My friend Fred and I hiked the Springer Mountain approach trail to the Appalachian Trail this last weekend… what a beautiful place.

We camped one night on top of the mountain, then hiked down again via a different route. Along the way I was impressed by how different the plants were from those in Florida. There were very few I could nail down definitively. Some were familiar, like oaks, hickories and poison ivy… but others were foreign to me.

Those look like violets, but the leaves are very tough and glossy. Maybe it’s a variety I haven’t encountered before. I also hadn’t seen ferns like these:

 

 

I don’t think I’ll ever hike the entire trail, but this was a great trip. If you ever get a chance to go do the Springer Mountain approach trail, especially with a knowledgeable hiker like my friend Fred… take it. You gotta get out of the garden every once in a while.