Wolf Creek Trout Lily Preserve

Wolf Creek Trout Lily Preserve is a 140 acre conservation area owned by Grady County thru many generous private donations, including the previous owners, Flint River Timber Company, and a grant from the Georgia Land Conservation Program. Established in 2009 through the efforts of volunteers from the Magnolia Chapter (Tallahassee) of the Florida Native Plant Society (including some Georgians), it is destined to remain forever undisturbed from human development, protecting the many acres and literally tens of millions of beautiful yellow and maroon dimpled trout lilies and thousands of maroon spotted trillium. This is the largest extent of these trout lilies known anywhere in the world, and certainly a jewel of Grady County.

Each trout lily flower opens in late morning or early afternoon, follows the sun, and closes at dusk, so to see the open flowers go in the afternoon. If it is raining heavily or very dark and cloudy in the morning, the flowers may stay closed into the afternoon, but if the sun comes out later in the afternoon, they may open then.

Each individual flower re-opens for several days, with overall numbers of flowers in bloom beginning gradually, increasing, peaking, then declining over the course of a few weeks. Depending on the winter weather the overall bloom may be anywhere from three or four weeks long, usually encompassing mid-February, rarely into March.

Once the bloom has finished for the year the gate will be locked. Once the season ends access to the property is permitted in the following circumstances

• Invasive plant removal work days (usually posted on Facebook)
• Announced planned activities
• Visitor requests may be made by email- Margaret Tyson at mtyson613@gmail.com.

The trout lilies grow on a slope, so visitors need to wear boots or shoes WITH TREADS that may get damp or muddy. Bring a walking stick if desired. Some sparkleberrry walking sticks are provided for visitor use during your time at the Preserve and you may purchase one with a donation of $10.00. The trails may be slippery when wet, so please proceed with caution.

Cameras are highly recommended. Please take nothing but photos, leave nothing but footprints. You may want to bring a hand lens or magnifying glass to look at the tiny twayblade orchids or small parts of other flowers. You can actually take photos through these lenses, if you don't have a close-up camera lens. Please leave your pets at home.

How did these plants come to be there? They usually are found in the Appalachian mountains. The theory is they migrated from the mountains probably tens of thousands of years ago. When the last ice age receded they were left in some spots in southwest Georgia and north Florida, east of the Chattahoochee, Flint, and Apalachicola Rivers. Apparently the Wolf Creek spot is just right for them - a north facing slope of just the right angle, a hardwood forest with dappled sunlight in the winter, soils of just the right type and depth before an underlying clay. Whatever the reasons, they prospered at the site, and Grady County is blessed with a beautiful marvel for all lovers of nature. It is definitely a photographer's paradise!