Wildflower Pilgrimage, Day 2

On the second day of the Wildflower Pilgrimage, April 16, Joan and I had breakfast at the Highlands Nature Sanctuary's Forest Museum, and then drove to the Fort Hill Earthworks and State Nature Preserve, managed locally by the Arc of Appalachia, for our group hike.

 

We began by leaving the parking area (top center in the map) on the green Fort Trail and soon changed to the Gorge Trail, marked in brown, for much of the hike. (Click on any image to enlarge.)

For a long way, as the map shows, we followed Baker Fork. The intervening drainages made for frequent ups and downs.

I took some photos along the way, but these pics are by no means a complete review of all we saw. Get ready for some flowers!

 

Of course, there were plenty of Large-Flowered Trillium.

Sharp-lobed Hepatica.

Virginia Pennywort, a member of the gentian family, which has a symbotic relationship with fungi, and little photosynthetic activity.

A carpet of Dutchman's Breeches.

Rue Anemone. How pretty!

A geological feature of this hike were the frequent outcrops of the underlying, erosion-prone limestone.

On one of these an intrepid searcher found the tiny Walter's Violet, a state-endangered species known only in Adams and Highland counties. Sadly, no photo from me.

 

American Greek Valerian, or "Jacob's Ladder."

An abandoned cabin!

Showy Orchis popping out. Orchids are always a treat; too bad this one wasn't blooming yet.

All the limestone slump blocks are smothered in green.

Inspecting a cliffside, down close to the flowing creek.

Trail intersection, and a lunch spot.

There's a keyhole that penetrates the ridge on the other side of Baker Fork.

Our group found logs or rocks to sit upon, and tore into our lunches. Afterwards, moving on, we soon saw -- finally! -- some Wild Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis), the only columbine species native to to eastern North America. It's visited by butterflies and hummingbirds.

We weren't the only ones taking a break in this stretch.

It takes a village to locate the elusive red bat, which imitates a leaf or pine cone during the day. We'd all hoped to see a red bat, and our group was large enough that one of us spotted the critter. Everyone clustered around the tree -- but not too close. Don't disturb a sleeping bat!

As the trail turned away from the creek and uphill, the forest floor was smothered in green.

Dwarf Larkspur. Click on the image to enlarge, and note the spur  pointing backwards from each flower.

We reached the junction where the Buckeye Trail (a state-wide trail) split off, and then the Deer Trail. Here those who were getting a bit footsore, or had a deadline, took the Deer Trail, which moseyed more or less gently back to the parking area.

The rest, including Joan and me, climbed up to the earthworks, with a couple of steep sections, and then followed the trail along the western edge of the interior. Studying and speculating about the structure and the Native Americans who built it would have to wait for another time, or event; we were tired and the day was getting on. We did stop briefly to inspect a couple of vernal pools (ones that dry up in the summer), but it was largely a hike back to the car, and I didn't take any more photos.

 

We drove home well satisfied. Joan and I are looking forward to the Wildflower Pilgrimage in 2023!