Photo Gallery of Tennessee Wildflowers

Editor: Cheryl Hiers
BlueShoe Nashville Travel Guide

Here's where and when to see wildflowers in Middle Tennessee and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Notice regarding hikes: some hikes require advance registration. Phone the sponsoring organization or the leader listed to confirm the date, location, and time of hikes. Trips are rarely cancelled, but sometimes changes are unavoidable. Call ahead to make certain of the precise details of each hike and to assure yourself a spot.

Shooting Star
Dodecatheon meadia L.
Photographed in Beaman Park, Nashville, Tennessee on April 20, 2008

Woodland scene at Beaman Park, Nashville
Photographed on April 20, 2008

April 26-May 1, 2011: GSMNP Wildflower Pilgrimage

On-site registration begins Tuesday, April 25, 2011 at 5:00 PM in the Mills Conference Center, Gatlinburg TN. View the on-site registration schedule or register now online.

This is Mecca for wildflower lovers: the variety of species and the abundance of native plants in bloom during this week of well-conducted hikes will leave the wildflower enthusiast in awe. Travelers come from around the world to participate.

"The Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage is an annual seven-day event in Great Smoky Mountains National Park consisting of a variety of wildflower, fauna, and natural history walks, motorcades, photographic tours, art classes, and indoor seminars. Most programs are outdoors in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, while indoor offerings are held in various venues throughout Gatlinburg, TN."

This festival attracts botanists (amateur and professional) from all over the country; you should visit the web site, review the hike schedule, and be prepared to reserve your spot via web registration. The program of hikes is online.

Warner Parks are among the closest and richest sites for wildflowers in Nashville. The Warner Park Nature Center will be conducting FREE wildflower hikes and programs this spring. Hike schedule is listed below. Please call (615-352-6299) for more information and to register for a hike. Visit the Warner Parks' webpage with schedules (the spring schedule is now online). See the Friends of Warner Park website for details on special events such as the Full Moon Pickin' Parties and volunteer opportunities.

Spring Hikes 2011

Thurs. March 24, 2011: Spring Wildflower Hike led by Deb Beazley. 9 a.m. to noon. Adults, 13+. Please call 615-352-6299 to register.

Sat. March 26, 2011: Spring Wildflower Hike led by Deb Beazley. 9 a.m. to noon. Adults, 13+. Please call 615-352-6299 to register.

Thurs. March 31, 2011: Spring Wildflower Hike led by Deb Beazley. Adults, 13+. Please call 615-352-6299 to register.

Fri. April 1, 2011: Wildflower Tours á la Cart. 9:30 a.m. or 11 a.m. All ages. Designed for those who may have trouble hiking the trails, guided golf cart tours will follow the Old Roadway highlighting spring wildflowers along the way. Please call 615-352-6299 to register.

Sat. April 2, 2011: Wildflower Tours á la Cart. 9:30 a.m. or 11 a.m. All ages. Designed for those who may have trouble hiking the trails, guided cart tours will follow the Old Roadway highlighting spring wildflowers along the way. Please call 615-352-6299 to register.

Fri. April 8, 2011: Wildflower Tours á la Cart. 9:30 a.m. or 11 a.m. All ages. Designed for those who may have trouble hiking the trails, guided cart tours will follow the Old Roadway highlighting spring wildflowers along the way. Please call 615-352-6299 to register.

Sat. April 9, 2011: Wildflower Tours á la Cart. 9:30 a.m. or 11 a.m. All ages. Designed for those who may have trouble hiking the trails, guided cart tours will follow the Old Roadway highlighting spring wildflowers along the way. Please call 615-352-6299 to register.

Fri. April 15, 2011: Wildflower Tours á la Cart. 9:30 a.m. or 11 a.m. All ages. Designed for those who may have trouble hiking the trails, guided cart tours will follow the Old Roadway highlighting spring wildflowers along the way. Please call 615-352-6299 to register.

Sat. April 16, 2011: Wildflower Tours á la Cart. 9:30 a.m. or 11 a.m. All ages. Designed for those who may have trouble hiking the trails, guided cart tours will follow the Old Roadway highlighting spring wildflowers along the way. Please call 615-352-6299 to register.

Fri. April 22, 2011: Wildflower Tours á la Cart. 9:30 a.m. or 11 a.m. All ages. Designed for those who may have trouble hiking the trails, guided cart tours will follow the Old Roadway highlighting spring wildflowers along the way. Please call 615-352-6299 to register.

Sat. April 23, 2011: Wildflower Tours á la Cart. 9:30 a.m. or 11 a.m. All ages. Designed for those who may have trouble hiking the trails, guided cart tours will follow the Old Roadway highlighting spring wildflowers along the way. Please call 615-352-6299 to register.

Fri. April 29, 2011: Wildflower Tours á la Cart. 9:30 a.m. or 11 a.m. All ages. Designed for those who may have trouble hiking the trails, guided cart tours will follow the Old Roadway highlighting spring wildflowers along the way. Please call 615-352-6299 to register.

Fri. May 6, 2011: Nature Tour á la Cart. 9:30 a.m. or 11 a.m. All ages. Designed for those who may have trouble hiking the trails, guided cart tours will follow the Old Roadway highlighting spring wildflowers along the way. Please call 615-352-6299 to register.

Sat. May 7, 2011: Nature Tour á la Cart. 9:30 a.m. or 11 a.m. All ages. Designed for those who may have trouble hiking the trails, guided cart tours will follow the Old Roadway highlighting spring wildflowers along the way. Please call 615-352-6299 to register.

Fri. May 13, 2011: Nature Tour á la Cart. 9:30 a.m. or 11 a.m. All ages. Designed for those who may have trouble hiking the trails, guided cart tours will follow the Old Roadway highlighting spring wildflowers along the way. Please call 615-352-6299 to register.

Fri. May 20, 2011: Nature Tour á la Cart. All ages. 9:30 a.m. or 11 a.m. All ages. Designed for those who may have trouble hiking the trails, guided cart tours will follow the Old Roadway highlighting spring wildflowers along the way. Please call 615-352-6299 to register.

Sat. May 21, 2011: Nature Tour á la Cart. All ages. 9:30 a.m. or 11 a.m. All ages. Designed for those who may have trouble hiking the trails, guided cart tours will follow the Old Roadway highlighting spring wildflowers along the way. Please call 615-352-6299 to register.

The Warner Park Nature Center is located at 7311 Highway 100, Nashville, TN 37221. Website: http://www.nashville.gov/parks/nature/wpnc/index.asp

Spring 2011

Wed. March 30, 2011: Spring Wildflower Hike led by LinnAnn Welch. 9 to 11 a.m. Adults. Please call 615-862-8580 to register.

Sat. April 23, 2011: Spring Wildflower Hike led by Rachel John. 1 to 3 p.m. Adults. Please call 615-862-8580 to register.

News from Beaman Park blog: http://beamanpark.blogspot.com/

Beaman Park Nature Center is located at 5911 Old Hickory Boulevard, Ashland City, TN 37015.
Phone: 615-862-8580

Radnor Spring Wildflower Hikes

Spring Hikes 2011

To be announced. Please see the Friends of Radnor Lake website for more information.

Call 615-377-1281 for more information and to sign up for free hikes. Reservations are required for hikes because of limited space.

Spring Events 2011

Sat. March 26, 2011, 10 a.m. until all plants are sold out: Native plant sale. Featuring native plants that thrive in Middle Tennessee, this springtime Cheekwood tradition is sponsored by the Garden Club of Nashville, and benefits the Howe Wildflower Garden at Cheekwood. For more information, call Sarah Lowe at 615-353-2159. 

Admission fee required: see Cheekwood's website for details: Cheekwood Botanical Garden & Museum of Art

For more wildflower and botanical events this spring, visit Cheekwood's calendar. Or call 615-356-8000 for more information and for admission fees.

Located at 1200 Forrest Park Drive, Nashville, Tennessee 37205. 615.356.8000

The knowledgeable Herbarium staff at the University of the South conduct a number of stellar wildflower hikes on the Cumberland Plateau during March and April. Some of the outstanding ones you shouldn't miss include BlueBell Island (replete with Virginia Bluebells), Shakerag Hollow on the Perimeter Trail at Sewanee, and Collins Gulf in South Cumberland State Park(this section is the only other local spot that rivals Shakerag Hollow for numbers and diversity of spring wildflowers).

Spring Hikes 2011

Hikes to be announced

Note from the Sewanee Herbarium's newsletter: wear appropriate shoes on all these walks. Risks involved in hiking include physical exertion, rough terrain, forces of nature, and other hazards not present in everyday life. Picking flowers and digging plants are prohibited in all of the above-mentioned natural areas. For more information, please call Yolande Gottfried at 931-598-3346.

SPECIAL EVENT
Sat. & Sun. April 16 & 17, 2011: Trails & Trilliums, sponsored by the Friends of South Cumberland State Park. 8th Annual celebration that features a native plant sale, workshops and speakers, garden tours, guided walks, hikes in Shakerage Hollow and other area trails. This year Trails & Trilliums will be held at a new location at the historic Monteagle Sunday School Assembly, blocks off 1-24 in Monteagle, TN, and three miles from Sewanee.

Spring & Summer Hikes 2011

Sat. March 26, 2011: Ross Forests Nature Preserve, Hardin County. See details on website: 2011 TNPS Field Trip Schedule

Sat. April 9, 2011: Millstone Mountain, Tipton County. See details on website:2011 TNPS Field Trip Schedule

Sat. April 16, 2011: Walls of Jericho. See details on website: 2011 TNPS Field Trip Schedule

Sat. May 7, 2011: May Cumberland Trial Inventory. See details on website: 2011 TNPS Field Trip Schedule

Sat. May 14, 2011: Bridgestone/Firestone Centennial Wilderness, White County. See details on website: 2011 TNPS Field Trip Schedule

Sat. & Sun. June 11 & 12, 2011: Ocoee Area of the Cherokee National Forest: See details on website: 2011 TNPS Field Trip Schedule

Sat. Aug. 27, 2011: Shady Valley Bog. See details on website: 2011 TNPS Field Trip Schedule

Sat. Sept. 10, 2011: Carter State Natural Area hosts a late summer hike. See details on website: 2011 TNPS Field Trip Schedule

Sat. Sept. 24, 2011: September Cumberland Trail Inventory. See details on website: 2011 TNPS Field Trip Schedule

See website for Tennessee Native Plant Society for contact information and more details on hikes.

Spring 2011

April 15-17, 2011: 8th Annual Spring Naturalist Rally. See website for full schedule or call 931-823-6347 for more information. Standing Stone State Park is located at 1674 Standing Stone Park Hwy., Hilham, TN 38568. Phone: 931-823-6347.

Unique Cedar Glades Wildflower Celebration in its 34th year

Sat., April 30, 2011

Call for more information: 615-443-2769. Website: Elsie Quarterman Glade Festival
Cedars of Lebanon State Park is located at 328 Cedar Forest Road, Lebanon Park, 37090. Phone: 615-443-2769. A day of workshops, lectures, hikes and field trips. Discover what makes these fragile habitats globally unique and see the spring glades come to life with wildflowers. Sponsored by Cedars of Lebanon State Park and the Center for Cedar Glade Studies at Middle Tennessee State University.

Edgar Evins State Park, on the shores of Center Hill Lake, has an annual Celebration of Spring that includes a number of wildflower hikes.

Sat. April 9, 2011: Celebration of Spring Annual Event. A full day of outdoor activities and various birding, wildflower, and butterfly hikes. Activities include face painting, egg hunts, a program with live snakes, pontoon boat rides, hikes, bird walks, wildflower walks, and butterfly identification walks. For
more information call (931) 958-2446 or (800) 250-8619.

May 23-29. 2011: Western Wallflower Week:Join park rangers and the seasonal naturalist for daily boat tours to view a magnificent display of this infrequent wildflower and other species endemic
to the limestone bluffs on Center Hill Reservoir. Be prepared for sun and rain. Water and a bagged lunch are recommended. Be sure to bring your binoculars. Arrive 15 minutes prior. Boat will leave promptly at 10 a.m. CDT and trip will last approximately three hours. Limed to 12 people per tour. Sorry, no children under three. Reservations required. For more information call: (931) 858-2114.

Edgar Evins State Park is located at 1630 Edgar Evins State Park Road, Silver Point, TN 38582. Phone: 931-858-2446.

30th Annual Wildflower Pilgrimage

Sat. & Sun April 9 & 10, 2011: Annual Wildflower Pilgrimage. Explore the park and see many early spring wildflowers and lovely vistas. A variety of hikes, workshops, driving tours, and slideshows will be offered. For more information, please call 423-881-5708.

Fall Creek Falls State Park is located at 2009 Village Camp Road, Pikeville, TN 37367. Phone: 423-881-5298.

Tennessee Wildflower Hikes by location (Photo Galleries):

April 26, 2009: Abrams Fall, Cades Cove, GSMNP

April 24, 2009: Sevier County Hike, GSMNP

April 23, 2009: Chimneys Picnic Area/Hardwood Cove Trail, GSMNP

April 23, 2009: Thomas Divide/Kanati Fork Trail, GSMNP

April 4, 2009: Taylor Hollow Part One, Sumner County

March 28, 2009: Taylor Hollow Part One, Sumner County
March 28, 2009: Taylor Hollow Part Two, Sumner County

March 1, 2009: Percy Warner Park, Nashville

April 20, 2008: Beaman Park, Nashville

April 5, 2008: Cumberland River Bicentennial Trail Part One, Ashland City
April 5, 2008: Cumberland River Bicentennial Trail Part Two, Ashland City

March 30, 2008: Percy Warner Park, Nashville

March 30, 2008: Edwin Warner Park, Nashville

February 17 , 2008: Mossy Ridge Trail in Percy Warner Park, Nashville

July 15 , 2007: Roan Mountain Cloudland Trail
July 15 , 2007: Roan Mountain Highlands

April 21 , 2007: Standing Stone State Park Part One, Overton County
April 21 , 2007: Standing Stone State Park Part Two, Overton County

Sept. 17 , 2006: Beaman Park, Davidson County

Sept. 16, 2006: Kelly Creek Seeps, Williamson County, TN

July 15 , 2006: Roan Mountain (Tennessee-North Carolina stateline)

Apr. 28 , 2006: Sevier County Hike, Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Mar. 18 , 2006: Mossy Ridge Trail, Percy Warner Park, Nashville

Apr. 27, 2003: Abrams Falls Trail, Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mts. National Park

Apr. 26, 2003: Great Smoky Mts. National Park

Apr. 25, 2003: Chimneys Trail, Great Smoky Mts. National Park

Apr. 25, 2003: Courthouse Rock hike, Great Smoky Mts. National Park

Apr. 24, 2003: Bud Ogle Nature Trail, Great Smoky Mts. National Park

Apr. 24, 2003: Sugarland to Ash Hopper Branch Trail, Great Smoky Mts. National Park

Apr. 19, 2003: Cedars of Lebanon State Park, Lebanon, TN
Apr. 18, 2003: Beaman Park, Nashville, TN
Apr. 12, 2003: Standing Stone State Park, near Livingston, TN
Apr. 05, 2003: Shakerag Hollow, Perimeter Trail, University of the South, Sewanee, TN
Apr. 03, 2003: Mossy Ridge Trail, Percy Warner Park, Nashville, TN
Mar. 29, 2003: BlueBell Island & Collins Gulf in Savage Gulf Wilderness Area, South Cumberland State Park
Mar. 28, 2003: Mossy Ridge Trail, Percy Warner, Nashville, TN
Mar. 22, 2003: Radnor Lake State Park, Nashville, TN
Mar. 20, 2003: Mossy Ridge Trail, Percy Warner Park, Nashville, TN
Mar.15, 2003: Long Hunter State Park, Lebanon, TN