Needed to get my late Summer Sam Knob Meadow fix. Walked from the parking area to the far side of the meadow to catch the Bull Thistle. Then, a short distance down Flat Laurel Creek, and finally up Investor Gap Road. Well worth the trip and not too crowded. However, Friday afternoon, after we left the closed section of the Parkway between Black Balsam Road and Hwy 215 opened, so who knows what will happen!

Botanical plant names seem to change almost every day, but for now we use those approved by ITIS, the Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Plants that are non-native to North America are indicated by an asterisk (*) placed after the species name. Photography by Penny Longhurst. Click on any picture to zoom & enter the slide show.

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