5/4/04 Bartram Trail – Buckeye Creek, NC

TRAIL INFO. – Our hike today was on the Bartram Trail from Buckeye Creek (near Otto, NC) between Clayton, GA and Franklin, NC to the Wolf Rock Over-look near Fish Hawk Mountain.

The trail is in good shape and follows an old road-bed for much of the distance. It was a great wildflower day and there were lots of good mountain views.

Another beautiful hiking day! Fair skies with temps ranging from the low 40’s to the upper 60’s F. Total hike approx. 10 miles. We rated the trail moderately difficult with lots of elevation change.

FLORA: Yellow Lady’s-Slipper, Pink Lady’s-Slipper, Showy Orchis, Micheaux’s Saxifrage, Shooting Star, Robin’s Plaintain, Rattlesnake Weed, Spiderwort, Service Berry, Purple Phacelia, Wild Geranium, Wild Sarsparilla, Jack-In-The-Pulpit, Star Chickweed, Squaw Root, Flame Azalea, Nodding Mandarin, Yellow Mandarin, Indian Cucumberroot, Perfoliate Bell Wort, Bluet, Cleavers Bedstraw, Dutchman’s Pipe Vine, May Apple, Fire Pink, Yellow Star Grass, Rue Anemone, Sweet Shrub, Indian Physic, Spring Beauty, Meadow Rue, Golden Alexander, Mountain Laurel, Large Flower Trillium, Vasey’s Trillium, Catesby’s Trillium, Purple Violet, White Violet, Yellow Violet, Bird’s-foot Violet.

FAUNA: Red-Spotted Salamander

BIRDS: Indigo Bunting, Solitary Vireo, Turkey Vulture, Pileated Woodpecker, Oven Bird, Black-and-White Warbler, Barred Owl, Towhee, and Ruffed Grouse.