22 Absolutely Beautiful Places for Spring Blooms in the Blue Ridge Mountains

By far, one of the best places to see spring blooms in Biltmore House, during Biltmore Blooms.  This world renown garden has something in bloom from Spring to Fall, but there is just something exceptional about Spring.  From the Azalea Gardens, to the thousands of Tulips, this is a sight you will not want to miss.

Currently Closed due to Hurricane Helene

Big Creek, on the North Carolina side of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a beautiful and popular place. This once very active logging area and camp is now a beautiful mountain getaway, with a big creek, waterfalls, hiking trails, camping, and, of course, tons of wildflowers.

Porters Creek Trail, located on the Gatlinburg side of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, is a popular hiking trail year round. But in the Spring, this already wonderful trail turns magical, as a portion of it becomes carpeted with white Fringed Phacelia, for acre after acre. The scene is almost breath-taking.

Scattered along the trail are many other wildflowers as well, including trillium.

One of the most beautiful, biggest and most popular water falls in the Blue Ridge Mountains is Looking Glass Falls. The Falls are roadside near Brevard, NC, and fun to view and explore. You'll often find many people swimming in the cool and crisp waters at the base.

If you look around and down the creek, you'll find its banks full of beautiful wildflowers and green moss in the Spring. Get there early, it gets busy quickly!

Located off the Blue Ridge Parkway, in Sunset Fields at MP 78.4, you'll find the moderate trail down to Apple Orchard Falls. The Falls are worth the hike, but the hike itself is the real gem. Full of bridges, creek crossings, and waterfalls!

The Blue Ridge Parkway is currently closed here due to Hurricane Helene

One of the more popular stops on the Blue Ridge Parkway is Chestoa Overlook (MP320), and for good reason. It's a nice short hike, that offers stunning views, all times of the year, but especially in the Spring as the trees fill out. You'll definitely want to be sure to visit this one!

Visit Grayson Highlands State Park, and see the Ponies and lots of different wildflowers and Rhododendron on the Rhododendron Trail. Grayson Highlands State Park is in Virginia, just north of the North Carolina Border.

See all of the beautiful spring blooms, flowers and colors at this 20+ acre lakeside woodland garden paradise.  

The garden has one of the largest collections of rhododendron in the southeast.  Hamilton Gardens is at Lake Chatuge in GA, just outside of Hiawassee.

Near Chimney Tops in the Chimney Tops Picnic area, this 0.8 mile loop trail is full of beautiful wildflowers, and in particular, Fringed Phacelia, which carpets the forest floor with beautiful white flowers. Great spring hike, especially with kids.

Please be aware that some sections of the Blue Ridge Parkway are closed due to damage from Hurricane Helene.

Regardless of whether you drive the entire Blue Ridge Parkway, or just sections of it, you're bound to see tons of spring blooms and color beginning in March and running through the late fall. The combination of incredible views and spring flower makes for a magical combination.

Roan Mountain State Park encompasses over 2,000 acres dominated by rich hardwood forest along rugged ridges. Spring wildflowers and Rhododendron can be seen all throughout the park on the many trails, at the top of balds, and other scenic views. 

This section of the Blue Ridge Parkway is current closed due to damage from Hurricane Helene

Craggy Gardens, located on the Blue Ridge Parkway, just outside of Asheville, NC is a gorgeous area to see primarily Rhododendron, but numerous other high elevation wildflowers in the Spring.  Craggy also provides incredible 360 degree scenic views.  Be sure to visit the picnic area as well, for more wildflowers.  
 

Currently Closed because of substantial Hurricane Helene damage. They do plan to reopen.

Lake Lure replaced an older bridge with a new one, and instead of tearing down the old one, they turned it into a beautiful and magical flower garden! This unique garden is gorgeous spring into Fall, and should definitely be on your "to visit" list when in the area.
 

Kephart Prong trail, is located directly off Highway 441 through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, this moderate trail is full history, creekside hiking, bridges, and of course tons of wildflowers, including Rhododendron and Mountain Laurel in the spring.  Makes for a great family hike.
 

The North Carolina Arboretum is a real hidden gem, in Asheville, NC, just off the Blue Ridge Parkway.

The Arboretum has more than 65 acres of cultivated gardens that "delight the senses, pay tribute to the region’s rich cultural heritage and reinforce the importance of plants to our world." 

Walking the gardens, especially in the spring, is a wonderful experience, that will re-connect you with nature.   

One of the most iconic locations on the Blue Ridge Parkway, Mabry Mill, is always a great stop on the parkway to take a break, but to especially take photos. In the spring, when the mill is surrounded by Blooming Rhododendron, it's beautiful and makes for some amazing photos. Be sure to walk around the mill, and eat at the restaurant.

Natural Bridge is one of our nation's natural wonders and is really a site to see.

The "bridge" itself is, of course, the principal attraction for nearly everyone, but what many don't realize is that Natural Bridge is home to many spring wildflowers. Walking along the trail and exploring the creek, you'll find some beautiful blooms and a large variety of species.

Access to this trail and waterfall are currently closed because of closures on the Blue Ridge Parkway

One of the most popular and beautiful waterfalls on the Blue Ridge Parkway is Crabtree Falls. The Falls are beautiful year-round. Wildflowers and spring blooms grow around the Falls some, but you'll find most of them on the trail heading to the falls and back out.  

The Deep Creek section of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a wonderful place to visit. 

During the spring, the trails are full of beautiful wildflowers, including Trillium, Rhododendron, and many others. Summer is busy with tubers, and the Fall colors are just beautiful. The area also has three gorgeous waterfalls very close to each other.

This should definitely be on your spring list!

Linville Gorge is often called the Grand Canyon of the east, and for good reason, as you can see in the photo above. Hiking up to the top of Hawksbill mountain provides incredible views of the surrounding mountains and the gorge. In the spring, the peaks are covered with beautiful Rhododendron, and the trails full of wildflowers.  

While the hike up to the top of Sam's Knob is well worth it, it is moderate to strenuous. But the good news is the hiking the meadow, where all the wildflowers are is short and easy. If you love spring wildflowers, the meadow is a place you'll want to see. Surrounded by beautiful mountains, and full of wildflowers of all colors, it's just beautiful.

Pink Beds, near the Cradle of Forestry in Pisgah National Forest, is a 5-mile loop hike that takes you through various different types of forest, and "bogs".

The trail is full of different types of plant life, including beautiful spring blooms and wildflowers.