This is America's most visited national park located on the border of North Carolina and Tennessee with 8-10 million visitors per year. These 800 square miles in the Southern Appalachian Mountains are known for the amazing diversity of plants, animals, and invertebrates. Over 17,000 species have been documented in the park.
The drive in August created some great wildflower hikes as I went from river bottoms at about 875 feet to peaks over 5,000 feet. Some species that were observed included: Highbush Blueberry, Queen Anne's Lace, Oxeye Daisy, Black-eyed Susan, Touch-me-not, Jewelweed, Red Clover, Sweet Joe-Pye-Weed, Chicory, Heal-all and my favorite, Purple Fringed Orchid.
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