Trillium, which are members of the lily family, have three petals, three sepals, and leaves in whorls of three. On the way to the Appalachian Trail connection, the path crosses three rugged, rocky outcrops of Wilburn Ridge. The ridge was named for Wilburn Waters, a famous bear hunter and wolf trapper of the 1800s. The high, windy slopes give visitors the feeling of being on top of the world. Since there's no view from tree-covered Mount Rogers, photographers can get their fill of outstanding vistas and alpine landscapes here on Wilburn Ridge.
Wildflowers add a changing mosaic of color spring through fall.
The plant's name comes from an old belief that hawks ate the orange flowerheads to aid vision. The evergreen shrub is called purple laurel by mountain folk. From Rhododendron Gap, it's an easy 2-mile hike to the rounded summit of Mount Rogers. Although the trees block the view from Virginia's highest peak, they are interesting because they comprise the best spruce-fir forest in Virginia. Twin Pinnacles and Big Pinnacle Trails.