Pigeon Mountain’s Wildflower Wonderland
BY BOB BUTTERS
Wild blue phlox (Phlox divaricata) is one of the many species of wildflowers seen at Pigeon Mountain. Photo © Bob Butters
Pigeon Mountain, located just west of LaFayette, Georgia, is essentially an arm of Lookout Mountain. It stretches for about ten miles northeast of its divergence from the east side of Lookout Mountain, and is largely contained within the 20,657-acre state-owned Crockford-Pigeon Mountain Wildlife Management Area. The mountain reaches an elevation of around 2,330 feet at its highest point, and overlooks the pastoral V-shaped McLemore Cove, which lies between it and Lookout Mountain.
The management area, featuring an abundance of wildlife and many miles of trails, as well as five designated primitive camping areas, is a popular outdoor recreation destination for hunters, hikers, mountain bikers, horseback riders, rock climbers, cavers, and others.
Pigeon Mountain is home to a number of caves, including Ellison’s Cave, the 12th deepest in America, featuring Fantastic Pit, which, with a vertical drop of 586 feet, is the deepest unobstructed pit in the continental U.S.
On top of the mountain, an area of large and unique sandstone boulders, known as Rocktown, is considered one of the largest and best bouldering locations in the Southeast.
Pocket Creek Falls. Photo © AllTrails
Perhaps lesser-known to the outdoor community at large is a hidden cove tucked into the McLemore Cove side of Pigeon Mountain, known as “The Pocket,” considered by many as one of the best locations for viewing ephemeral spring wildflowers in the state of Georgia. Calcium leached from the area’s limestone cliffs creates hospitable soil conditions for wildflowers. The primary feature is the Shirley Miller Wildflower Trail, which includes a boardwalk, a waterfall, and at least 35 species of wildflowers. Among the wildflower varieties seen there are bloodroot, bluebells, Dutchman’s breeches, false Soloman’s seal, May apple, purple phacelia, toadshade, and more. There are reportedly at least 11 species which are found almost nowhere else in Georgia.
The peak season for flowers is typically late March through early April, but they can be seen at other times as well. In late February, you might spot sharp-lobed hepatica or star chickweed in bloom, and bloodroot, trailing trillium, or Virginia bluebell putting out foliage. More flowers begin blooming in early March, including trout lily, trailing trillium, and rue anemone. By mid to late March, there should be Virginia bluebell, Dutchman’s breeches, wild geranium, Jack-in-the pulpit, purple phacelia, and many more in bloom, as well as the redbud trees that line the driveway. Early to mid April will present Eastern red columbine, May apples, wild hyacinth, pink azalea, foamflower, and much more. Even in late April and May, you can find blue-eyed grass, Solomon’s seal, bursting heart, maple-leaf viburnum, smooth phlox, and others.
See an excellent guide to the wildflowers of the Pocket at Pigeon Mountain, including the peak times for various species here. Read reports from visitors at AllTrails.com.
The wildflower trail boardwalk keeps visitors from trampling the flowers. Photo © Walker County, GA government
The Shirley Miller Wildflower Trail includes a quarter-mile-long handicap-accessible boardwalk which helps protect the wildflowers from being trampled. Beyond the boardwalk, a more rugged section of trail continues for several hundred yards along a swift-flowing mountain stream to Pocket Creek Falls, creating a 0.9-mile round-trip hike, with more wildflowers growing along the way. Wildflowers can also be found in other areas in the Pocket as well as along the Pocket Loop Trail as it climbs the mountain.
If you desire a longer hike, the 9-mile Pocket Loop Trail departs from the wildflower trail and climbs to the highest point of Pigeon Mountain, appropriately called High Point.
Be aware that during peak wildflower season, the Pocket and wildflower trail can get a bit crowded, especially on weekends.
Things to know
Directions: From GA Highway 193, turn south onto Hog Jowl Road at Davis Crossroads. Then, in a little over two miles and after passing Mt. Hermon Baptist Church on the left and just past Andrews Lane on the right, Pocket Road will be on the left. It starts out paved but soon turns to gravel. It can be a little bumpy, and there’s a stream crossing which can vary in depth depending on recent rainfall. So it’s probably good to take a vehicle with decent ground clearance. In about 1.2 miles at the end of the road, regular parking and the Pocket Loop trailhead are on the left, handicap parking and the wildflower trail are on the right.
View an interactive map of the Crockford-Pigeon Mountain WMA. Look for Pocket Road on the northwest side of Pigeon Mountain.
Search for Pocket Loop Trailhead or Shirley Miller Wildflower Trail on Google Maps.
Be aware that there are a number of locations named “The Pocket” in both Tennessee and Georgia, so if you’re getting directions, make sure you have the right one.
Cost: While there is no entrance fee for exploring the management area, a Go Outdoors Georgia Hunting, Fishing, or Lands Pass license is required for ages 16-64.
The cheapest option for a single visit for residents of Georgia is to purchase a one day Hunting/Fishing combo online for $5, even if you don’t plan to hunt or fish. For non-residents, the best option is a one day fishing license for $10. An annual Georgia Lands Pass is $30 for residents, $60 for non-residents. See a license price chart here. The Georgia DNR encourages people to purchase a hunting or fishing license rather than a Lands Pass, as they will receive Federal funding in addition to the amount you pay for those, which aids them in managing public lands.
For more information and to purchase a license, visit the Crockford-Pigeon Mountain WMA website.