Wildflowers Aplenty at Station Cove Falls

As a follow-up to my previous post about wildflowers and nature journals, I’d like to share some info about an easy hike with oodles of wildflowers called Station Cove Falls.  If you’re in the Upstate of South Carolina, Northeast Georgia, or Western North Carolina and want to see some wildflowers, then go on this hike in April during wildflower season.  You will not be disappointed.  This is a very easy and short hike and would be perfect to take troops that haven’t been hiking very much or have younger girls.

It’s one mile round trip and has very little change in elevation.  It features a 60 foot waterfall surrounded by so many bloodroot plants I couldn’t believe it.  I missed them blooming, but I’ve got to get back sometime to witness it.  It’s located in Oconee County near Walhalla and the trailhead is right off the main road. 

You can find more information and directions from SCTrails.net (a great resource, BTW).  It’s part of the Oconee Station State Historical Site (not Oconee State Park).  I didn’t visit the historical buildings nearby, but be aware that they are there for future reference.  You could probably fit them into a troop trip somehow.  FYI, the wildflowers start about halfway through the hike, so don’t be disappointed if you’re walking for a bit and see nothing.

Here’s a list of the wildflowers I recorded from my visit.  I’m sure I missed a few, plus I don’t think I’ve gone through all of my pictures.

• Trilliums out the ying yang
• Nodding trillium (purple)
• Whorled horsebalm
• Feathery False Solomon’s seal
• Strawberry bush
• Devil’s bit
• Sweetshrub
• Green and gold (golden star)
• Bloodroot
• Wild geranium
• Some kind of phlox
• Wood betony (lousewort)
• Canada violet
• Downy rattlesnake plantain
• Sharp-lobed liverleaf
• Maidenhair spleenwort
• Mountain angelica

If you would like to see my sightings list, I post them on NatureShare when I get around to it.  If you’re new to wildflower identification and live in SC, I suggest getting the book A Guide to the Wildflowers of South Carolina.  It breaks out South Carolina by its regions and what wildflowers and plants live in those zones.  Well heck, even if you’re not new to it, it’s a great book!  Thanks Joel for the recommendations on both the book and the hike!

Can’t make it?  Here’s a video I took of the waterfall: