Wednesday, September 09, 2015

Hawk Mountain Hike


Adventures on Hawk Mountain

posted by Molly Sams

Joe Pye weed rising high towards the sun.
Today was a sort of last-ditch effort to soak up some sun before fall. I love fall as much as the next person but I know that it won’t be long before I’m too cozy and full of warm tea to want to go for a hike. So a few of my friends and I decided to run around Hawk Mountain and see what we could see.

I was happily surprised by how beautiful it was. The woods were almost covered with Goldenrod, Summersweet and Coral Honeysuckle! It was stunning and I had an amazing time climbing all over the rocks finding new plants, berries, and a few friendly chipmunks along the way. While it was not the easiest hike I’ve ever done, it was one of my most rewarding.

Don't know this flower.  My mom used to string it to make necklaces in her childhood, and calls it "Stock" but not sure.
If you’re in the area I would strongly suggest stopping by to see the park. They have wonderfully mapped out paths and even throw a native plant sale in late September. I know if I can make it I’ll be there.  For directions and information, here's the WEBSITE.

During migration, the sky is full of hawks playing on the currents.  I also found a couple other plants through my travels. Take a look!

Coral Honeysuckle
New England Aster - covered in the current issue by Kristine Brown.
Turtlehead.  If you look closely, you'll also see Blue Cohosh leaves and some jewelweed up in the corner.

Doll's Eyes or White Baneberry

1 comment:

Beth J. Beal said...

That flower you called stock is Nicotiana or Flowering Tobacco. It is a nice addition to any garden as it is very fragrant and the hummingbirds and butterflies love it! We hail from South Jersey and when my kids were little we climbed to the top of Hawk Mountain while in the area. I have a great photo of the two of them on the rock with the arrow pointing north painted on it. It is so lovely there!