Field Trip: Shining Rock Wildflowers

with Everette Robinson 

Field Trip—Shining Rock Area Sunday, September 16-9:00 AM Driving Time from Asheville: One hour fifteen to one hour thirty minutes

Field Trip Leader: Everette Robinson cell phone day of trip 828-545-1369 erobinsonphoto@charter.net

Recommended equipment: Comfortable footwear, layered clothing, and rain gear (just in case). Tripod, wide-angle lens, macro lens, telephoto lens, polarizer, and graduated neutral density filter.

Hike: A section of the 2.5-mile Flat Laurel Creek loop trail. We may explore some options, depending on what we find. Difficulty: Moderately easy. Some elevation gain and tricky footing in the eroded ruts of the grassy fields.

Directions: From Asheville take the Blue Ridge Parkway south. After passing Graveyard Fields (milepost 418.8), turn right onto Black Balsam Rd at milepost 420.2. Continue over the paved road to its end and park in the parking area. We will hike to the fields below Sam’s Knob in the Shining Rock area. We will be near the switchover from summer into autumn. We may encounter goldenrod, asters, and migrating butterflies. We may encounter early fall color. Whatever the case, surrounded by scenic mountains, photographic opportunities will abound.

Duration: The hike should last a half-day until around two o’clock. Bring a lunch and plenty of water and snacks. There is a fifteen-person cap on participation on this outing.