Whiteoak Sinks

Date: 4/17/2015
Distance: ~11 miles

Today I hiked with the GSHAG group on a wildflower hike to Whiteoak Sinks.  This was my 1st visit to the sinks.  JD was an awesome leader.  We left cars at the Townsend Wye and shuttled up to Schoolhouse Gap trail to start the hike.

Schoolhouse was a pleasant walk in the woods up to the Turkeypen trail where the flowers started making their appearance.  The 1st star was the yellow lady slipper which is apparently very rare.

 The more seasoned wildflower hunters went ballistic over it.

Just beyond the Turkeypen trail we turned into Whiteoak Sinks and fortunately ran across Bill Jacks who was very knowledgeable about the Sinks area and helped us to find a few beauties.  Much of the Sinks was off limits to protect the bat population, so we couldn't go to the waterfall, but there were still many wildflowers to see.

I believe this one is the brown jug.  You can see the small jug near the bottom of the plant.   

 I gave up trying to remember most of the flowers, so pictures will have to do.

 These are Trillium and Bishops Caps.

 I believe this is phlox.

 Yellow Trillium

Blue Bells I think

We backtracked out of the Sinks and then turned left on Schoolhouse Gap.  I hiked it to the end (at the cabin) and then turned back 0.2 miles to Chestnut Ridge Trail.  We took it to the car.  It had lots of flowers on it as well.

 Pink Lady Slipper

 Back at the car, I walked across the street for a few photos of the creek.

Quite a nice day in the woods.