Occurence is on moderate to steep shale slopes overlooking the South Branch Potomac River from the north and also following a small stream up the western edge of the occurence around a shoulder facing due west. At this northwestern point, as with the northern limits upslope of the rest of the occurence, the cover blends gradually to oak-hickory forest with much more litter on the ground and less shale. To the south and west the slope is cut by the river or the stream, sometimes at very steep rocky cliffs.;There are small gaps in the canopy with little ground vegetation scattered throughout the community. Patches of Vaccinium are growing under the canopy. Parts of the community have been greatly disturbed by livestock. Litter is accumulated under the Vaccinium.
Representativeness
The plot is very representative of the western part of the shale barren. Few endemics were located, but it is a nice shale barren nonetheless. There is Cheilanthes lanosa on some outcrops not in the plot.
