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Articles |
Lite-In-Winter
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| Smith Woods, Trumansburg | |
Submitted
by: Marvin
Pritts |
|
|
Category/Audience:
Beginning
hikers, Children-Families, Most Scenic-Historic, Seniors
|
|
Best
for: Walking-hiking,
Snowshoes, Other: Nature education |
|
| Describe location/distance/terrain: | |
Smith
Woods, an old-growth forest next to the village of Trumansburg,
now has a trail that allows visitors to access the woods to view
the enormous trees that it contains. One trail runs through the
middle of the woods and another traverses the perimeter. The combined
distance is only one mile, but what a spectacular mile it is! Some
sections of the trail are a little wet, especially the eastern side
of the woods. Because the trail is new, the paths are not worn so
follow the red or yellow ribbons. The trail is mostly flat and easy
to walk. The easiest access point is by the Smith Woods sign along
Rt. 96 by the ShurSave, across from the Fairgrounds. |
|
| Why do you think this walk or trail is special and why would others also enjoy it? | |
| Only 0.6% of forests in the East can be categorized as "old growth" - most forests have been heavily logged in the past. Smith Woods is a prime example of a forest that has been minimally disturbed by human activities. As a result, some trees live hundreds of years and die of old age. A recently fallen hemlock was aged to 1663. The Cayuga Nature Center now manages the woods and established the trail in early 2006. Twenty-three species of trees are labeled and the birthdates of several are included. Along the trail are yellow poplars 130 feet tall, red oaks 10 ft in circumference, and a rare cucumber magnolia that is approximately 100 feet tall. This is a very special trail because it allows visitors to see what forests would have looked like when Europeans first visited North America, and one can also learn to identify trees from their bark in winter. The trail is also easily walked by young children and is very accessible. | |
| Links: | |
| http://www.cayuganaturecenter.org/about/smith_woods.html | |
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