SANP Field Event
Frozen Head Wildflowers
Sunday, April 18th, 2021
Leader: Dale Potter Phone: (865)-773-8114 E-mail: dalepotter55@gmail.com
Meeting place: Frozen Head State Park Visitor Center
Time: 7:30 am
Registration available: Beginning today
Description: You have an option of three wildflower hikes this month. Hopefully, one of them or all them will be of interest. Join me on one or all three. Check out the other two events in addition to this one. Flowers at all three may be different. Frozen Head State Park is renowned for its variety of spring wildflowers. We can expect to find several varieties of violets and trillium, wild iris, wild geranium, and many more. If the weather cooperates and the temperatures are warm enough, we may see butterflies, bees, beetles, millipedes, and perhaps a salamander or two. Interesting fungi, mosses, and lichens are a good possibility also. DeBord Falls on Panther Branch Creek is a short walk, about ¼-mile from the trailhead. Small cascades and moss-covered boulders along the stream offer nice photo opportunities. Our goal is to make it to the “Trillium Field” on the Panther Branch trail. Here we will see numerous Large-flowered White Trillium, Perfoliate Bellwort, Cumberland Spurge, Spotted and Yellow Mandarin, Dwarf Ginseng, and many other wildflowers.
Learning opportunities:
- Artistic composition
- Getting adequate depth of field and a good background for a macro subject
- Isolating the subject from the background using a long lens
- Field identification of early spring wildflowers
What to bring:
- Macro lens if you have one
- Close-up accessories such as extension rings, screw on close-up lens and teleconverters
- Medium telephoto lenses
- Polarizing filter
- Reflectors and diffusers
- Tripod
- Cellphone camera is an option.
Rain gear for yourself and a rain cover for your camera in case we have snow or rain.
Walking required: The trail is an easy to moderate 4 mile in and out trail.
COVID-19 precautions:
We will practice social distancing and wear masks to mitigate the risk of virus transmission.
Driving directions: Use Google for the Frozen Head State Park Visitor Center. I will be in a red Jeep Wrangler. After everyone arrives, we will drive to the parking lot for the trailhead.
