Green Knob Overlook – Laurel Knob – Snooks Nose and back (5,8km/3.6M, 325m/1070ft elevation gain and loss)
This short hike leads from the heights of the Blue Ridge Parkway down a narrow trail via Laurel Knob to Snooks Nose. Close to the parking lot on the opposite side of the road there are one or two R. vaseyi. There is Trillium undulatum and many ericaceous plants including R. catawbiense along the way. However, the best is an abundance of R. carolinianum. The shrubs suddenly pop up everywhere in the forest after a while. Their flowers are variable in size and color. Most are white to pale pink, but I have found a yellow flowering specimen, too.