We enjoyed a fabulous 2 hour guided hike this morning. The hike is designed for children and it turned out to be a private tour as no one else signed up for today.
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| At the onset of the hike, our guide Sam showed us stinging nettle and poison ivy. She explained that Jewel Weed is a natural remedy to both. All three plants can be seen above. |
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| In addition to a three leaved plant, we learned that poison ivy can also present as a hairy-looking vine which wraps around a tree. It turns out that poison ivy is mostly found in places frequented by humans. |
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| We played a tree identification game where you are blind folded and then walked over to a tree. After touching and/or hugging your tree, the group spins you around and removes your blind fold. You then have to identify which tree was yours! |
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| We crossed several small creeks |
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| Anne was very excited to find millipededs |
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| We saw found these buckeyes - never realized that the word buckeye actually refers to the eye of a deer! |
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| Black bears mark their territory by rubbing their scent glands onto trees. These claw marks were left when a bear was marking the tree with scent glands on its front paws. There are an estimated 1,500 black bears in the Smokies, that's two bears per square mile. We learned all about bear safety and the importance of protecting bears from human food (which can dramatically decrease their life span). |
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| Miss Anne spent most of the hike on an ERGO carrier, she did enjoy some freedom at the hike's end. |
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| We learned how to find salamanders!! |
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