Members' Hike - Rock Island State Park wildflower walk Members Only
Members Only Family-Friendly Registration Required Free Event Nature Walk/Hike Public Restroom Free Public Parking Lots of Physical Activity Drinking Fountains
Join TN Valley Wild Ones members and hike leader, Zach Irick, for a unique wildflower and rare plant exploration at Rock Island State Park, in Rock Island, Tennessee.
Rock Island State Park is within the Eastern Highland Rim, along the Caney Fork River, and contains one of the rarest of all ecosystems. This is the best remaining example of a limestone riverscour, and is just upstream of the beautiful Twin Falls. It is a unique, botanically rich, glade-grassland feature that is only kept from returning to shrub and woodland by heavy riverscour during frequent flooding events historically. We will view unique plants in their natural habitat, several of which are rare or endemics. Recently, this area was the subject of botanical inventory which found many plant species of conservation interest, such as Pringle’s aster, maidenbush, white prairie clover, Cumberland leatherflower, shining bluestar, stiff-leaved goldenrod, Carolina willow, interior bushy St Johnswort, an undescribed dwarf species of big bluestem and many more.
Date/Hike start time: Saturday, July 26, 2025 at 09:00 A.M. Eastern/08:00 Central time. Trailhead is in Central time zone.
Rating: moderate for a short elevation gain/loss at access trail and some wet and/or uneven rocky terrain.
Distance: 1-2 miles of explorations. Approximately 4 hours at the site.
Read more below for further details! Registration opens about 4 weeks prior to event.