67th Annual Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage Gatlinburg, Tennessee

Images courtesy of
USWildflowers.com
67th Annual Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage
Gatlinburg, Tennessee
April 11—15, 2017
Hosted by Lynn Steiner
Tour Highlights
Join native-plant enthusiast Lynn Steiner on this ecological expedition
to the 67th annual Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage. This much anticipated
annual event is held in the beautiful Great Smoky Mountains National
Park around Gatlinburg, TN. During this immersion tour, you’ll learn
about the region’s rich wildflowers, wildlife, ecology, culture, and natural history through walks, motorcades, photographic tours, art classes,
and indoor seminars. There are over 140 programs from which to
choose from, ranging from wildflower and birding walks to nature
journaling, talks about bears and other animals of the region and to
sessions highlighting the culture and history of this region.
Online registration will be open sometime in mid-February. Tour participants will be responsible for registration on their own (registration fee
is $75), with assistance from Lynn and MSHS as needed. Individuals
will create their own program based on their interests. Lynn will offer
assistance in program planning before registration at a planning session
held at MSHS offices. If you can’t make this meeting, other
arrangements can be made.
Land-only Tour Package from $930.00* per Person
*Price is per person, land-only, based on double occupancy and a minimum of 22 participants. Additional cost for single
accommodations quoted upon request. Airfare is additional. Carlson Wagonlit Travel air coordinators can assist you with flight
reservations.
INCLUDED:
 Four nights accommodations
 Daily breakfast
 Welcome dinner
 Program planning session
 Minnesota State Horticultural Society expert tour host
 $100 tax-deductible donation for members of the Minnesota
State Horticultural Society
NOT INCLUDED:
Round-trip airfare, airport transfers (can be arranged for an additional fee), any airline fees for luggage,
Wildflower Pilgrimage registration fee ($75), additional nights, optional sightseeing activities, meals not indicated
in the itinerary, travel insurance, other items not specifically mentioned as included in the itinerary
Registration is subject to availability and is limited to just 22 travelers.
To confirm your space, please contact Carlson Wagonlit Travel at 763-852-8162 or register
online at: https://cwt-me.cvent.com/WildflowerPilgrimage
Deposit: $300 per person due at the time of registration. See the payment and cancellation policy on the registration form.
Tour Host—LYNN STEINER
Lynn Steiner is one of the Upper Midwest’s best-known garden writers and a frequent speaker
at gardening and environmental events. She is the author and photographer of several books.
Her newest book, Grow Native: Bringing Natural Beauty to Your Garden, published spring
2016 by Cool Springs Press, advocates the use of native plants to create a garden that is not
only attractive to its owners, but also to pollinators, butterflies, birds, and other native fauna.
Lynn grew up in northeastern Wisconsin and has a Bachelor of Science in natural resources
from the University of Wisconsin and a master’s degree in horticulture with a minor in
agricultural journalism from the University of Minnesota. She is a member of Wild Ones, The
Nature Conservancy, The Prairie Enthusiasts, the St. Paul Garden Club, Minnesota Parks and
Trails Council, and the Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin.
Lynn lives with her husband and two cats on a 115-year-old farmstead in northern
Washington County, Minnesota, where she enjoys tending her gardens and watching the
progress of her restored prairie, savanna, and oak woodland. She is a passionate traveler,
and tries to spend several weeks a year exploring new places and visiting old favorites.
The Annual Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage is a five-day event in Gatlinburg,
TN, offering over 140 professionally-guided walks and indoor presentations
which explore the region’s rich wildflowers, fauna, ecology, cultural and
natural history. Everyone from the serious botanist to the weekend gardener
can experience unprecedented access to some of the nation’s leading
botanical experts as well as Appalachian Wildlife authorities.
The Wildflower Pilgrimage, which dates back to 1951, offers an array of
instructional walks and guided hiking tours tailored to meet individual walking
skill and ability, along with demonstrations and guest lecturers. These tours
showcase the abundant varieties of wildflowers, plants, ferns, mosses, trees
and shrubs, as well as birds, reptiles and amphibians, all native to the Great
Smoky Mountains.
Photo by Nashville CVB
Individuals will create their own program based on their interests. Lynn will
offer assistance in program planning before registration at a planning session
held at MSHS offices. If you can’t make this meeting, other arrangements can
be made.
Each day will begin with breakfast at the hotel, where participants can meet
and talk about the day. Tour participants will be able to attend sessions with
Lynn as a group or explore offerings on their own. Evenings are a chance for
the group to get together over dinner to discuss the day or to enjoy at your
Leisure.
Daily Itinerary
Day 1, Tuesday, April 11, 2017
Arrival and Welcome
Upon arrival, transfer to our centrally located hotel. Participants who
registered online should check in at the Pilgrimage Registration Desk at the
Mills Conference Center to pick up packets containing nametag, event
reservations, and printed program
On-site registration will be held at Mills Conference Center at the following
times:
Photo Credit: The Trust for Public Land
Tuesday
Wednesday
5:00 pm—9:00 pm
7:00 am—1:00 pm & 5:00 pm—7:30 pm
We will gather at a local restaurant this evening for a Welcome Dinner.
Days 2 - 4, Wednesday, April 12, –Friday, April 14, 2017
Breakfast daily followed by all day to enjoy the Wildflower Pilgrimage events
you registered for before traveling to Gatlinburg. Join an expert in the field
to explore, learn, and enjoy the beautiful Smoky Mountains.
Day 5, Saturday, April 15, 2017
Images courtesy of
USWildflowers.com
After breakfast, take some time for a final event or spend your morning at
leisure before departure to the airport for your flight home. If you want to
pre or post-extend your stay in this beautiful area, please contact us for
suggestions.
Itinerary subject to change
Registration is subject to availability and limited to
just 22 travelers! To register, please contact Carlson
Wagonlit Travel at 763-852-8162 or 800-533-0324
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