This is an isolated patch of land managed by the National Park Service. The access to this observation point is from hiking down Indian Branch and upstream once coming to Bluestone River. You can also access this point from hiking upstream from Mt. Creek Lodge and cross the river. Across the river is a nice patch of Platanus occidentalis / Verbesina alternifolia - Chasmanthium latifolium tall herb community with at least some oak and hemlock on the terrace above. Upstream from obs. Point is a thin band of Platanus occidentalis / Verbesina alternifolia tall herb below steep mixed-meso gorge. Above us is the same mixed-meso with Tilia americana - Quercus rubra - Acer saccharum.;This is steep gorge bottom with several flat rock shelves 5m above the river. The surrounding forest is mixed-mesophytic and is dominated by basswood and sugar maple. There are 25 small 35cm tall Arborvitae shrubs growing hanging on to the edge of one of these shaded forest cliffs. The entire slope seems highly erodable and subject to frequent landslides creating some diffuse light. This site feels unusually dark and cool during these dog-day periods of summer. Viola canadensis was found still in bloom.
Representativeness
This observation point was placed here to sample a small patch of Thuja occidentalis growing within mixed mesophytic forest.
