Wildflowers on the Highland Scenic Highway

While cruising the Highland Scenic Highway a few years ago, my wife, Phyllis, and I spotted a young couple hunched by the side of the road photographing something in the ditch. Being a photographer, this piqued my curiosity, so of course we stopped. We discovered that the young lady was a Ph.D. Candidate at the Department of Biology at Duke University. The two had found a somewhat rare fen orchid just a few inches tall. Phyllis and I are wildflower enthusiasts, so we shared in the excitement of their find. But we weren’t entirely caught off-guard by the discovery.

Wildflowers Abound

Earlier that day, we had already found and photographed some large purple fringed orchid plants along State Route 39/55. Moreover, we were en route to a patch of wild columbine along the Highland Scenic Highway. We knew the wildflower delights this highway had to offer. Indeed, wildflowers are as much a part of the Highland Scenic Highway experience as the scenic views from which it draws its name.

Large Purple Fringed Orchid

Wild Columbine

Two week ago we cruised the Highland Scenic Highway again and found plenty of wildflower action. Found a nice patch of Wild Columbine on the east side of the road just a little south of the Highway's junction with FS #461. This is close to the North Fork Trailhead (TR 272). GPS coordinates are Lat 38.292741, Long -80.247213.

Wild Columbine

Bee Balm
It must be a good year for Bee Balm because we saw plenty of it. The Bee Balm grew in large stands particularly on the south end of the Highway (south of the crossing at the Williams River Road). Turk's cap lilies were also blooming well. Several plants and groups of plants were seen. 

Bee Balm

More about wildflowers on the north end of the Highland Scenic Highway in my next Blog. 
Click Part Two.

Turk's Cap Lilies