My impression of cristata foliage is like yours. If this is cristata,
it's an odd growth habit. It's in the new piece of land known as the
Love Mountain tract (affectionately referred to as "Snake Mountain" I
learned after my encounter with the rattler). It's south and west of
the original Frozen Head Boundary, east of the road going to the visitor
center, outside the entry gate. Very different habitat from the area in
the middle of FH with all the trilliums. Cristata was growing near the
little stream, at the edge of the road. Not abundant, but a few little
patches of it.

The habitat is right for verna on the upper slopes of Love Mountain and
it does occur in Catoosa Wildlife Management Area not far from there, so
it's a possibility. Want to go check on it for me during bloom season
next spring? Before the snakes are out? ;-)

<Linda, I've hiked the trails at Frozen Head in the spring ( mid April)
and about halfway up the mountain, have seen a lot of I. cristata
blooming. But never at the base of the mountain. And what I saw had more
of a spreading habit.

Billy>

Linda Mann east TN USA zone 7