We were looking to find a hike in a mature woods. Part of the motivation was to keep us out of the sun during a very warm week, and part was trying to fulfill my hope of seeing Crossvine flowering, which typically grows in mature forests and blooms in the mid to late spring. Footpaths has featured The Big Woods Trail at Hueston Woods State Park on two occasions – once in the spring ephemeral season and once in the fall. The spring outing was aborted when a severe thunderstorm had us scurrying out of the forest before we could complete the circuit. When I restudied the map for the state park I was surprised to see that much of the Big Woods Trail was actually encompassed within the 200 acre Hueston Woods State Nature Preserve and welcomed the opportunity to hike the two remaining trails of the preserve, the Blue Heron Trail and the Sugar Bush Trail.
To my knowledge, in the immediate Cincinnati Region we have four Old-Growth forests and the Big Woods at Hueston Woods State Park, at 200 acres, is by far the largest. As we stepped out of the van at the Blue Heron Trailhead parking lot we were greeted by this massive Tulip-poplar, which was perhaps four foot in diameter.
The trailhead itself was equally inviting, flanked by a pair of towering Sugar Maples.
It had rained shortly before our arrival so the air in the forest was humid, but amazingly fresh, and the woods were dark due to the full canopy. I tried to key out a fern for identification but the lack of light made the endeavor impossible.
We encountered massive trees as we wove our way through the wood. The largest specimens were Tulip-poplar, American Beech, and Sugar Maple.
For the most part the grade was gentle as it descended down toward Acton Lake, but eventually we came upon some well constructed stairs, in place on a steeper slope, that delivered us to a wetland on the shore of Acton Lake.
Boardwalks assisted us over the boggy areas.
It was in this area that we transitioned from the Blue Heron Trail to the Sugar Bush Trail, which continued north through a beautiful beech and maple forest.
“Sugar Bush” is a term that dates to colonial times, used to denote a grove of Sugar Maple trees that were tapped for making maple syrup, a process historically practiced by Native Americans. On the shore of the lake we came upon the “Sugar House”, site of Hueston Woods annual celebration of maple syrup making.
The Sugar Bush Trail ran along the shore of Lake Acton, sometimes on a paved surface, but generally on a bare dirt path.
Caroline braved the sodden trail spurs that led down to the lakeshore, where she noted lovely American Water-willow in the shallows. While willow is in its name, it is not a tree, but rather an aquatic perennial. They generally spread by rhizome or root growth rather than by seed, and groupings that cover one thousand square feet are common.
On the lakeshore the photographers captured these lovely images of some Ditch Lilies.
Through the trees we could watch the Blue Heron Trail’s namesake.
From the lake, the Sugar Bush Trail ascends the hill at a gentle grade, using a modest number of switchbacks. Once atop the hill we came upon some additional trophy trees. This Tulip-poplar had recently lost a large branch in the canopy, allowing for a flood of sunlight to the forest floor. For size comparison you can see me at the base.
Odds and Ends:
As we walked the trail we noted this area of whitewash – plants splattered with a heavy concentration of bird feces.
But when we looked up we really didn’t see anything of an avian nature, just a small dead branch about twenty-five feet above ground, which I suspect birds use as a vantage point. But on that small dead branch were some fascinating orange fungi that were lit up like stained glass by the filtered sunlight.
One of the great things about mature woods, and Old-Growth forests in particular, is the presence of ferns. We noted four species of fern on this outing.
Wood Fern – it has centralized, spore containing sori on the underside of the leaves.
Rattlesnake Fern – while most ferns form spores on the undersides of their leaves, this is one of the species that sends up a separate spore forming stalk.
Glade Ferns are one of the larger ferns in the eastern deciduous forest. These fronds were over 2 feet in length.
The final fern of the outing was Sensitive Fern. It gets its name from its extreme cold sensitivity, dramatically dying back after the first fall frost.
Note the “wings” that run along the rachis (leaf stem).
Another fun sighting, was the flowers of Ramps, which we saw trailside for much of the Blue Heron Trail. Ramps are a native species, and a cousin of garlic and onion. Their annual lifecycle is such that they send up their broad, grass-like leaves during the spring ephemeral season, when sunlight can still reach the forest floor before the trees leaf out. The Ramps blades then degrade and disappear well before the plant sends up its flower shoot in June. The leaves are a favorite of foragers who typically saute them.
Waterleaf puts on quite a floral display in the forest for a late spring bloomer as it frequently occurs in groupings. Note the pollinator in the lower right of the second photo.
One wildflower that was new to us was White Avens. It was understated on the forest floor. In our climate the upper part of the plant dies back in the fall but a rosette of leaves at ground level will remain and continue to carry on photosynthesis through the winter.
These plants caught our attention. They had violet-like leaves but with a single, fuzzy, round seedpod. We eventually identified it as Downy Yellow Violet, a spring ephemeral that we noted many times earlier this year. Violet seed pods are usually long and narrow, like a finger, and split lengthwise into three segments to expose and release the seeds. Apparently this squat capsule, like the finger-like ones of its cousins, will split into three sections that expose the seeds. As the violet capsules dry out, tension builds up in the tissues, which eventually results in the seeds being launched away from the plant. In some species they can be thrown fifteen feet, but several feet is more common.
The size of these mushrooms was a surprise, with caps that were 5 inches across, and held about 4 inches high. They are saprophytic, arising on decaying wood. I believe that they are Platterful Mushrooms.
Lastly, while it is admitedly a non-scientific study, it always seems that when we are in deeply shaded, mature forests we come across small, light colored moths. The one on the left is an Angle Moth and the one on the right is a Common White Wave Moth. Both are primarily nocturnal and I wonder if they seek the dark and shelter of the forest to rest during the day and to avoid predation. One chose a well camouflaged place to rest, the other, not so much.
In summary, our hike at Hueston Woods Nature Preserve, which features the Old-Growth “Big Woods”, was terrific. To walk amongst those massive Tulip-poplars, Sugar Maples, and American Beeches is inspiring and striking. I love to look up into the canopy and take in the stature and complexity of the branching. When you add in the ferns and other plants that are unique to these mature woodland habitats, the experience is compounded. No matter were you are in the States, I encourage you to go to the Old-Growth Forest Network website and find a certified Old-Growth forest near you (link provided below) and relish a walk in that habitat.
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Photo credits to Peggy Juengling Burns and Caroline Burns Grizzle.
Overview:
Location – 6301 Park Office Rd, College Corner, OH 45003
Parking – Large asphalt lot.
Facilities – None at trailhead. Formal indoor restrooms at Nature Center about 0.5 miles away.
Trail Conditions – mostly bare dirt with the exception of a short run of asphalt near the Sugar House.
Print Trail Map Link – https://www.hueston-woods-state-park.org/resources/hueston-woods-park-map.pdf
Benches – None.
Picnic Tables – None on the trail but numerous throughout the park.
Kids – Kids four and over should do well.
Dogs – Prohibited.
Paired Hiking Trails – If one visits Hueston Woods, you must hike The Big Woods Trail, most of which is within the nature preserve, to experience a large collection of these forest icons.
Links:
https://ohiodnr.gov/go-and-do/plan-a-visit/find-a-property/hueston-woods-state-park
https://ohiodnr.gov/go-and-do/plan-a-visit/find-a-property/hueston-woods-state-nature-preserve
Beautiful trail! Happy Fathers Day!