It been raining all night and most of the morning as expected. I had cancelled my planned trip to Grandfather Mountain this weekend and was content with the short hike I got in yesterday at Fort Yargo. My plans for were to just do some things around the house given the wetness of everything outside. Last minute though, someone from the Atlanta Outdoor Club (AOC) posted a hike to see the colorful Diamorpha smallii on Arabia Mountain. Having hiked Arabia Mountain a number of times over my years in Atlanta, I thought this would be a somewhat unique experience to visit this endangered species just after a rain when it is at its perkiest.
After about a forty-five minute drive to the parking area of the Nature Center, I quickly found the small group from AOC and after a quick round of introductions, we hit the bike trail. Soon, crossing the road we started walking along the long (and in my opinion, completely unnecessary) board walk to the southern end of the primary granite outcropping that is Arabia Mountain.
Six of us in total, it seems most of us have hiked here before. After passing through the southern parking area, we're soon on the granite, where solution pools of dissolved and dissolving granite provide a plethora of minerally goodness for the flora. These pools are where the Diamorpha thrive. We can already see a number of examples of the vibrant red plant life in these lower elevation pools.
We quickly make our way to the highest point and locate the USGS cap. Calling this place a mountain has always been a little erroneous in my opinion, as it is much more of a small hill. The nearly barren landscape though does remind me of places in the Sierra Nevada. The group kind of meanders around taking in the amazing colors of the Diamorpha and other plant life growing on this 'desert in the rainforest'. The reds will fade in the coming days and not be seen again until next year, at least not with this level of richness.
Exploring around the formerly quarried areas, we eventually turn back south and begin making our way back to the southern end of the boardwalk. The rain has made few sections very slippery and we proceed cautiously. Luckily, everyone makes it safe and we follow the boardwalk back to our cars. Total distance as just over 5.2 miles, but seeing the palate of the flora made the trip worth it. I think the leader for organizing and we all say our goodbyes. A short trip, but I'm glad I did it.
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