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.
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