Balds
Although there is no true timberline in the southern
Appalachians, there are treeless areas on some of the higher
mountaintops and ridges. Owing to their lack of forest cover, such
places are called balds. That designation, however, is a relative one
since other plants form a dense carpet over the balds. If these plants
are largely shrubs belonging to the heath family, such balds are known
as heath balds; if grasses and sedges prevail, the balds are termed
grass balds.
Heath balds are locally referred to as slicks. From a
distance they may appear to be smooth, or "slick," but, in reality, they
are veritable entanglements which are almost impenetrable. Catawba
rhododendron, mountain-laurel, blueberry, and sandmyrtle are the
dominant shrubs, and, since all but the blueberry are evergreen, these
slicks remain green throughout the year. However, there comes a time,
usually in mid-June, when the profusion of spectacular bloom is such
that even the greenery is masked out by innumerable flowers. A floral
luxuriance pervades all these high-altitude (above 3,500 feet) slicks,
and this is the time when rhododendron and laurel festivals are
celebrated in neighboring communities. You should then experience the
thrill of being in the midst of such a spectacle of floral beauty by
hiking to Alum Cave Bluffs, or, a week or so later, to Mount Le Conte or
along the Appalachian Trail.
Heath "balds" consist largely of catawba
rhododendron and mountain-laurel. They outline the peaks and ridges in
this rugged section of the Smokies near Alum Cave Bluffs. Red spruce,
the dominant forest tree on these higher mountainsides, gives way to
yellow birch in the intervening valleys (lower left). Courtesy, W.
M. Cline Co.
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In a region so completely dominated by forest, how is
one to account for the numerous heath balds? Ecological investigations
made by Dr. Stanley A. Cain (1930b, "Selected Bibliography") point to
three factors: windfall, landslide, and fire. Of these, fire is of
greatest importance. Long before man came upon the scene, lightning
strikes resulted in fires. Although such catastrophes were of serious
consequence to most species of trees, the rhododendrons and
mountain-laurel sprouted back readily.
Unlike the heath balds which are practically
impenetrable, the grass balds are inviting meadowlands over which you
may roam at will. Grasses, sedges, and various other herbs predominate.
Being located on, or near, the main crest of the Great Smoky Mountains,
all afford places from which outstanding panoramas of the park and
vicinity are to be had. Along the margins of some of these clearings,
particularly on Gregorys Bald, there are spectacular concentrations of
wild azaleas. A number of theories which attempt to explain the origin
of the grass balds of the Smokies have been advanced but, as yet, none
can be regarded as being entirely satisfactory. In other words, we don't
know how these high-mountain grasslands came into being.
Spence Field Bald, located on the State-line ridge
above Cades Cove, is the largest mountain meadow in the park. The
question of how these bare areas originated in a region of heavy forest
is undecided.
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Once man appeared upon the scene, the modifying
effect of his clearing operations and the grazing by his livestock was
considerable. A century of cattle- and sheep-grazing must have been an
important factor in keeping these meadows in an open condition. Since
1936, when cattle grazed on Gregorys Bald for the last time, there has
been a very real invasion of plants from the adjacent forest. Does this
mean that the grass balds will disappear? Not in our lifetime. But if
future generations should witness the transformation to a forested
condition, such a change will be a natural one, unaffected by mana
change in keeping with the National Park Service policy of not
interfering with nature's scheme of things.
Andrews Bald, in the foreground, and snow-covered
Silers Bald, on the main ridge in the distance. Some of the early
mountain settlers grazed their cattle in these clearings in the
summer.
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The finest floral spectacle in the park comes during
the last half of June, usually between June 20 and 25, when the wild
azaleas on Gregorys Bald come into bloom. As a result of long-continued
natural hybridization between the white- and orange-colored forms and
their progeny, the flowers are yellowish, buff, shell-pink, salmon, and
various shades of red. Domelike Gregorys Bald, located near the western
end of the Great Smokies range, rises 3,000 feet above Cades Cove. For
those who enjoy hiking, the top of Gregorys Bald, 4,948 feet, should
constitute an unrivaled objective if the trip can be made in late June.
Best access is via the Gregory Ridge Trail, which begins at the terminus
of a spur road in the southwestern corner of Cades Cove. This trail,
also called the Big Poplar Trail, passes through a splendid forest of
mature yellow-poplars, eastern hemlocks, and other giant trees.
Wild azaleas bloom on Gregorys Bald in late June.
Here, where sheep were once pastured, is one of the finest floral
displays in the Smokies.
Courtesy, Thompsons Photography, Inc.
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