Road Prong Hike

Road Prong Trail is an odd name for a trail. A prong is a creek. This particular creek is the drainage used for an early road through the Smoky Mountains. It crosses the main ridge through the park just south of Newfound Gap (the current Rt 441 route between Gatlinburg and Cherokee) on the Clingman Dome Road. This was an organized hike with the Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage. Beginning at the trail's highest point on Clingman Dome Road, the trail follows Road Prong down until it intersects with Chimney Tops Trail.

Temperatures at the start were just below freezing and there was some sleet on the ground. As we hiked down, layers came off and temperatures rose to perhaps 60. Very little was in bloom at the upper elevations but as we approached mid elevations, Spring Beauties, Fringed Phalcelia, Trout Lilles and a number of violets started popping up.

Fire ants on Thornburg Trail

Fire ants have invaded are area of North Carolina. I don't recall seeing a single colony last year in Randolph County. They seem to be everywhere this year. It doesn't take much to get them riled up. These along the Thornburg Trail in Uwharrie National Forest could easily swarm an unsuspecting hiker's leg. I just touched the mound with my hiking stick and within 2 seconds, there were dozens of ants swarming the area I touched. So it would not take much. Maybe the first hiker walks on through, but the second gets to experience the ants' bites.

More morels

I walked back to the spot in the Uwharrie National Forest where we had found a couple morels the day before. This time I spent about a hour scouring the area and came up with hatful.

Lassiter mill and dam

Just a short walk upriver from the Uwharrie River bridge on High Pine Church Road is Lassiter Mill. The mill overlooks a beautiful setting on the Uwharrie River. The roar of the water coming over the mill's dam is deafening. The mill is falling down now but was once a three story high commercial mill.

Uwharrie morels

We found these guys while exploring an old homesite in the Uwharrie National Forest today. They will go great with burgers tonight.

Tree art on Nat Greene Trail

We saw these trees on the Nat Greene Trail today. Nanci and I hiked from the Lake Brandt marina to the Weaver Bridge on the Lake Brandt Greenway. Nanci also spotted a long black snake sunning on a dead pine tree.

Lots of cormorants were floating in the lake along with some seagulls and a few noisy Canadas.

Early Spring on the Uwharrie River

A beautiful early spring day. The water level on the Uwharrie was perfect. The banks were lined with bluets. I spotted on blue phlox as well. We paddled the Low Water Bridge to Rt 109 Bridge section of the river. It was a lazy 3 1/2 hour ride. Dozens of turtles dove into the water as we approached. A few wood duck hurried out of our way. We spotted a couple Great Blue Herons and Kingfishers but the star of the day was a Little Green Heron that just wanted to hang around with us. This fellow would allow us to get within 10 yards or so before heading downriver a short way. It was probably 10 to 15 minutes of this activity before LGH made the break.

This section is almost out of complete view of civilization. There were a few fishing shacks and a tent or two but that was it. Had we continued below 109, it would have been several more miles before the waterside cottages of Lake Tillery begin to appear. It was just a wonderful day out on the river. The beer we sampled was good too.