Trail Minutiae
I’ve been looking at the ground practically my entire life.
Before I went to school, I’d watch anthills with fascination for hours. Growing up and going to Florida on vacation, I learned to beach comb searching for sharks teeth in Venice. Once I learned to snorkel, I’d spend most of my time on vacation searching the bottom of the shallow Gulf shores for crabs and snails and the occasional stingray.
I think I’m bound to it in some way. The natural reaction for many when they head outdoors is to look up or out. The scenery, the sky, it all grabs your attention.
When I’m out hiking, I tend to look down.
And it’s not because of my clumsy tendencies that sometimes have me looking up suddenly from a prone position.
Spring in Jefferson Forest is no exception. Looking down this year is even a better idea because there are more tree limbs and other debris on the ground than ever. Though I must admit that the volunteers that have helped clear Jefferson Forest trails since the January ice storm have done a magnificent job.
On Wednesday afternoon (March 25th) I decided to check out the Siltstone Trail section of Jefferson Forest between Scott’s Gap Road and Bear Camp Road. At 3.5 miles, it makes for a nice “there and back again” 7 mile ridge line hike. The weather was typical Ohio Valley Spring with temperatures barely breaking 60 and scattered showers in the area.
The trail condition was possibly the cleanest I’ve ever experienced in over 10 years of hiking the JF. The trail was clean of almost all small debris, but the windy conditions are still knocking small limbs onto the ground, and this will probably be the case for at least a year or more. There are some serious widowmakers left hanging out there, so be careful when hiking any areas with ice storm damage.
The Spring wildflower season is at its very early stages, but there is plenty to see out on the trail. There are about 7 different species of wildflower already in bloom, but the vast majority of Spring color is still a few weeks away. Thanks to the warm weather, redbud trees are blooming a little early, but are not in full bloom just yet. When watching the trail, look for the tiny scarlet and purple buds on the ground if you want to find a redbud blooming.
In addition to the flora, I spotted some very interesting fauna.
Spring turkeys were way too fast for my camera, as were the usual songbirds including bluejays and bluebirds. The pileated woodpecker continues to be my white whale of photography, even though I saw one quite clearly (the lighting was terrible). Pileateds tend to call their eerie laughter when you are near their nesting site, but they rarely come close if you can be spotted easily.
The highlight of the hike was a first for me, and the second new species I’ve spotted in as many weeks in the forest. Last week, it was the mourning cloak butterfly, this week it was a juvenile red-spotted newt. After some research in my Audubon wildlife guides, I found that the juveniles, called red efts, are found in leaf litter along ridges and the forest floor, usually after rain showers. The conditions were perfect for this sighting and I hope to see a few more in the coming weeks before the usual lizards and toads start making their appearances.
Over the coming 6 weeks, be sure to get out to the local area parks and enjoy the awakening Spring, it is truly my favorite time to hike. And take the time to look down at the little things. Sometimes, they are the best part of the day.
I took quite a few pictures while hiking, so I hope you enjoy the photo album Siltstone Newt.
Red spotted newt
Spring flora
