Description: We will take an early spring hike around the Soak Ash Creek area of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Pittman Center, TN. This 20-acre addition to the National Park was made possible in 2011 by the Friends of the Smokies and has been the site of extensive invasive removal throughout the last decade.

There is a grove of native American plum as well as many early successional communities along the creek that will be in full bloom later in the spring. In the woodlands, we should see early spring wildflowers (hepatica, anemone, toothwort, bloodroot, etc.) and species like blue phacelia, spring beauty, and other grasses/sedges in the open areas.

Meeting Place/Time: Parking lot of Steiner Bell Lodge, will access Soak Ash Creek via Old Settler’s Trail at 10:00 AM EDT
Difficulty: Easy to moderate. There are some wet areas and narrow pathways along wooded slopes, so waterproof hiking boots may be of use.
Lunch: Late lunch at WaFloy Restaurant close by.
Facilities: At the restaurant/lodge
Leader: Shelby Lyn Sanders, ph. 405-301-0915, email slsanders@foothillsland.org