Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest

[SawyerTed]

We've been spending the last few days in the Great Smoky Mountains.  Today we visited The Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest.  This is one of a few examples of old growth forest in the Appalachian Mountains.  Many of the hardwood trees were 400 years old and diameters at chest level of 6 plus feet!  Many were poplars and a few were white oaks.

It was awesome to imagine these mountains covered with trees like that!

[nativewolf]

It is a special place, when the adelgid killed the hemlocks there it broke my heart.  The hemlock were even larger than the poplar, or just as large.  The long trail around the top of the cove is neat, wonderful cove forest.

[Don P]

If you're still there Ted, one generalization I've read and it seems to hold up from the few ancient white oaks I've seen. They start out life with a right hand twist, noticeable in the bark, then in middle age are straight then in old age tend towards a left hand twist.

[curdog]

That is a really neat place. I went with my dendro class and have been meaning to get back. A lot of good hiking and fishing in that area .I really enjoyed taking a boat ride to hike hazel creek and smallmouth fishing on Fontana . Catching the train out of dillsboro of Bryson City is a neat afternoon as well...

[Raider Bill]

That's one of my favorite areas to ride.

[terrifictimbersllc]

If you're still there Ted, one generalization I've read and it seems to hold up from the few ancient white oaks I've seen. They start out life with a right hand twist, noticeable in the bark, then in middle age are straight then in old age tend towards a left hand twist.

Opposite most people then.😀

[Don P]

 :D :D :D