Date Visited: 4/4/2019
Our next stop continues to explain how water plays an important roll in the the composition of a landscape.
Coming in at less than a 1/4 mile this was one of the quickest little interpretive trails along the Natchez Trace Parkway.
Signage along the trail points out a variety of trees and how they are indicators of soil moisture. This is a loop trail so it doesn’t matter from which end you start. We took the descent to the bottom land along the creek first.
At the bottom of the hill where the soil along the creek is extremely moist you will find the American Beech Tree with it’s smooth soft grey bark. Also present are a number of ferns such as the Christmas fern. Ferns, which stay green year round, are good indicators of moist rich soil.
As we moved up the hill White Oaks became more prevalent. Although they preferably grow on the low hillside where the soil is slightly drier, they can also grow in the moist bottom soil.
Go slightly higher and Hickory trees begin to take root. Drier soil also means thinner soil and this is where the Hickory and other hardwoods begin to thrive.
As we reached the top of the hill with its thin sandy soil Southern Pines begin to reign supreme. With a careful eye, you can look back down the hill and notice these subtle changes in the composition of the forest.
All-in-all this was an okay little walk, but we much preferred our next stop for it’s beauty and if you only have time for one, I’d say skip this stop and pull off at Cole Creek. But as always – more on that next week.
Until then….
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