Today's hike is on the Forney Ridge Trail from the Clingman Dome parking area. It is, again, an early start before 8am. It is in the mid 50s and breezy. Very few cars are in the parking area but I did note on the drive up that Alum Cave parking areas were already maxxed out at 7:37 am on a Tuesday.
Just after getting on the trail, there are these shapes in the rock face. I think they are naturally occurring but they are intriguing. I saw some in Andrews bald as well.
Round trip today is only a bit over 4 miles. The trail to the bald loses about 500 feet in elevation and there is some uphill along the way.
Purple Fringed orchid
Spring (almost Summer) beauties
Once you enter the bald, a number of magenta colored Rhododendrons greet you. They were putting on a show. Some had already dropped a lot of pedals creating a pink carpet. I was expecting to see many Flame azalea here but they were just coming along, it being 500 feet higher that Gregory Bald.
British Soldiers in battle formation
Hay scented fern
Narrow boardwalk through the bald
After a 30 minute jaunt through the bald, I retraced my way back, passing many many hikers on their was to the bald.
Carrion Flower
It was quite misty. There was no view at the bald today although I think one opened up for many of the hikers I passed on their way to the bald. I got back to the parking area at 10:45. There were a few of the 167 parking spaces open. As I drove back to the main road on the 7 mile spur road, I passed about 60 vehicles, most of which were not going to be able to park.
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