Fireflies, spring wildflowers, and other Great Smoky Mountains goings on for June.

The 2 major peak months for people to take vacations in the Great Smoky Mountains are July and October. However, June has become more and more popular every year as people have discovered that besides the great late spring early summer weather, there are less crowds, lots to do and nature shows us some spectacular events taking places in the Great Smoky Mountains national park.

Cades Cove in the Great Smoky Mountains national park during June (pictured below) is filled with plenty of deer, wild turkey and black bear foraging around with a backdrop of mountains and a foreground of lush green fields with wildflowers still blooming. Drive, bike or hike this 11 mile outdoor cultural museum and nature preserve.

Spring wildflowers and flowering bushes can found throughout various elevations during June even though the season started in April and in many places peaked in May. Mountain laurel are still blooming throughout the park and the 2 native species of Rhododendron and now blooming as well.

To celebrate the great weather, find food and interesting culture found in the Smokies, there are plenty of events going on during spring such as the Cosby In Park Celebration, the Bloomin' BBQ and Bluegrass Festival in downtown Sevierville, the Smoky Mountain Pottery Festival in Townsend, Dollywood's KidsFest taking place at Dollywood, and 2 true miracles of nature: the synchronous fireflies and peak flowering of hybrid azalea bushes on Gregory Bald overlooking Cades Cove.

One of the most amazing sights the Smokies has to offer tales pace in the Elkmont section of the Great Smoky Mountains national park just outside of Gatlinburg.

During the 2nd and 3rd weeks of June, one of our fireflies performs a natural light show second to none in Elkmont. These fireflies flash on and off in a pattern which allows them to synchronize with thousands of other lightning bugs in sight. The flashing goes on and on and then all at once – darkness, then it starts all over again.

Since the discovery of this phenomenon only a few short years ago, the firefly show in Elkmont has become incredibly popular. So popular in fact, the Elkmont section of the GSMNP closes to motor vehicles. To get there you must take a trolley from the Sugarlands visitor center to Elkmont from June 4th to the 12th.

The Trolleys to the Elkmont firefly show cost $1 per person round trip and start departing at 7 pm. The parking lot and the trolleys fill up fast so it is wise to get there early. No pets allowed and everything you take on the trolley must fit on your lap.

While the synchronous fireflies, which are lightning bugs that all flash and go dark simultaneously can be enjoyable by anyone with little effort, the 11 mile road trip hike up to Gregory Bald to see the heath bald consisting of hundreds of flame azaleas naturally hybridized in a rainbow of colors with stunning 360 degree views of the Great Smoky Mountains, Tennessee and North Carolina requires considerably more effort and should only be tackled by those in good shape.

If an 11-mile hike is too much for you, but you still want to see great views and flame azalea bushes from a bald, Andrews Bald with its trail-head at the Clingmans Dome parking area is much more reasonable at less than 4 miles round trip.

Whether you choose to take a trolley into Elkmont to the spectacular fireflies of the Smokies, or sit in a mountain stream or river to cool off, or take an extreme hike the mountain peak where you will find the flaming azaleas blooming at Gregory Bald, you are sure to a have a great time in the Great Smoky Mountains during June.

Related Smokies Blog Stories:
Rare Synchronizing Fireflies Find Confirmed In Brothers Cove Resort in Wears Valley.

Fireflies synchronized light show season starts in Great Smoky Mountains national park.

Synchronous fireflies and admirers about to invade the Great Smoky Mountains national park

Cabins for rent where you can see the synchronized fireflies in the Smoky Mountains

Smoky Mountains firefly show in Elkmont near Gatlinburg

Elkmont Section of national park yearly visit by synchronized fireflies

Synchronized Fireflies in the Great Smoky Mountains