Along the Way: Wildflowers

67°f this morning (19°C) with light showers, overcast. Got up to 86 yesterday. Yuck.

I stopped as usual at the tiny picnic area on the way to camp, and again on the way home. My first stop was rainy, cold, and the trail was so muddy I didn't go far because I would have had to go off the trail...which meant probably tromping on some of the numerous wildflowers. So I contented myself with just a short visit.

This is the rambunctious North Fork of the Cherry River, about 10 miles or so from Richwood, WV, and location of the picnic area.

The bridge leads to the little trail.

I was thrilled to see red trillium in bloom.

Mountain laurel overhangs the muddy trail.

There was so much Dutchman's Breeches (or Squirrel Corn? See below) in bloom...whole hillsides of it.

Plants even grow on this mossy old tree.

A little waterfall rumbles down the hill.

Signage tells about the plight of an endangered species in the river.

And finally back to my lonely van in the parking lot.

On the way home, the sun was shining and it was actually quite warm. The mud had dried up enough for me to venture further down the trail.

I was greeted by a half dozen of these pretty little West Virginia White butterflies.

Once again, I had the area to myself.

There were many white hepatica

I believe this is Carolina Spring Beauty, although it is hard to tell the difference from the Virginia Spring Beauty.

Trout lilies were abundant.

As you can see, it was a much drier path!

Squirrel Corn or Dutchman's Breeches? I am not sure how to tell the difference. I have just learned about Squirrel Corn-- up to now I called anything like this Dutchman's Breeches.  Oh dear.

A tiny pale blue violet bloomed all by itself. 

I was sad that this closeup of a red trillium came out so blurry. Sigh.

Panax trifolius, commonly called dwarf ginseng.

Trout lily

Appalachian Barren Strawberry 

Another Spring Beauty, not quite as brightly colored.

What a beautiful day it was to be in the woods,

and by a river.

Copyright Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.