Frederick Watershed for the mountain laurel
Sept 21, 2014 21:24:02 GMT -5
Post by AegisIII on Sept 21, 2014 21:24:02 GMT -5
Photos
For the mountain laurel bloom in June, I headed to a place which has it in profusion, where the laurel can sometimes seem to be the canopy rather than just the understory. Of course, I'm thinking of the northern part of the Frederick Watershed.
I started at the Sand Flats parking area, now slightly smaller than before but still with more than adequate parking. I passed the ponds, then onto the wide swatch of trail sometimes known as "Not Blue", passing the north-south trail, and then heading downhill into the valley via woods road. Thanks to the wet weather this spring, this section was even more eroded than usual. At the bottom I visited the small boulder field, and then took the quick bushwhack to Left Hand Fork Road.
I continued on an old roadbed across the road, heading northeast, passing the double clearing, soon after reaching the northern end of the Iceberg Trail, named for all the rocks you will run into. It's also a trail often lined with massive displays of mountain laurel. One thing I noticed is that trimming seemed to be needed, grass was more prevalent than usual, and treadway had faded. Still the same fun trail though, rocky stretches, quarry level, and mountain laurel alike. I then reached the Catoctin Trail, and headed north on the wide well trodden trail. Some wet areas up top, as expected. Found an American chestnut tree off trail.
At the pond, I took the Pit Trail after looking at numerous salamanders in the pond, and the past a boulder field and a couple of rhododendron bushes. I bushwhacked my way to the smallest pond, and then took its rough access lane t where it merged with a second, and then past the best pond in the Watershed. Made it out to Right Hand Fork Road, crossed it onto a northeast trending woods road, very overgrown at the road gate, but fine afterwards. Continued past the Upper Ridge Trail on the woods road, to a charcoal flat. The woods road continued, but in horrible shape, so I returned to Upper Ridge. Took it north through its mountain laurel display to the Catoctin Trail, and took it out to the overlook above the Frederick Valley for my lunch stop.
After lunch, I just took the winding Salamander Trail back to the parking area. Good mountain laurel, nice pine overstory in spots. Talked with some mountain bikers about the area not seeing as much use; they agreed. Not sure why, though I have a few ideas; I suspect use will pick up again.
For the mountain laurel bloom in June, I headed to a place which has it in profusion, where the laurel can sometimes seem to be the canopy rather than just the understory. Of course, I'm thinking of the northern part of the Frederick Watershed.
I started at the Sand Flats parking area, now slightly smaller than before but still with more than adequate parking. I passed the ponds, then onto the wide swatch of trail sometimes known as "Not Blue", passing the north-south trail, and then heading downhill into the valley via woods road. Thanks to the wet weather this spring, this section was even more eroded than usual. At the bottom I visited the small boulder field, and then took the quick bushwhack to Left Hand Fork Road.
I continued on an old roadbed across the road, heading northeast, passing the double clearing, soon after reaching the northern end of the Iceberg Trail, named for all the rocks you will run into. It's also a trail often lined with massive displays of mountain laurel. One thing I noticed is that trimming seemed to be needed, grass was more prevalent than usual, and treadway had faded. Still the same fun trail though, rocky stretches, quarry level, and mountain laurel alike. I then reached the Catoctin Trail, and headed north on the wide well trodden trail. Some wet areas up top, as expected. Found an American chestnut tree off trail.
At the pond, I took the Pit Trail after looking at numerous salamanders in the pond, and the past a boulder field and a couple of rhododendron bushes. I bushwhacked my way to the smallest pond, and then took its rough access lane t where it merged with a second, and then past the best pond in the Watershed. Made it out to Right Hand Fork Road, crossed it onto a northeast trending woods road, very overgrown at the road gate, but fine afterwards. Continued past the Upper Ridge Trail on the woods road, to a charcoal flat. The woods road continued, but in horrible shape, so I returned to Upper Ridge. Took it north through its mountain laurel display to the Catoctin Trail, and took it out to the overlook above the Frederick Valley for my lunch stop.
After lunch, I just took the winding Salamander Trail back to the parking area. Good mountain laurel, nice pine overstory in spots. Talked with some mountain bikers about the area not seeing as much use; they agreed. Not sure why, though I have a few ideas; I suspect use will pick up again.