Up Close With A Turk's Cap Lily

On the road to Clingman's Dome, which leads to the highest elevation in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, if you look very closely you just might catch a glimpse of the beautiful Turk Cap's Lily. If you are very lucky, you will find a spot to pull off the road to photograph them as I did on my recent visit.

Before my trek to the Smokies, I had read on the national park's Facebook page that the Turk's Caps were in bloom. I immediately wanted to photograph them. I didn't think I'd actually get to. So imagine my surprise when I found them in bloom along the road up to the summit of Clingman's Dome. The Turk's Cap Lily bloom in Summer in the higher elevations of the park. Since I rarely visit the Smokies in Summer, I had never made their acquaintance until this trip.

Along the road to Clingman's Dome I only saw one clump of Turk's Caps, but on the way back down there were several. Luckily I found a spot or two to pull off and capture these images. Needless to say, I was in my glory. Oddly enough, I thought I might see these flowers blooming along the road up to Newfound Gap, as that is a higher elevation too, but I didn't. We are having an 80's kind of weekend here in Nashville with an occasional scattered thunderstorm. Could it be that the 90 degree days are behind us. Wherever you are, I hope you are enjoying the weekend and your weather is cooperating. ENJOY!