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Northeast Georgia HikingNew & Old Friends Who Like to Hike

May 8, 2012

Buckeye Creek - Bartram Trail - NC

Trail information

A very nice and not heavily used portion of the Bartram Trail. This area is a very rich wildflower habitat and the mountain views are very beautiful. The terrain is a bit challenging with a 2,000 ft elevation gain from the start to the turn around point. Today's hike - 9 miles with large elevation changes - moderately strenuous

Directions

Take Highway 441 N. thru Clayton, GA and continue to Otto, NC. Turn right on Tessentee Rd. and go several miles and turn left onto Buckeye Branch Rd. (there is a Bartram Trail sign here) and drive this gravel road to the dead-end parking lot just before the Forest Service locked gate. Another great day for a hike! WILD

Conditions

Mostly to partly cloudy with a little rain with temperatures ranging from 60 to 73 F.

Hikers (10)

  • Phil Brownrigg
  • Greta Driggers
  • Jim Driggers
  • Pam Euliss
  • Dave Hinson
  • Tyler Hinson
  • Jeanne O'Connor
  • Vic Robson
  • Lynne Saporito
  • Pom Sinnock

Flowers in bloom

Bowman's Root, Four Leafed Milkweed, White Milkweed, Galax, Rattlesnake Weed, American Euonymous, Yellow Stargrass, Catesby's Trillium, Vasey's Trillium, Flame Azalea, Tulip Poplar, Blackberry, Mt. Hydrangea, Shooting-star, Fire Pink, Purple Phacelia, Wood Geranium, Blue Phlox, Spiderwort, Yellow Lady's-slipper, Beard-tongue, Tall Meadow Rue, Purple Violet, Lyre-leafed Sage, Mt. Laurel, Golden Ragwort, Jack-in-the-pulpit, Cinquefoil, Dutchman's Pipe, Carolina Vetch, Yarrow, Solomon's Seal, Solomon's Plume, Sweet Shrub, Thyme-leafed Bluets, Woodland Bluets, Bedstraw, Meadow Parsnip, Flowering Spurge and Sourdock

Birds identified

Blue Jay, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, American Crow, Tufted Titmouse, Pileated Woodpecker, Wood Thrush, Ovenbird, Hooded Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler, Pine Warbler, American Redstart, Worm-eating Warbler, Yellow-throated Warbler, Blue-headed Vireo, Red-eyed Vireo and Wild Turkey. OTHER FAUNA: Red Eft (newt)

Photos (12)

  • Starting up the old roadbed toward Wolf Rock.
  • We turn left here with a warning.
  • This portion of the Bartram Trail is always a great wildflower habitat. Here we spot Fire Pink (Silene virginica).
  • Three miles out from Buckeye Creek.
  • Always a treat to find Yellow Lady Slippers (Cypripedium calceolus)
  • The old school bus!
  • These Mountain Laurels (Kalmia latifolia) are just beginning to open.
  • Awesome views from Wolf Rock!
  • A nice Red Eft Salamander!
  • Dutchman's Pipe (Aristolochia macrophylla)
  • Another great day for a hike on the Bartram Trail!
  • The OFHC gang for today's hike! (l-r) Vic Robson, Tyler Hinson, Phil Brownrigg, Jeanne O'Connor, Dave Hinson, Pom Sinnock, Pam Euliss, Jim Driggers, Lynne Saporito & "Angus", and Greta Driggers.