Highlands Is Blooming. These Are the Trails Worth Hiking Right Now.

Photo by Audri Van Gores (@audrivangores) on Unsplash

By Jon Tharp, Broker  ·  May 18, 2026

Highlands sits at nearly 4,000 feet, and that elevation gives the Plateau its own calendar. While the rest of the South is already deep into green, the mountains around Highlands are still moving through spring ephemerals, native azaleas, and rhododendron, with blooms running well into June.

If you know where to hike, this window is worth planning around.

The easiest entry point is also one of the most underrated: the Coker Rhododendron Trail at the Highlands Botanical Garden, on the campus of the Highlands Biological Station near the center of town. The garden covers 25 acres, it is free, and it is open year-round. In April and May, the trails wind past bloodroot, trout-lily, spring beauties, bluets, wild geranium, foamflower, and flowering dogwood. More than 500 labeled native species grow here, and the interconnected loop system, including a Bog Boardwalk, Lower Lake Trail, and Upper Lake Trail, passes through forest, wetland, and old-growth plant communities.

The garden was established in 1962 and holds the distinction of being the highest public native plant botanical garden in the eastern United States. For anyone who wants to understand what southern Appalachian flora actually looks like, this is the place to start.

From the garden, you can connect via the Highlands Plateau Greenway to Sunset Rock, about 0.6 miles through dense, overhead rhododendron and mountain laurel. It is a short walk, and it pairs well with a morning at the garden.

For something more demanding, the Glen Falls Trail up to Chinquapin Mountain is 3.1 miles round trip and earns its moderate rating. The trail drops through shaded, moist woodland, crosses several creeks, and passes a waterfall with observation decks before gaining elevation toward five summit lookouts. April through early May is prime for this one, when trout-lily, toothwort, spring beauty, foamflower, and wild geranium are blooming in the damp hollows below the canopy.

Creek crossings, a waterfall, and open ridgeline views make it one of the more complete hikes on the Plateau.

If you can stay into late May or June, add Scaly Mountain to the list. The route takes you in via Hickory Nut Gap on Forest Service roads, picks up the Bartram Trail on blue blazes, and transitions to yellow blazes for the final push to the summit. The 3.5-mile out-and-back finishes where rhododendron, mountain laurel, sheep laurel, pink shell azalea, pinxter flower, and Carolina rhododendron all bloom in overlapping waves.

The Bartram Trail is named for 18th-century naturalist William Bartram, who traveled these mountains in the 1770s documenting plant and animal life across the southern Appalachians. The trail traces parts of his original route, and hiking it during bloom season makes clear why he wrote about this region the way he did.

These three areas cover the range of what spring hiking looks like around Highlands. None require a permit or fee, and all are reachable from town without a long drive.

A few practical notes: peak bloom varies by year and elevation. The Botanical Garden tends to peak in late April. Glen Falls is best in early to mid-May. Scaly Mountain runs later, with the biggest rhododendron show often landing in late May. Weather at 4,000 feet shifts quickly, so a layer is worth packing even when the forecast looks mild. Trails fill up on weekends in May, and arriving before 9 a.m. makes a real difference in what the experience feels like.

If spending a morning on these trails has you thinking seriously about what life in Macon County could look like year-round, Jon Tharp is happy to walk you through what's currently available in the area.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the best time to see wildflowers in Highlands, NC?

Highlands sits close to 4,000 feet in elevation, which pushes peak wildflower season later than lower parts of the state. Early spring ephemerals like bloodroot, trout-lily, and spring beauty typically peak in late April. Native azaleas and foamflower follow through early May. Rhododendron and mountain laurel on higher summits like Scaly Mountain peak in late May into June. The overall bloom window runs from roughly April through June, giving visitors more flexibility to time a visit around what they want to see than most mountain destinations allow.

Is the Highlands Botanical Garden worth visiting in spring?

The Highlands Botanical Garden at the Highlands Biological Station is free, open year-round from dawn to dusk, and covers 25 acres with over 500 labeled native plant species. Spring is peak season, with wildflowers blooming along interconnected trails through forest, wetland, and old-growth plant communities. It holds the distinction of being the highest public native plant botanical garden in the eastern United States. The garden also connects via the Highlands Plateau Greenway to Sunset Rock, adding a short scenic extension through old-growth rhododendron and mountain laurel if you want more time on the trail.

How difficult is the Glen Falls Trail near Highlands, NC?

The Glen Falls Trail to Chinquapin Mountain is rated moderate and covers 3.1 miles round trip through shaded, moist woodland with creek crossings, a waterfall with observation decks, and a climb to five summit lookouts. The rocky terrain and elevation gain make it more demanding than the mileage suggests. April through early May is the best window for wildflowers, when trout-lily, toothwort, spring beauty, foamflower, and wild geranium bloom in the hollows. Trekking poles are helpful, and trail shoes with solid grip handle the creek crossings better than standard road runners.

What wildflowers bloom on Scaly Mountain and the Bartram Trail?

The Scaly Mountain summit hike via the Bartram Trail is best known for its late-season blooms, which peak from late May through June. Rhododendron, mountain laurel, sheep laurel, pink shell azalea, pinxter flower, and Carolina rhododendron all bloom in overlapping waves near the summit. The Bartram Trail is named for 18th-century naturalist William Bartram, who traveled the southern Appalachians in the 1770s and documented the region's plant life. The route follows Forest Service roads to Hickory Nut Gap, then picks up blue blazes before transitioning to yellow Bartram Trail blazes to the summit.

Do Highlands NC hiking trails require permits or fees?

Most hiking trails around Highlands do not require permits or entrance fees for day hiking. The Highlands Botanical Garden is free and open year-round. The Glen Falls Trail and the Scaly Mountain route via the Bartram Trail are on National Forest land, which is publicly accessible without permits. Parking at trailheads is generally free as well. Trails do fill on weekends in May, so arriving before 9 a.m. or visiting on a weekday makes a noticeable difference in both parking availability and the feel of the experience on the trail.