Dwarf Ginseng among Trout Lilies
This SWP hike is led by Roger McCoy with Tennessee State Natural Areas, Carol Ann McCormick with UNC Chapel Hill Herbarium and Ed Lickey, botanist extraordinaire from Bridgewater College. It is a U shaped hike beginning at the Metcalf Bottoms picnic area and ending at the Sinks. Before we are out of the parking lot, a morel has been spotted and a few other flowers are viewed. Then it is up the trail. We wind our way upward but for quite some way, we are still in sight of the road. Finally we make the big turn and leave the sounds of the highway.
It is hear, I watch a few butterflies pollinate a Silverbell. We see Walking Fern in this area also.
Burls on a Black Locust
We sit in the hot forest at a trail junction for lunch. There are fence posts in the area with nails in them. These may be black locust posts as we see quite a view of the trees on this hike.
After lunch we visit a backcountry cemetery just off trail. Our pace is sluggish as we look and stop a lot. Finally we make it to Meigs Creek Trail and head down. It is along here we cross the creek 16 times, but who is counting.
The first few crossings could be accomplished as rock hops, but by the third or fourth, all hope of keeping boots dry was gone. I had worn sandals so I cooled off in the creek each time.
Roger carries this tape measure which is used to measure the diameter of the tree by putting it around the circumference. It is in centimeters. This American Beech was 129 centimeter in diameter.
American Beech
Robin's Plantain
Wild Ginger Flower
Chickweed
Maidenhair
Bloodroot
Trillium Erectum
No comments:
Post a Comment