A wonderful morning walk

The trails at the NC Arboretum opened up last Saturday again for members. 

I went out this morning at 9 am.  I was actually surprised that there were parking spaces in the lower parking lot, but hey, that's great, I thought.

And there were very few folks out walking on the Bent Creek Rd trail at that time, nor on the Natural Garden Trail.  The Wesley Branch Trail, which is narrow, and my favorite way to return to the lower parking area,  required a bit of scrambling to distance myself from uphill walkers on my way back.

It made a wonderful and lovely excursion this morning. 

The wildflowers and native shrubs in flower were soul boons. And the sound of Bent Creek was magic, as always.  I'm thankful for the access to this special place.

First, I was amazed with the abundance of Fire Pink (Silene virginica) along the Bent Creek Road. 

Maybe it's a good year.  Or maybe I hadn't normally walked there in mid-May, as I had walking pals last year, walking in neighborhoods.

The Silene was wonderful.  Multiple patches on the banks above the road.  I loved seeing them.

Silene virginica

Equally nice were the last flowers of native azaleas in the Native Azalea Repository, along with emerging Kalmia latifolia flowers.

And bear corn was an unexpected sighting along the trail.