MST Hike 4 - Views and Wildflowers

It has been a few weeks since the last MST challenge hike due to a couple weeks off the trail and last week at the beach.  We planned a 10 mile hike from Pigeon Gap on the Blue Ridge Parkway to Forest Service Road 816 in the Black Balsam area.  There was over 3,000 feet of elevation gain going the direction we chose, but it was a beautiful day and a good workout was in order.

We climbed to over 5,000 feet at the start of the hike and I immediately noticed a season rewind. Although the temperature was warn, the picture above shows trees just budding. It was like we hiked from mid-May to early April.  As we hiked along the MST we could see the green valleys to the south, but to the north the higher elevations of the Black Balsams still showed little green.  We crossed the Blue Ridge Parkway twice.  At one crossing the view south gave a great view of Looking Glass Rock and the Davidson River Valley.

All along our hike we saw many wildflowers including painted trillium, wake robin, white violets, and bluets. Pink shell azaleas were in bloom as well.  A few pictures of the wildflowers we saw:

Both above: Painted Trillium

Pink shell azalea

Wake robin

Five miles into the hike we reached our lunch spot at Skinny Dip Falls.  These are very popular on warm summer days because they are easily reached by a connecting trail from an overlook at mile 417 on the Parkway.  There were only a few people there and we had a sunny spot on the rocks at the falls for lunch; and no I did not swim!

Skinny Dip Falls

Lower falls 

As we climbed during the afternoon there were more long range views to the south and east and views of Black Balsams and Tennent Mountain.  

View looking east

View toward Black Balsam

It was a beautiful warm day to be hiking in the woods.  The temperature was 77 degrees when we reached the car at the hike.  When I got to Old Fort it was 92.  Summer temperatures are here, but they can be escaped by going to higher elevations on the MST.