May 10, 2022
Sosebee Cove & Coosa Backcountry Trail
near Vogel State Park
This was another pleasant spring hike with good weather and trails. The short loop around Sosebee Cove is quite easy. While we did see a fair number of wildflowers, we did not see as many as hoped. A couple of weeks earlier would probably have been the peak time for viewing. We did see a few fading examples of the Showy Orchis. The section of the Coosa Backcountry Trail from Burnett Gap to Wolf Creek that we hiked was not difficult even though it was mostly uphill on the way back from Wolf Creek. We did see a variety of wildflowers, but most memorable was a small gathering of Pink Lady Slippers. There was also a small waterfall about halfway along the trail. We also encountered a large Black Rat Snake which appeared to have just had lunch and was resting across the trail. Another remarkable observation was the large gathering of Tiger Swallowtail Butterflies gathering on the north side of Wolf Creek, mostly in the wet areas.
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The route
5.1 mi · 863 ft climbing · 4h 6m out, 2h 45m walking · 1.8 mph moving
Elevation
Hover over the profile to see the elevation and steepness. Your position will be shown on the map.
Part 1 of 2 · 0.4 mi
- Steepness
- Gentle under 5%
- Moderate 5–10%
- Steep 10–15%
- Very steep over 15%
Part 2 of 2 · 4.6 mi
- Steepness
- Gentle under 5%
- Moderate 5–10%
- Steep 10–15%
- Very steep over 15%
One photo is shown on the map where it was taken — click it to see it full size.
Photos (36)
Wildflower of the day found along the Coosa Backcountry Trail: The Pink lady's slipper (Cypripedium acaule). Today's Hikers (L-R) Top: Ray, John, Kim, Luanne, Heather & Charles; Bottom: Mike, Inna, Jenny, Lynn, Beth and Christine Sosebee Cove, first stop. They are ready to get started, but I had GPS problems. Fixed! Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum) Foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia) White Trillium "Stinking Benjamin" (Trillium erectum) Sweetroot of some type perhaps?? Umbrella Leaf (Diphylleia cymosa) Bristly Buttercup, (Ranunculus hispidus) Jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum False Solomon's Seal (Maianthemum racemosum) Blue Cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides) not in bloom Yellowroot (Xanthorhiza simplicissima) not in bloom Star Chickweed (Stellaria pubera) Red Toadshade Trillium (Trillium cuneatum) Showy orchis (Orchis spectabilis) at the end of its blooming cycle. Solomon's Seal (Polygonatum biflorum) Golden Alexander (Zizia trifoliata) The massive Yellow Buckeye still dominates this north facing cove which favors shade-tolerant plants. Photos by Heather Wall A very large Poplar that is very prominent at Sosebee Cove. Photo by Heather Wall Our second trail today. Lyre-leaved Sage (Salvia lyrata) Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum) Bowman's root (Gillenia trifoliata) Meadow Rue (Thalictrum pubescens) A really small, but attractive cascade midway through this trail. This Pussytoes is about at the end of its blooming season. Yep, all Bluets are not blue. Woodland Bluet (Houstonia lanceolata) Just a very few of these Dwarf crested iris still in bloom. A large Black Rat Snake resting across the trail. Color variations of some Native azaleas. Even the Blackberry blooms are attractive if you take the time to look. Just a small sampling of the numerous Tiger Swallowtail Butterflies seen on the north side of Wolf Creek Native Sweet shrubs like wet areas and bloom for a long time. Just one of the small bridges on the way back.