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Hotspots for Spring Wildflowers

April 12, 2016  |  Permalink

Spring flowers are in full display in many of our parks and natural areas this month. Here are a few of my favorite places to enjoy them:

Standing Stone State Park

Walk the Lake Trail or the paved road upstream of Overton Lodge at Standing Stone State Park to enjoy a wonderful and easily accessible display.

Taylor Hollow State Natural Area

Go with Roger McCoy and Natural Areas Staff to Taylor Hollow State Natural Area for a breathtaking display.

South Cumberland State Park

Hike the strenuous Collins Gulf Trail at South Cumberland’s Savage Gulf State Natural Area for a memorable display and spectacular scenery such as waterfalls.

Short Springs State Natural Area

The area below Machine Falls at the Short Springs State Natural Area has one of the most diverse and abundant wildflower displays anywhere.

 

“Waterworld”—@wessnerphotography here again posting for Visit Franklin. One of the joys of living in the Franklin area is not only having such beautiful countryside close at hand, but also so many wonderful places to visit within an hour or two drive. This is Machine Falls, the main event at Short Springs State Natural Area near Tullahoma, TN.  It is completely worth the 1.5 hour drive, and the relatively short (though steep) hike down to the base of the falls.  You’ll need to bring water shoes of some sort, and plan on getting at least a little wet, as there is no clear, easy trail for the last portion of the hike leading up the base of the waterfall (best just to walk straight up the stream the falls dive into). Though beautiful any time of year, spring is when the park really comes to life.  Along with Machine Falls and adjoining streams, it is also one of the very best places in Tennessee to view and enjoy spring wildflowers. #FranklinTn #Tullahoma #machinefalls

A photo posted by Franklin Tennessee (@visitfranklintn) on


Frozen Head State Park

Just about any trail at Frozen Head State Park and Natural Area is good for wildflowers this time of the year.

 

Enjoying the nice weather now that I'm back in Tennessee

A photo posted by Christopher Gies (@christophergies) on

Norris Dam State Park

Just about any trail at Frozen Head State Park and Natural Area is good for wildflowers this time of the year.

Cumberland Trail State Scenic Trail

Black Mountain section of the Cumberland Trail is great and usually a few days later than the others mentioned.

Photo courtesy of Peter C. Koczera, Director and Lead Photographer of the Cumberland Trail Photography Project.

Roan Mountain State Park

The lower slopes of many trails at Roan Mountain State Park have a great display.

A few more our new trail signs have been installed this past week. This is just one of many signs that we are adding to our trail system. We hope you enjoy the new additions!

Posted by Roan Mountain State Park on Monday, April 11, 2016

About the author

Randy Hedgepath

Tennessee State Naturalist Randy Hedgepath is a native of west Tennessee, where his family’s farm was just 15 miles from the Tennessee River. After graduating from UT Martin and working seasonally for several years for the National Park Service and Tennessee State Parks, he has spent the last 33 years with state parks. Randy worked as a ranger/naturalist at South Cumberland State Park on the Cumberland Plateau and at Radnor Lake Natural Area in Nashville until 2007 when he was given the opportunity to be the statewide naturalist for the state park system.