As I write this I look out my window at the heliport at lots of snow falling, again. The ground is white and getting whiter. I love the snow! But like many others, I am ready for the spring!
The spring in Smoky Mountain country is really quite amazing. Everything goes from brown and now white to every shade of green you can imagine. But wait there's more... then the pear trees bloom and the white returns, only now it is accompanied by warmer temps. Then the red buds, which must have been named by someone color blind, as they are purple and so beautiful especially when close to evergreens. The contrast of the green and purple is very complimentary. Of course the dogwoods are in there too. But that is just in the foothills areas.
The really amazing blooms happen at higher elevations; the heath balds. These concentrated areas of rhododendron, mountain laurel and galax produce very vibrant colors. The colors consist of pink, purple, white and orange. Although they can be seen from the ground, the best viewing is by air. These balds are mainly in the highest elevations of the park, especially in the area between Sugarland Mountain and Thunderhead. We will be offering a special tour at Scenic Helicopter Tours in June to see these awesome vistas.
The blooming trees begin in just a couple of weeks at the lowest elevations and will slowly, but surely make their way up the mountains. Making the viewing of the balds ripe in June. Become a fan on Facebook for the latest on how the blooms are progressing!
