower, mountain phlox, mountain mint. Joe Pye (in bloom!!)#1, pusseytoes, hypernium, and a large number of UFOs (unidentified flowering objects).   Date: 1999.0706Tu   Mile 438 - 422 Hypericum, #4; TurkCapLily #1; Firepink, OxEyeDaisy,Yellow coneflowers#1