“Pink Beds”

Nestled below Mt. Pisgah in the Pisgah National Forest is an area known as Pink Beds, so named for the profusion of pink wildflowers and Rhododendrons that bloom here in the spring.

What I enjoy the most about Pink Beds is the chance to visit a rare mountain bog, that is so biologically diverse that one could spend a lifetime in the study of it and probably still not experience all that the bog or wetland area has to offer.

The trail or the “loop,” as it is called, brings one back to the beginning of their journey and takes about an hour or two to complete, depending on the individual and what one wants to see while on their hike. There are no strenuous areas and only a few gentle up hill spots to be traversed. At the trailhead, one finds themselves walking through a mixed forest, one filled not only with deciduous trees and conifers but lush hardwood evergreens as well, such as Rhododendrons, which are very common here in Western North Carolina. As one walks along the trial they may notice open areas, or glens as I call them. These are places where one may “stop and smell the roses.” There is no telling what you may see in them and they are designated as wildlife observation areas.

Usually wildflowers are in abundance here, especially in the glens and other open areas. Here I have shown what is called “Fire Pink,” a wildflower that in some states here in the US is considered as being endangered, though here in North Carolina, I see them quite often but that is not to say that they should be taken for granted.

These flowers are sometimes grown in wildflower, shade and rock gardens. The flowers are usually 5 cm in diameter, brilliant red, and are pollinated by the Ruby Throated Hummingbird. This one was found growing among the emerald green ferns at the base of a tree near Barnett’s Branch along the Barnett’s Branch Trial.

Barnett’s Branch is one of the biggest reasons that I come to Pink Beds. It affords me the chance to visit a very biologically diverse area in one of the rare mountain bogs to be found here in North Carolina.

Wetlands such as these are very important to all of us, they are the fresh water filtration facilities of nature and provide all of us with clean fresh water by removing harmful pollutants and minerals. Wetlands cover 6% of the worlds land surface and of the 2.2 billion acres of the worlds wetlands, the United States has only 12% of that figure. Most everyday, we hear of or see our wetlands being drained for development or to control mosquito populations, not realizing that these areas are important to our survival as well as to the survival of the wildlife and insects who live there and regardless of how annoying and sometimes deadly, the mosquito can be, we need it as much as it needs us, as can also be said about everything that lives on the face of the earth. We are as a whole, every living thing, dependent upon one another and as one species of life dies out, another follows suit because of it and soon it trickles down to us, mankind.

I don’t get to visit Pink Beds as often as I would like to, mainly because it is so far away from my home here in Rutherford County. Much has changed since the last time that I visited here. This board walk across the marshy landscape was no more than a soggy trail with a log foot bridge the last time I was here. This board walk was built by volunteers and not by the state park service or wildlife commission. It is an example of people who care, people who wish to preserve and take care of that which nature affords us the opportunity to enjoy.

You can find Pink Beds, just past the Cradle of Forestry Discovery Center, located near the city of Brevard North Carolina, on highway 276 West. The Cradle of Forestry has a $5.00 admission but Pink Beds are free.