More adventures near Asheville, North Carolina. Flowering shrubs put on a springtime snow that rivals the display of trees in fall. Mountain laurel blooms along Otter Creek in mid-May and elsewhere on the parkway in the first two weeks of June. Dense thickets of catawba rhododendron turn purple north of Peaks of Otter to Onion Mountain and along the bluffs of Doughton Park the first week of June and in Craggy Gardens and through the Balsams after mid-June. Various wildflowers begin to bloom in April and continue into fall.
Wildlife is a delight to see along the parkway.
When the sun is high, groundhogs sit erect and chipmunks and squirrels chitter and chatter. At night, skunks, bobcats, foxes, opossums, and raccoons may be seen along the roadsides. Whitetail deer and black bears are present but seldom seen Look for them in the early morning or evening. More than 100 bird species can be seen during the spring migration season. The stories of the independent mountain people are told at many overlooks and facilities along the parkway, including Humpback Rocks, Peaks of Otter, Mabry Mill, Brinegar Cabin, Northwest Trading Post, and the Parkway Craft Center at Moses Cone Memorial Park.