Linville Gorge

Eleven BRNN members joined US Forest Service Botanist Gary Kauffman and his intern for an expedition to Linville Gorge to see the interesting and rare plants found there.  Our group travelled south from the Table Rock trailhead towards the Chimneys and learned about a remarkable variety of plants along the way.  Some highlights along this stretch included Carolina lilies, starry campion, Table Mountain pine, wild lily of the valley, witch hazel, fothergilla, sand myrtle, and some interesting fungi, mosses and lichens.  At the end of the trail with a bit of clambering we saw the stars of the show, the rare Hudsonia montana and Liatris helleri.  But the plants weren’t the only attraction; we were treated to amazing views of Linville Gorge and some fascinating Quartzite rock outcrops.  Having spent too much time picking Gary’s brain on the outbound hike, we did not have time to climb Table Rock in the afternoon, but instead stopped along the roadside in a couple of places to see Appalachian sunflowers and some gorgeous yellow-fringed orchids.  All agreed that it was a full but rewarding day.