Wildflowers
On the Appalachian Trail
Leonard Adkins
“The Habitual Hiker”
Whether you are a weekend hiker, a long-distance trekker, a trained naturalist, or a wildflower enthusiast, Wildflowers of the Appalachian Trail is a necessary companion for anyone interested in the flora of the East’s longest trail.
Along with elegant, large-format photographs by fellow ALDHA members Joe and Monica Cook, this book contains information on flower color, bloom season, size, and range of nearly one hundred species. Citations to more than 60 additional species with respect to their distinguishing features are also included.
Yet this is no ordinary field guide. Not only will you be able to identify a particular flower, you will also learn the story behind its name, the fascinating role it has played through history, and its value in folkloric as well as modern medicine. You will discover that Skunk Cabbage produces its own heat (often melting snow and ice around it) and that Bloodroot contains an anti-plaque agent used in toothpastes and mouthwashes.
Unlike any other resource, this book notes specific sites along the Appalachian Trail where flower species may be seen; each site mentioned can be found in the index of its respective Appalachian Trail Guide.
Winner of the Design and Artistic Merit Category in the 1999 National Outdoor Books Awards.
The Appalachian Trail:
A Visitor’s Companion
Leonard Adkins
From the Amazon.com Web site:
A comprehensive naturalist’s guide to the Appalachian Trail. Never again will your shoulders ache from lugging dozens of guidebooks in your backpack. The Appalachian Trail: A Visitor’s Companion contains all the essential information about the AT - from the trail’s fascinating history to detailed information on the geology, trees, flowers, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and mammals of the Appalachian Mountains.
Author Leonard M. Adkins even shares suggested hikes. With this guide in hand on the trail, you’ll be able to identify certain flowers - and even know how they reproduce and why they grow in select areas. You’ll recognize piles of stone as reminders of days gone by.
Markings in the mud will become signs of nearby wildlife and the relation of trees to other types of plants will become clear. After reading this guide, you’ll gain a greater appreciation and knowledge of this spectacular national treasure and its importance in preserving the natural world.
Walking the Blue Ridge:
A guide to the trails
of the Blue Ridge Parkway
Leonard Adkins
Leonard has also written a book about all the different trails around the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia and North Carolina. It’s ideal for folks who are looking for trails to hike in a day, weekend or even longer, with all the information they’ll need for getting to and from the trailhead, where to park, the length and location of the trails, and what they’ll see when they get there.
There are more than 170 pathways along the length of the Virginia-North Carolina parkway, itself an experience for travelers who’ve never taken it.Leonard’s books are available through the ATC’s Ultimate Trail Store, as well as through Amazon.com.
Leonard is a familiar sight at ALDHA Gatherings. He often brings along a great slide show for the program. He can often be found on the A.T. near his home in Catawba, Va., maintaining his section of the trail. He has also served as a field editor for the A.T. Companion.
Back
Trailhead
New Boots • Gathering • Grapevine • Springer Fever
A.T. Companion • Headlamp Material • Work Trips • Side Trails