Guided Wildflower Hike - Flat River

The destination is a section of alluvial levee forest in the bend of the Flat River. The hike starts and ends along the gravel access roads of the food plot sub-impoundments in the floodplain of the Flat River above Falls Lake. We will walk about a half of a mile before entering the woods. Once in the woods there is no defined trail, but the terrain is relatively flat and the vegetation will be growing in and we will do a bit of bushwhacking. This site is one of the significant natural heritage sites recorded on Corps of Engineers land at Falls Lake. The shrub layer consists of spicebush, pawpaw, and painted buckeye, which will be in various stages of flowering. The forest also boasts one of the more expansive populations of Dutchman's breeches and False Rue-anemone in the region. Wear sturdy shoes and long pants, and bring gloves if you are inclined to pull out any invasive Chinese privet seedlings we are likely to encounter.

During the hike we’ll talk at length about the bedrock geology, soils and soil chemistry, geomorphology and fluvial processes, and cultural history of the site, which also happens to straddle the Indian Trading Path where it crosses the Flat at a natural ford.

This hike will take approximately two hours (sometimes less, sometimes more). Please feel free to bring water and snacks. Wear comfortable, weather appropriate clothing and shoes. Well-behaved dogs are welcome as long as they are under your control and on a 6 foot leash.

This event is rain or shine. We will contact you if severe weather is expected that would cause us to cancel the hike.

If your plans change and you are unable to attend the hike, please contact [email protected] to cancel your registration so that we may offer your spot(s) to our waitlist.

Directions: We will meet at the Wildlife Subimpoundment parking lot on Old Oxford Highway on the right before Lake Michie Dam Road. Here are directions to the Sub-impoundment parking lot. GPS: 36.12778422345468, -78.83267593425103

Host or Publisher Eno River Association