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If you have never witnessed the breathtaking impact of millions of vibrant, blooming wildflowers, than you have missed one of the most magical wonders of spring! Wildflower production is, of course, based on weather conditions. Some years, you find few flowers because of lack of rain and other detrimental conditions. But once in a while Mother Nature creates the perfect synergy for an explosion of color, known as the Superbloom!
Right now in Death Valley, California, the region is alive with a wildflower superbloom that hasn’t been seen in over ten years! Record rainfalls in this hottest and driest place on earth, have created the perfect conditions for a stunning display. Elliot McGucken, a Fine Art, Landscape Nature photographer, recently captured images of this desert superbloom for all to enjoy. Go to emcgucken.com to see some of his amazing images.
Closer to home, we can enjoy a fabulous array of wildflowers here in Georgia blooming right now! According to studies, there are 374 documented wildflowers located in an area of northwest Georgia, northeast Alabama and southern Tennessee.
Tucked away on Pigeon Mountain, in a remote section of northwest Georgia is a hidden cove, known as “The Pocket.” Considered one of the prime locations to view ephemeral spring wildflowers, you will find at least 35 species of wildflowers blooming from early-to-mid-March to early April. Limestone cliffs in The Pocket leach calcium into the soil, creating the perfect soil conditions for wildflowers to thrive.
Right now is a prime time to travel up to The Pocket on Pigeon Mountain and enjoy the Shirley Miller Wildflower Trail – a short 800 feet boardwalk that allows visitors to wander above the wildflower habitat and enjoy the blooms without damaging the environment. Along this easy path you may see dozens of wildflower species, including trout lily, Virginia bluebells, purple phacelia, Dutchman’s breeches, trailing Trillium, white Trillium, wood poppy, wild hyacinth, Jack-in-the-Pulpit and many more! Some wildflowers you will see on the Shirley Miller Trail are rare to any other part of Georgia!
When the boardwalk ends, continue on the dirt trail along Pocket Creek to a waterfall that flows down limestone cliffs, creating the neutral pH bottomland soil to support the wildflowers. From the boardwalk to the waterfall and back is a 0.9 mile walk.
If you are adventurous and want a longer hike, take the nearby Pocket Loop Trail – a 9 mile loop trail, considered moderate to difficult. Pigeon Mountain Management Area is prized for its many miles of trails, primitive camping sites, caves and areas to rock climb. The mountain is home to Ellison’s Cave, the 12th deepest in the U.S. and includes a vertical drop of 586 feet! On top of Pigeon Mountain is Rocktown – an area of large sandstone boulders, considered one of the best bouldering spots in the South.
To learn more about the wildflowers in The Pocket, get a copy of Jay Clark’s definitive guide on “Wildflowers of Pigeon Mountain” that you can order on Amazon. To get to the Shirley Miller Wildflower Trail, start in LaFayette, Georgia and take Hwy 193 N for about 8 miles to Davis Crossroad. Turn left onto Hog Jowl Rd. and go nearly 3 miles. As you top a hill, Pocket Road will be on the left. Drive slowly and carefully along Pocket Rd. for about a mile, crossing a creek, and then turn left into the parking lot at the end. Walk down the gravel driveway through the handicap parking area to get to the Shirley Miller Wildflower Trail. **You will need a Go Outdoors Georgia hunting, fishing or lands pass license you can purchase online to be legally on the property.
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