May 6, 2025
Park Creek-Park Ridge Loop
near Franklin, NC
Truly a "great day for a hike" with perfect mild weather, good trails, numerous wildflowers and the pleasant sights and sounds of Park Cree and the Nantahala River. This was an easy hike with well maintained trails, one long climb, one blowdown and several shallow, but easily crossed, wet crossings. The majority of the wildflowers were along the Park Creek and connector trails with an almost continuous abundance of a wide variety of wildflowers lining the trail. At this time of the year, this hike is well worth the slightly longer, but easy drive.
Today's hikers: Lynn Steele, Jenny Bell, Bobbie Broussard, Kim Johnson, Heather Wall & Toby, Mike Bell
The route
5.8 mi · 656 ft climbing · 4h 36m out, 3h 45m walking · 1.5 mph moving
Elevation
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- Steepness
- Gentle under 5%
- Moderate 5–10%
- Steep 10–15%
- Very steep over 15%
26 photos are shown on the map where they were taken — click one to see it full size.
Photos (27)
The last crossing of Park Creek was the "challenge of the day." Today's hikers (L-R): Mike, Lynn, Jenny, Bobbie, Kim, Heather & Toby The trailhead, trail conditions and first water crossing. It's hard to resist posing in this hollowed out tree trunk near the start of the hike. More living and very unique trees along the loop access trail. This Canada Mayflower??? is a bit unusual for this area. The first part of the hike takes us along the beautiful Nantahala River So many wildflowers today. Left clockwise: Wild geranium, Blisterwort & Bearded meadow parsnip. Just about the only fungi seen today, all along the Nantahala River. A fair amount of Mayapples today, many in bloom. The only almost blooming Clintonia we saw today. Really nice sights and sounds along Park Creek. So many varieties of Trillium. Quite a few wet crossings today. Lynn Steele spotted this Showy Orchis, one of several seen. More wildflowers from 10 o'clock CW: Wood betony, White baneberry, False Solomon seal, Foam flower. It's always nice to have a good set of steps going up an embankment. We saw quite a number of Umbrella leaf today, but few in bloom. From 10 o'clock CW: Broadleaf toothwort, Star chickweed, Bluette, Common blue violet Break time...think the girls are making faces at me! Just a couple of these Jack-in-the-pulpits found by Kim Johnson. The last section of the Park Ridge Trail is primarily a narrow ledge through a formerly controlled burn area. More wildflowers!! From center going clockwise: Yellow star grass, Flowering spurge, Rattlesnake weed, Pussytoes, Hairy mandarin. We walked through a colorful patch of newly sprouting American beech trees. An expanse of white blooming Trillium and ferns as we finish the connector between the two trails. A surprise find on the hillside as we neared the end of our hike: Maidenhair fern and Cinnamon fern. Toby says, "Come on, give me the treat. I've been quite good on this hike!"