Spring Driving Map

Timing is Everything

Did you know that, in the past 50 years, spring in the Smoky Mountains has become significantly earlier and warmer? At Sugarlands Visitor Center, since 1970, Aprils have warmed by an average of 4.1°F, Mays by 5°F, and Junes by 4°F.

Most of the rise is reflected in the morning lows. “We’re not getting as cold at night,” said Jim Renfro, the park’s air quality specialist and the person in charge of collecting and managing the park’s weather data.

Spring wildflowers have adapted over millions of years to rely on soil temperature and moisture as their primary gauges for timing blooms. Since their sole objective in creating a beautiful flower is to attract pollinators and make viable seeds, timing is everything. Blooms generally only last a few days, so flowering before the pollinators— butterflies, bumblebees, moths, ants, beetles, hummingbirds—show up can be disastrous.

“According to the National Phenology Network, trees in our region are greening up 15 to 20 days earlier,” said Paul Super, the park’s research coordinator. Caterpillars, which dine voraciously on tree leaves, appear to be likewise emerging earlier.

Unfortunately, the migratory songbirds that feed on the caterpillars are flitting about in the tropics during March and April and have no idea how warm it is in the Southern Appalachian Mountains. “They rely on changing day length to trigger their migration,” Super said. Consequently, the synchronization of trees, bugs, and birds is being disrupted.

Earlier springs also mean trees are flowering earlier, making them vulnerable to ‘late’ frosts. Such miscues can greatly diminish the harvests of cherries, nuts, and acorns on which wildlife—and humans—rely for food.

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MARYVILLE

411

321 321 441

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PIGEON FORGE

Gatlinburg Welcome Center National Park Information Center Roarin Paved, na oers and his

129 411

To Chattanooga

Look Rock Tower

Chilhowee

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CHEROKEE NATIONAL FOREST Calderwood Lake

T E N N E S S E E N O R T H C A R O L I N A

JOYCE KILMER - SLICKROCK WILDERNESS AREA

N o R V s 73 321 G R E A T S M O K Y M O U N T A I N N A T I O N A L P A R K GATLINBURG Townsend Walland

Wears Valley Little Greenbrier School Heritage Center

Elkmont Red light #8 Thunderhead Mountain Cades Cove Visitor Center Townsend Visitors Center

GSM Institute at Tremont Ri ve r Littl e Road Bone Valley Trail Hazel Creek Trail Little Brier Gap Trail R i c h M o u n t a i n R o a d P a r s o n B r a n c h R o a d ( c l o s e d t o m o t o r v e h i c l e s ) F o n t a n a L a k e T w e n t y m i l e T r a i l Abrams Falls

Twentymile Cascade Laurel Falls C h e s t n u t T o p T r a i l Twentymile Loop Trail Wolf Ridge Trail Lake Cheoah T r e m o n t R d Middle Prong Trail Laurel Falls Trail Fighting Creek Trail Meigs Falls

Lynn Camp Prong Cascades Cataract Falls A b r a m s F a l l s T r a i l Andrews Bald L i t t l e R i v e r T r a i l Chimney C u c u m b e r G a p T r a i l GATLINBURG Sugarlands Visitor Center J a k e s C r e e k T r a i l Deals Gap F o o t h i l l s P a r k way F oo th i ll s P a r k w a y Fontana Dam Abrams Creek

Clingmans Dome Maloney Point Cades Cove Loop Road: 11-mile one-way loop road oers wildlife viewing and access to a historic grist mill, churches and log homes. Allow at least 2-3 hours. Carlos Campbell Overlook Restrooms are available at visitor centers, Cades Cove and Smokemont campgrounds, Cades Cove, Deep Creek and Greenbrier picnic areas, Newfound Gap and Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont. Vault toilets are also available at Rainbow Falls, Alum Cave, Abrams Falls and Clingmans Dome trailheads. A p p a l a c h i a n T r a i l Foothills Parkway Rich Mountain Road: Opens April 10. Little Greenbrier Road: Opens April 10.

FONTANA VILLAGE

Santeetlah Lake 129 A p p a l a c h i a n

28

T r a i l

416 32 321 Cosby F o o t h i l l s P a r k w a y Park View

aring Fork Motor Nature Trail: d, narrow, 5.5 mile one-way road oers old-growth forest, waterfalls and historic buildings. No RVs allowed. Opens April 10. Pittman Center

Greenbrier 321 73

Hen Wallow Falls

G a b e s M o u n t a i n T r a i l

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Cosby Mount Cammerer Mount Cammerer Trail

Exit 451 T E N N E S S E E N O R T H C A R O L I N A

Big Creek 40

B i g C r e e k T r a i l Mouse Creek Falls Lo w Ga p Tr ai l

R a m s e y C a s c a d e s T r a i l

Ramsey Cascades

Mount Guyot

23 74 19 74 441 441 19 276 N S A p p a l a c h i a n T r a i l CHEROKEE INDIAN RESERVATION BRYSON CITY CHEROKEE Balsam Mountain Smokemont Deep Creek Mount Le Conte

Soco Gap Oconaluftee Visitor Center B l u e R i d g e P a r k w a y B i g C o v e R o a d L a k e v i e w D r PISGAH NATIONAL FOREST Exit 20 Dellwood Maggie Valley

WAYNESVILLE To Asheville B l u e R i d g e P a r k w a y Swain County Visitor Center Grotto Falls Rainbow Falls

Mingus Mill Charlies Bunion

Cherokee Museum Juney Whank Falls Trail Loop Trail Indian Creek Falls Tom Branch Falls Juney Whank Falls D e e p C r e e k T r a i l Oconaluftee River Trail Alum Cave Blus K a n a t i F o r k T r Porters Flat Fern Branch Falls Alum Cave Trail Chimney Tops Trail

Kephart Prong Trail

Smokemont Loop Trail Andrews Bald P o r t e r s C r e e k T r a i l Mingo Falls Chasteen Creek Falls Chimney Tops Sugarlands Visitor Center H e i n t o o g a R i d g e R o a d C o v e C r e e k R o a d T r i l l i u m G a p T r a i l R a i n b o w F a l l s T r a i l lingmans Dome Cataloochee Valley Overlook Newfound Gap Oconaluftee Valley Overlook Carlos Campbell erlook

Newfound Gap Road: This paved road is the only route over the Great Smoky Mountains. It stretches for 31 miles between Gatlinburg and Cherokee and climbs from an elevation of 1,300’ to 5,046’ (at Newfound Gap). Heintooga/Round Bottom Road: Opens May 15. Cataloochee Valley (closed through May 20): 8 miles from I-40 (including 3 miles on a narrow gravel road). The short road through the valley oers wildlife viewing (including elk) and access to a historic church, school and homes. Clingmans Dome Road: 7-mile paved road leads to the Clingmans Dome trailhead. A very steep, halfmile walk takes you to Clingmans Dome tower and the highest point in the Smokies (6,643’). Opens March 30.

Picnic Areas Camping Nature Trails Major Hwys Major Roads Paved Roads Gravel Roads Trails Spring Auto Tours Great Mountain Views Wildflowers Horseback Riding (rental) H e i n t o o g a/ Ro u n d B o t t o m R d .