VACATIONmode Spring 2017 | Page 16

DAZZLING SPRING HIKES IN GATLINBURG DAZZLING SPRING HIKES in Gatlinburg, Tennessee What’s more dazzling than the Great Smoky Mountains in spring? We’re talking about a proliferation of wildflowers lighting up the slopes, with a varied growing season providing a changing colorscape from mid-April through late July. On the best spring hikes near Gatlinburg, you’ll find trails showcasing the Smoky Mountains’ finest wildflowers as the trees burst into beautiful green life. It’s the perfect way to recover from a long winter! The wildflower season typically begins in March. In these early weeks of spring, you’ll begin to see blooms from small flowers such as the spring beauty, a white or pink bloom with deeper veins of color through its five petals. As the season wears on, more and more flowers erupt until June brings azaleas and rhododendrons. For a wonderful list of wildflowers you can find in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park... 16 SPRING 2017 | VACATIONmode