White Oak Sinks

See the blog post here, for a further account of the events that led us to White Oak Sinks. The day of our hike was the first day the Sinks were opened to the public for the year. Below is Matthew and myself just before heading down into the White Oak Sinks:

We went on down, down, into the Sinks. See the very interesting article here, for more information on the Sinks.

Matthew is a natural guide, and remembered from a previous trip into the Sinks, where a yellow lady slipper is located and took me right to the location, although the flower is not in bloom.

A picture does not do this place justice, below is a sink hole, one of many that makes up the Sinks.

Another sink hole ... typically loaded with flowers. Although there were may flowers blooming, I was told by Lisa that the wildflowers are not in full bloom, probably another two weeks will be peak.

There are many signs of human habitation scattered throughout the Smokies, in places that seem so far "out of the way," such as the Sinks, as to be uninhabitable.  But the signs are everywhere ... Matthew brought us to this spring, now dried and unproductive.

Rock wall ...

Old stove parts?

Creeping Phlox and Yellow Trillium

Shooting Star

Wild Geranium

The several caves in the White Oak Sinks were all closed, due to the declining bat population from White Nose Syndrome. Ken and Lisa were in front of me in this photo, and in front of them can be seen the area blocked off by Blow Hole Cave with orange fencing. It did not lend to the scenery, but if it protects the bats, then so be it. 

This is the entrance to Blow Hole Cave, and as you can see, a solar panel is in the tree. I wondered about that, and after we met up with the rest of our group, was told the following:

They had spoken w/ a park volunteer on School House Gap Trail who said that the closed areas are under video surveillance sent directly to the ranger stations. If anyone violates the closure, they are stopped by rangers at the top of the trail and handed a fine of $250 - $500. The closure is a serious business and not to be taken lightly.

Bloodroot

One of my favorites, a fiddle-head ...

Bloodroot

Just popping through, May Apples ...

Phlox

Yellow Trout Lily

Star Chickweed

A grave site is on top of a little rise in the Sinks. A new headstone sits beside the barely decipherable headstone of Abraham Law, 1790 - 1864.

Interestingly, we ran into some hikers referenced in my previous post, Joe Cook and daughter Victoria Cook, who had spoken with a great-great-great descendant of the deceased the day before. They were told by him that the date of death was wrong, it was actually 1844, 20 years previous to 1864. That was interesting to me, as Matthew and I had discussed that 74 years of age seemed to be "pretty old" for back in this day, time, and place. Apparently the family who had brought the headstone in didn't feel like carrying it back out after they found out the error.

Redbud Flower

After an hour and a half wandering around the Sinks, we made it back out. It was completely worth the extra 2 miles of trail that can't be counted toward the 900 Mile Challenge (but I can count it toward the 100 mile centennial challenge). Here is the entrance to the trail, to keep horses out.