Registration: N/A

Cost: Free

This fall, Emily Sampson of Patchwork Meadows will lead monarch migration observations in the Swannanoa Valley and beyond on Friday Mornings in late September and Early October - Sept 25th, October 2nd and Oct 9th.

Emily: “Nature is unpredictable and we never know exactly when and where peak migration will be. In 2023, we had over 1000 monarchs visiting the Veterans Park meadow during late September and it was here on Oct 3, 2015 where I saw my first monarch migration event, which inspired the creation of the Waystation here.  On Oct 2, 2021 the caravan group caught the largest migration event I have ever witnessed in NC up on the Blue Ridge Parkway.  

We will begin each Friday morning here at the South Veterans Park Waystation in Black Mountain. We will observe Monarchs here if they are plentiful in the fields and meadows here at the park. If there aren't many here, we will caravan to other known locations in the vicinity where they are known to gather. I will be following Journey North (https://maps.journeynorth.org/maps) to know when and where to expect them. Each morning (9/25, 10/2, & 10/9) will likely start at 9am, but times are weather and butterfly activity dependent (we could start later on cold mornings so keep a lookout for changes on Monarch Waystation FB page).

For folks interested in joining to travel up to sites on the Blue Ridge Parkway to observe peak migration, you can expect to travel up the parkway at least as far at MP415 at Cherry Cove Overlook and to be back down to Asheville/Black Mountain area in early afternoon (pack a snack). You are welcome to meet to observe them with us at Veterans Park that morning even if you aren't able to caravan up the Parkway.

If you are interested in joining and would like to keep up with details via email rather than FB, please send me your email address and/or phone number emily.sampson@tobm.org.”

Photo: Emily Sampson