Last Thursday wasn't all about wildflowers as my trip to Buffalo Mountain was just the start of the day. It culminated with an overnight at Rocky Fork State Park (RFSP).
As I talked about here I was looking for wildflowers, specifically Mountain Laurel. I park where I usually do and took the Noggin Trail up to White Rock. This takes me to Huckleberry Knob, which is the starting point for the Spoon Wood blooms. I also took the opportunity to send up the drone. I hiked up past Sunset Point and onto the Lady Slipper Trail. While I didn't find any Lady Slippers here I did on the Fork Knob Trail. I did hike it to its upper terminus with the White Rock Trail. From here, I turned back and returned the way I came as Rocky Fork beckoned.
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| At Buffalo Mountain |
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| Huckleberry Knob... |
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| ...Buffalo Mountain... |
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| ...& Johnson City from 400 feet above. |
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| Sunset Point |
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| My trip on the Lady Slipper & Fork Knob Trails |
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| (Clockwise) Mountain Laurel, Pink Lady Slipper, Rattlesnake Weed, Flame Azalea, Pea, Indian Psychic |
I did worry some with the darkening skies as I headed east on I-26. But when I got to Rocky Fork I just made sure to pack my rain gear, but I wouldn't need it. I was heading to Flint Creek Trail Backcountry Campsite for the night. It is the closest and easiest of the backcountry sites to reach. It was my second time here with my first in July of 2021. As I wrote about then it is a nice site with a pair of tent pads, fire rings, and bear boxes, but one privy. Like last time I chose the back site. It was just good to be out for the night and as it seems these days I always sleep better.
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| Starting out at Rocky Fork |
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| Highlights of the Flint Creek Trail |
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| Flint Creek Trail Backcountry Campsite |
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| Enjoying the campsite |
So, I had another day of hiking planned to Whitehouse Cliffs on Friday. Anyway, when I broke camp this was still the plan. Three years ago I hiked up the Whitehouse Cliffs Trail and was greeted with plenty of Mountain Laurel. However, that was early June, so I wasn't 100 percent sure they had flowered yet. After visiting the Rocky Fork Ranger Station the Mountain Laurel there showed I made the right decision (they weren't blooming). A place I knew they were was at Cliff Ridge above the Nolichucky Gorge. Well, by the time I got back to the trailhead I had talked myself out of going to Whitehouse Cliffs and onto Cliff Ridge.
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| Heading back the next morning |
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| Stopped by the Blue Hole... |
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| ...then the ranger station |
I have done this hike many times before. It starts a Chesota at the Nolichucky River Gorge and heads up southbound on the AT. While not too long it is a steep climb up to the Cliffs over the Gorge. Along the way I saw plenty of Mountain Laurel and once at the top even some Rattlesnake Weed. Once back at Chesota I even did some assisted photos. Oh, what better way to finish two days out than a trip to the Whistle Stop in Unicoi. It was a tonic for what I needed...
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| Heading on the AT... |
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| ...up to Cliff Ridge |
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| Found more Mountain Laurel |
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| Vista from Cliff Ridge |
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| Clockwise) Rail Bridge, I-26, I-26 at Erwin, Pinnacle Mtn. |
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| Unaka Mountain |
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| Trip down to the Nolichucky |
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| Take off at Chesota |
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| (T) Chesota & Erwin (B) Nolichucky Gorge |
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