Top 5 Hikes to See Smoky Mountain Wildflowers This Spring

One of the most gorgeous times of the year will shortly be here in the Smoky Mountains! These Smoky Mountains of ours transform into a spring seventh heaven as an extensive range of colors emerge via incredible Smoky Mountain wildflowers, plants and vegetation! The comfortable temperatures and sunny weather make for an incredible time exploring the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Here are the top 5 hikes to see Smoky Mountain wildflowers this spring:

1. Porters Creek Trail

Porters Creek Trail is a 4-mile trail in the Greenbrier portion of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park that’s perfect for folks of all ages and abilities who also want to see wildflowers! The best time to visit Porters Creek Trail to spot wildflowers is mid-March to April as you might be able to spot violets, white trillium and white fringed phacelia, hepaticas and bloodroot! In April and May, you may find yellow trillium, May-apple, Jack-in-the-pulpits, wild geranium, blue phlox, baneberry and more!

2. Little River Trail

Little River Trail is overflowing with gorgeous Smoky Mountain wildflowers and tends to be best to visit around mid-March through April! You’ll find an impressive collection of spring beauties and trailing arbutus lining this Smoky Mountain hiking trail! This 4.9-mile hike has it all! You’ll see water features, historical structures, scenic views and of course wildflowers on this trail that actually is an old logging road used by the Little River Lumber Company in the early 1900s. Pretty neat, right?!

3. Gregory Bald

If you’re an experienced hiker or looking for a challenge with an incredible reward, Gregory Bald is the place to explore! Gregory Bald is 11.3 miles roundtrip and may take around 6 hours to complete, gaining more than 3,000 feet in elevation. On this Smoky Mountain hiking trail, you’ll find a creek swaddled in rhododendrons, trees that are hundreds of years old and flame azaleas that range from light pink to bright yellow! The flowers in Gregory Bald begin to bloom in spring and tend to peak in mid-to-late June.

4. Middle Prong Trail

Middle Prong Trail is an 8.3-mile Smoky Mountain hiking trail in the Townsend area that includes plenty of wildflowers and waterfalls! The first couple miles of this trail feature foamflower, toothwort, violets, wood sorrel, crested dwarf iris, rue anemone and trillium! Smoky Mountain waterfalls on this trail include the 35-foot tall Lower Lynn Camp falls with multiple cascades and the 60-foot tall Indian Flats Falls featuring three tiers!

5. Schoolhouse Gap Trail

Smoky Mountain wildflowers are prominent on the Schoolhouse Gap Trail, an easy to moderate 3.8-mile trail between Townsend and Cades Cove! May is an excellent time to see Virginia bluebells, beaked violets, pink lady’s slippers, sun drops, red clover and golden aster and as we progress toward summer, rhododendron, mountain laurel and yellow ragwort come to their peak!

You’re guaranteed to see some incredible Smoky Mountain wildflowers when you visit these trails in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park during the spring! Still looking for a place to stay when you visit? Take a look at our Smoky Mountain cabins and live in luxury this vacation!