Today's hike is on the Hickory Creek access of Mayo River State Park. I'm with a couple friends exploring. For me the best discovery is the Snakeskin Liverwort above. It was a large patch growing on a vertical creek bank along Buffalo Creek. It must have been residing there for quite some time. Poking my finger in it revealed a firm spongy texture. It is not a vascular plant with veinlike tubes which carry moisture and nutrients. The leaf like structure is a thallus. It is made up of polygon shaped bumps with an air pore in the middle. Looking closely it resembles a snake's skin.
We explored 3 creeks, Hickory Creek, Buffalo Creek and an unnamed one between them. All three have lovely rocks with cascading water surrounded by mature forest. We also walked alongside the Mayo River to access all three. Much of the property we saw today is owned by Piedmont Land Conservancy and is slated to transfer to the state in a few years. Mayo River State Park has been built piece by piece as land becomes available. Just across the border of Virginia, another Mayo State Park (Virginia) exists.
This hand hewn cabin was someone's home once. Daffodils have naturalized around the structure.
Big Rock in a bend of Hickory Creek
We came upon a stone foundation with this stone vent. An early tobacco barn was the consensus. We saw a second one near the parking area that had the same stone vent but also had part of a gas burner nearby.
Possible tobacco barn foundation.
Sourwoods grow in odd ways but the one has taken that to a new level.
Deer hunters will love this elaborate stand complete with staircase and railing.
Serviceberry in bloom. Maybe that is Sassafras in the foreground
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