It is just one of those timeless places, achieved through a combination of old growth forest and the remains of early settlers' hard lives there. Exploration off trail in the hollow bottom and on the flat ridges will be well rewarded.
If you continue up the stream valley , you will pass under an unbroken grove of poplars with little understory , for about ½ mile. Small native chestnuts and cucumber magnolias are also found here. Further off trail exploration will show evidence of early settlement here.
In the book, Remarkable Trees of Virginia, which spawned this hike, the trees are referred to as the "largest trees in aggregation" in the National Park that naturalist Mo Stevens has seen in more than 35 years of walking there. The trees seem to be about 120 feet tall, and the rich soil along the hollow bottom support this kind of growth, as evident in the oaks and mountain laurels as well. For some reason or another, this grove of trees was spared the axe in early settlement of what is now the park...The poplar in the photo easily exceeds the height of the others! Great hike for those who love trees …
Virginia Master Naturalist and Blue Ridge Mountain Sports Manager
Photographs © John Holden
For more information about the Yellow-poplar tree visit:
http://www.na.fs.fed.us/pubs/silvics_manual/volume_2/liriodendron/tulipifera.htm
For more information about the Virginia Master Naturalists organization, visit:
http://www.virginiamasternaturalist.org/