War Fork and Steer Forkwildflowers
Wildflowers bloom here from late March to mid-October but are most spectacular in mid-April, per the Forest Service. Its usual window for this year has passed.
Right now at War Fork and Steer Fork
Right now in War Fork and Steer Fork · September
- Wildflowers through the growing season (late March to mid-October) · Mar–Oct
- Turkey Foot Campground and trailhead open year-round · Jan–Dec
Your guide to the area
Best spots around War Fork and Steer Fork, Daniel Boone National Forest
- Along War Fork and Steer ForkLimestone stream valleys with bloodroot, large white and red trillium, twinleaf, crested iris and showy orchis; expect some wading or climbing up the slope
- Turkey Foot loop (Trail 303 and the Sheltowee Trace)About 4 miles from Turkey Foot Campground, steep and muddy in places; acid-soil plants such as trailing arbutus and partridgeberry
Nearby
- Daniel Boone National Forest48 milate March to late AprilSatRain Showers Likely
- Mammoth Cave122 mispring (March, April, and May)SatRain Showers Likely
- Great Smoky Mountains126 miUsually mid- to late AprilSatShowers And Thunderstorms
- George Washington and Jefferson135 milate March into April, then April into MaySatShowers And Thunderstorms
- Cherokee National Forest143 milate March through the month of AprilSatShowers And Thunderstorms
- Blue Ridge Parkway149 miUsually early spring (late April to early May)SatShowers And Thunderstorms
The year at War Fork and Steer Fork
- Turkey Foot Campground and trailhead open year-roundNowJan–Dec
- Wildflowers through the growing season (late March to mid-October)NowMar–Oct
- Lady's-slippers: pink in mid-April, yellow in mid-MayApr–May
- Aug: Crested coralroot orchid (found in August)Aug
Questions people ask
When is peak wildflowers in War Fork and Steer Fork, Daniel Boone National Forest in 2027?
Wildflowers bloom here from late March to mid-October but are most spectacular in mid-April, per the Forest Service: most spectacular in mid-April. That's general timing for this place, not a peak date or a forecast.
Is it blooming in War Fork and Steer Fork, Daniel Boone National Forest right now?
Not now: its usual wildflowers window for this year has passed. Next time: most spectacular in mid-April, local timing.
Where do I park?
At Turkey Foot Campground on War Fork Creek (Forest Road 345, Elsam Fork Road), the trailhead for the loop. The gravel road in is steep, and there's a low-water ford at the entrance.Source: USDA Forest Service, Daniel Boone National Forest: Turkey Foot Campground ↗ (opens in a new tab)
What should I wear?
Good supportive hiking boots and long pants: you may walk in the creek, trails get slippery and steep after rain, and poison ivy grows along parts of the creeks.Source: USDA Forest Service, Celebrating Wildflowers: War Fork and Steer Fork ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Are there snakes or bugs?
Copperheads and the uncommon timber rattlesnake live here, and mosquitoes and black flies are common in summer.Source: USDA Forest Service, Celebrating Wildflowers: War Fork and Steer Fork ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Is there water, a restroom or a fee?
No fee and vault toilets at the campground, but no drinking water, so carry your own.Sources: USDA Forest Service, Daniel Boone National Forest: Turkey Foot Campground ↗ (opens in a new tab), USDA Forest Service, Celebrating Wildflowers: War Fork and Steer Fork ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Where are the best spots in War Fork and Steer Fork, Daniel Boone National Forest?
Along War Fork and Steer Fork: limestone stream valleys with bloodroot, large white and red trillium, twinleaf, crested iris and showy orchis; expect some wading or climbing up the slope; Turkey Foot loop (Trail 303 and the Sheltowee Trace): about 4 miles from Turkey Foot Campground, steep and muddy in places; acid-soil plants such as trailing arbutus and partridgeberry.
What is War Fork and Steer Fork, Daniel Boone National Forest like through the year?
Wildflowers through the growing season (late March to mid-October) (Mar–Oct), Lady's-slippers: pink in mid-April, yellow in mid-May (Apr–May), Crested coralroot orchid (found in August) (Aug) and Turkey Foot Campground and trailhead open year-round (Jan–Dec).