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20210327 – Gladys Riley Golden Star Lily Preserve

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Date: 03/27/2021 – Distance: 2.9 mi – Elapsed Time: 2.75 hr – Ascent: 702 ft – Descent: 610 ft – Difficulty: Medium

The Gladys Riley Golden Star Lily Preserve is a 186 acre park managed by the Arc of Appalacia non-profit to protect one of the few populations of Golden Star Lily. This delicate lily is endangered and this population is gigantic. Flowers literally cover the forest floor and even grow right on the trails.

This flower is very similar to the more common Trout Lily however it has yellow pistols instead of brown and it’s flower faces up to the sun, rather than down.

The preserve is located on Tick Ridge Road near Otway, OH in southern Ohio.

This map is at the trailhead kiosk and online.
Trailhead is right off the very small parking area. In fact because the Lily is blooming, I had to park along the road.
A little bit about this preserve.
The kiosk has much more info about it.
The trailhead was an old homestead.
There are two trails.
Daffodils indicate prior people once lived here.
Bloodroot.
The Yellow Buckeye Trail is pretty steep climb, and both have lots of ankle breaking stones. Be cautious.
Rue Anemone.
The views of the hills are pretty good too without leaves on the trees.
A few ravines and a creek run through the property.
Pink Rue Anemone.
Spring Beauty.
At first I thought these were just Yellow Trout Lily’s.
Golden Star Lily, before the sun warmed them up.
Hepatica.
Golden Star Lily.
Corydalis.
Downey Yellow Violet.
Sarcoscypha fungus aka Scarlet Elfcup.
Crane Fly Orchid with seed heads from last season.
Purple Cress.
Blue Cohosh.
Harbinger of Spring.
You can see the density here of the Golden Star Lily’s if you look close.
Long Spurred Violet.
Hepatica. The colors of this species varies from white to pink to purple.
Looks like a pelvis maybe of a deer.
Golden Star Lily.
Looking back at the preserve.

Waypoints:

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