Venture to the Baxter/Big Creek trails 

19 April 2006

The Baxter Creek/Big Creek area of the GSMNP is always wonderful for spring flowers and this year was no exception. On the Baxter Creek trail, which we walked in the morning we saw at least 30 species of wildflower in a two mile section, and not just one or two flowers. Yellow Toadshade Trillium, Trillium luteum, was everywhere and entire hillsides were covered with Fern-leaf (Purple) Phacelia. 

We arrived back at the parking area and had lunch before walking up the Big Creek trail where we saw fewer flowers but some we hadn't seen that morning, most noticeably Dwarf Iris and Fire Pink. With the great flowers, several birds, and quite a few butterflies it was an enjoyable spring day spent in one of the most beautiful places around.

Stonecrop, Wild- Sedum ternatum
Violet, Birdfoot - Viola pedata
Violet, Long-spurred - Viola rostrata.
Violet, Canada- Viola canadensis
Ginger, Wild- Asarum canadense
Chickweeds - Stellaria spp.
Ragwort, Golden - Packera
Foam Flower - Tiarella cordifolia.
Trillium, Toadshade- Trillium spp
Sweet Cicely- Osmorhiza claytonia
Solomon's Seal - Polygonatum biflorum
False Solomon' Seal - Smilacina
Strawberry, Common- Fragaria virginiana
Strawberry, Indian - Duchesnea indica
Bishop's Cap/Miterwort- Mitella
Toothwort, Cut-leaved - Dentaria laciniata
Showy Orchis- Galearis spectabilis
Dog Hobble/Fetterbush, Leucothoe
Trillium, Sweet White - Trillium simile
Trillium, Red (Wakerobin) - Trillium erectum
Violet, Round-leaved - Viola
*Hepatica spp.- Round-lobed Hepatica, Hepatica americana, and Sharp lobed Hepatica
Cohosh, Blue - Caulophyllum
Doll's Eye/White Baneberry- Actaea pachypoda
Squirrel Corn - Dicentra canadensis (We saw one blossom and it was past its' peak.)
Mandarin, Yellow/Fairy bells - Disporum lanuginosum
*Bloodroot - Sanguinaria canadensis
Buttercup, Ranunculus spp (We saw four different species)
Fleabane, Common - Erigeron philadelphicus
Plantain, Robin's- Erigeron pulchellus
Cinquefoil, Common - Potentilla
Iris, Dwarf- Iris verna
Fire Pink - Silene virginica
*Alumroot- Heuchera americana
*Jewelweed/Touch-me-not- Impatiens spp
*Plantain, Rattlesnake - Goodyera spp.
**Rue, Early Meadow- Thalictrum dioicum
Sweetshrub/Carolina Allspice- Calycanthus fertilis
Vetch, Wood (Carolina) - Vicia caroliniana
Squaw Root- Conopholus americana
Phacelia, Purple- Phacelia bipinnatifida
Geranium, Wild- Geranium maculatum.
Golden Alexanders- Zizia aptera
Cresses - various spp
Redbud/Judas tree - Cercis canadensis
Silverbell, Carolina - Halesia carolina
Locust, Black - Robinia pseudo-acacia
Dogwood, Flowering - Cornus florida
Maple, Striped - Acer pensylvanicum
Paulownia, Royal/Princess tree - Paulownia tomentosa
Buckeye, Yellow - Aesculus octandra
* indicates we did not see the plant in bloom.

Ferns

Maidenhair Fern
Bracken Fern
Christmas Fern

Birds

Black-throated Green Warble
Ovenbird
Louisiana Waterthrush
Red-eyed Vireo
Northern Parula
Pileated Woodpecker
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
American Robin
American Goldfinch
Eastern Phoebe
Chipping Sparrow
Solitary Vireo
Blackburnian Warbler
Black and White Warbler
Northern Cardinal

Butterflies

West Virginia White
Pipevine Swallowtail
Spicebush Swallowtail
Spring Azure
Comma
Silver-spotted Skipper
Sleepy Duskywing
Dreamy Duskywing
Horace's Duskywing
Gemmed Satyr