I'd heard ahead of time, we missed the peak. Due to the hot temperatures this year, everything bloomed early, including the Gregory Bald Azaleas. Nevertheless, I made my way halfway around Cades Cove, up Parsons Branch Road all the way to the Gregory Bald Trail trailhead. Only one car when we arrived, about 8 when we returned. We headed up the trail quickly. Within the first hour three members of the Wednesday Hikers of the Chattanooga Hiking Club had passed us. Just a bit further, we encountered the only bear of the day. It was a long long 4.5 miles up to the bald. Just prior to the bald is Campsite 13, Sheep Pen. Named so because it was used years ago as a pen for sheep grazing on the balds.
We entered the bald amid dozens, no hundreds of azalea bushes. Most were flame orange to red, but some ranged into shades of pink, red and yellow.
This is one of only two balds maintained as bald in the GSMNP. Originally, 22 miles of meadows existed to graze livestock. In the 1930's that practice ceased and the balds began to recede back to their natural wooded states. I've learned there is a motorized lawn mower atop Gregory Bald, operated by volunteers to keep the grass and blackberries mowed. We saw evidence of this over the entire 50ish acre bald.
In addition to the wonderful Azalea display, you can view Cades Cove in its entirety from the bald. It is quite the site and a wonderful view for lunch.
The colors of the azaleas range from white to yellow to pink to orange to red. A Rhododendron Society has even named some of the unique bushes. Next trip, I'll try to identify those.
The trip down was uneventful but I did receive a chaffing souvenir from this hike.
View More Photos of this Hike
No comments:
Post a Comment