March 22, 2022
Tamassee Knob Trail at Oconee State Park
A really beautiful day with partly cloudy skies, comfortable Spring temperatures and a light breeze. The approach, Palmetto Trail, added a mile to the easy to moderate difficulty hike. As reported by other hikers, there were some narrow ledges as well as short sections of moderate incline just prior to reaching Tamassee Knob. This early Spring hike provided only slightly obscured views to the north and south along the eastern ridgeline. The trail was in overall very good condition. The highlight of hike was the numerous wildflowers, especially trillium, in bloom on the south facing portions of the same ridgeline.
The route
5.5 mi · 909 ft climbing · 3h 57m out, 3h 17m walking · 1.7 mph moving
Elevation
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- Steepness
- Gentle under 5%
- Moderate 5–10%
- Steep 10–15%
- Very steep over 15%
5 photos are shown on the map where they were taken — click one to see it full size.
Photos (23)
View to the north from Tamassee Knob. Whiteside Mtn. in the distance. Today's Hikers (L-R) Back:- Terre, Beth, Joe, Bob, Lynn, Dick, Jeanne, Don., Mary Lu, Stephen, Dave, Heather & Ray; Front: Vic, Inna, Jenny, Bruce & Mike. Waning moon photo caught by Dick Metzgar. A good day for a hike! A nice and easy trail for the first half of the hike. An occasional view through the trees and red buds blooming along the trail. It got a bit more challenging on the second half of the hike with some narrow ledges and short inclines. A panoramic view to the north from Tamassee Knob. A break and snack on Tamassee Knob. Our first wildflower of the day, Rue Anemone (Anemonella thalictroides). Then we saw Daisy Fleabane (Erigeron philadelphicus). Did you can eat the leaves. The dwarf iris are beginning to push up through the leaf litter. Lots of Toadshade / Red Trillium (Trillium cuneatum). Also lots of a Spring favorite: Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis). Surprisingly, lots of Toadshade / Yellow Trillium (Trillium luteum), too. The last half of the trail had plenty of Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis). We can't forget the several varieties of violets. A single Serviceberry tree (Amelanchier canadensis) seen at the start of the hike. Ray spotted a few patches of Pussy-Toes (Antennaria plantaginifolia) along the trail. And the mystery plant of the day . . . Wild comfrey (Cynoglossum virginianum), I think? Looks like I am getting fixated by these odd formed trees. This large oak root system and home to Ressurection Fern (Cynoglossum virginianum) caught my eye toward the end of the hike. Worm or bug "texting" engraved in bark from a decayed tree.