Hiking with Doc

20210411 – Highlands Nature Sanctuary – Barret’s Rim Trail

docscape
Support This Site

Doc approves these ads.

My Affiliations

Doc approves these ads.

Doc approves these ads.

Date: 04/11/2021 – Distance: 2.7 mi – Elapsed Time: 1.75 hr – Ascent: 335 ft – Descent: 308 ft – Difficulty: Medium

Located on the west end of Highlands Nature Preserve on Cave Rd, which is where the headquarters for the Arc of Appalachia is, is the Barrett’s Rim Trailhead leads into what they call “The Jewel of the Rocky Fork Gorge.” The area is known for it’s dramatic dolomite rock formations and dazzling wildflower displays.

It’s best to get to this trailhead from the west side of the sanctuary from Barrett Mill Road and Cave Road.
Parking lot.
This road is narrow and there are lots of Amish in the area, so be careful.
The Barretts Rim Trail is on the west end of the parking lot.
It starts out across this prairie.
Those bushes look like olive trees which are invasive. Granted they get cool blooms, but why would they leave them?
Yellow Flowering Dogwood.
Heading into the woods on the opposite side of the prairie.
Redbud.
Jacob’s Ladder.
You can go either way at this intersection, but the right takes you into the gorge.
Cutleaf Toothwort.
This yellow Violet…
…was right beside the purple violet…
…and the white Violet variety.
Large Flowered Trillium.
Waterleaf. The flowers are cool, but later.
Ramps.
Rue Anemone.
Turkey Tail Fungus.
This ravine leads into the gorge.
The dwarf Woodland Phlox.
Hepatica with seedheads.
Large Flowered Bellwort.
Snow Trillium beyond the flowering stage.
Reindeer Lichen.
Bloodroot.
Wild Ginger.
This bone was way out on the cliff edge.
Going into some cliffs.
These stairs are new.
Wood Poppy.
The stairs keep going.
Dutchman’s Breeches.
The cliffs down here are intense.
Cutleaf Toothwort.
It’s like it rained wildflowers.
These anemones are all over the wall.
Amazing.
Bishop’s Cap aka Miterwort.
They’re all over the rocks.
Squirrel Corn.
Yellow Trout Lily.
Had to duck down here.
It’s a sedum.
There’s a ton of these rock ferns.
Is that a cave or a crevase?
Squirrel Corn. Looks like Dutchman’s Breeches from a distance.
Large Flowered Trillium.
Rocky Fork Creek.
This trail just keeps meandering along the creek
It’s an incredible gorge.
A little beach.
Whoa.
Jacob’s Ladder.
Wild Geranium.
I just keep saying, wow.
What an incredible place.
Blue Cohosh.
The trail goes between this fallen rock and the cliff.
I had to squeeze through there.
The Bishops Cap is amazing here.
Red Columbine.
Golden Ragwort.
The trail gets right up to the cliff.
The Saxifrage grows right on the wall.
I’ve been watching for this one. Shooting Star.
Lichen on the wall.
Good view looking upstream.
Red Columbine.
Not sure what this one is. Looks similar to Twinleaf but not.
Wild Ginger.
The trail is well maintained.
Look at that cutout.
This stream made the cutout.
River erosion.
The river.
Look at how it cuts into the rock.
This side stream is quite a ravine.
It cut right through.
I believe that the Large Flowered Trillium degrades to pink before dying.
This creek cut the huge ravine below.
The opposite side of the gorge is Miller State Nature Preserve and has a natural bridge just left of the overlook in the center of this pic.

Waypoints:

Links:

My Affiliations

Doc approves these ads.

Doc approves these ads.

Leave a Reply

Trending