Swanquarter National Wildlife Refuge

During a recent trip to Lake Mattamuskeet to check out the waterfowl population, we finally happened on the entrance to Swanquarter National Wildlife Refuge. I first read about the 15,500+ acre refuge in The Natural Traveler, and tried to locate it during last year's excursion to the pocosin lakes. As it turns out, we passed it on numerous occasions.

Located off Hwy 264 between Rose Bay and Swan Quarter, the dusty, two-mile road extending from the highway ends at the Bell Island Pier, where a few of the locals cast their lines while birds keep an eye on their catch. As I discovered from the book and subsequent research, what's visible from the road and pier are all visitors can see from land. The rest of the refuge can only be viewed by boat. When they say refuge, they mean it.

At the end of the road, from left to right:

As with Pungo and Mattamuskeet, we plan on returning to Swanquarter in winter to see migrating waterfowl. But to view the birds resting on the obscured marsh, our best bet is to take the Swan Quarter-Ocracoke ferry (note: fees apply. Check the ferry schedule before traveling.)

For more information on Swanquarter, go to

www.hydecounty.org/attractions/SwanQuarterNWR.htm

To find the entrance on a map, click here or plug the coordinates 35.448679, -76.367909 in Google Maps or Google Earth.

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Copyright 2009. All Rights Reserved. Do not use or distribute.

Triangle Land Conservancy's Temple Flat Rock

If a land or nature conservancy obtains a certain property, there must be a good reason. Flower Hill has Catawba Rhododendron. Peachtree Rock Preserve in South Carolina has a unique pyramid-shaped rock resting on its point (yes, upside down!) A few weeks ago, CarolinasAdventures co-moderator, Kelvin Taylor, (KT) took eastern CA members to another Triangle Land Conservancy property, Temple Flat Rock in Wake County, to introduce us to the natural wonder there.

Our little band decided to meet on site, and after passing the narrow entrance, we finally found the dirt road that led to a small parking area. I'm sure that, under normal circumstances, this parking lot is more than sufficient, but two SUVs and two sedans made for a tight fit. After situating our vehicles, we began the hike.

Located on a rural parcel between Zebulon and Raleigh, to the untrained eye (mine), this TLC land looks like a large, overgrown meadow bordered by a mixed forest. We walked through the field, taking pictures of vetch and morning glorys, and generally exploring what we found. A deer blind stood near the trees, overlooking an area littered with corn cobs. Whether or not hunting is permitted to help manage the deer population, it served as a reminder to wear orange during hunting season.

But we weren't simply meandering through the woods. We were searching for the outcropping that gave Temple Flat Rock its name.

"A rock!" you say. "Splendid, Kimberli. Thanks for taking us along on this trip."

Not just a rock. Not just a flat rock. And certainly not just a very large flat rock that can be seen on Google Maps. As it turns out, this is yet another one of North Carolina's unique natural communities.

The queen of ecosystems I'm not, so to learn more about these Piedmont outcroppings, I turned to a couple of my resources: exploring north carolina's natural areas, and the ever intimidating, Classification of the Natural Communities of North Carolina (Third Approximation).

As it turns out, exploring has a section on "Rocks, Soils, and Plant Life in the Central Piedmont" (p 167). Here, I learned about the existence of geologic areas such as the Carolina Slate Belt, the Raleigh Belt, and the Triassic Belt, which contains "horizontal layer of rock". I found a map on the NC Dep't of Environment and Natural Resources site, but because of the size of the graphic, I'm unable to determine in which belt Temple Flat Rock is located.

It was in Classifications that I learned the horizontal rock and the plants that grow on them are a community referred to as Granitic Flatrock (p 104 printed version). The book speaks of the shallow soil, and the "distinct species" that live on the open rock areas. We saw examples of this in person when we finally found the flat outcropping. It was surprisingly large--easily as big as curved Governor's Rock on SC's Table Rock Mountain. A variety of lichens and moss grew on the rock and in areas where dirt has collected over time. KT seemed particularly amazed over one species of moss. But I had my sights on another plant.

I know little about rock outcroppings, but one thing I am aware of--where there's an outcropping, there's usually cactus. It didn't take long to find the first of several I would spot during our visit.

Why it grows around outcroppings, I don't know. I expect to find them in Texas and the southwest, not growing along rocks in North Carolina.

(Another mystery: the partially sunken, lone grave of Jonah Robertson, buried in 1966. We found it while searching for the outcropping and sheltering ourselves from a light sprinkling rain. Why was he buried here and where is his family? A quick search brought no answers.)

Unfortunately, the threat of more rain convinced us to leave our camera in the car (I snapped the last two photos with my phone), so we have few pictures from this portion of our trip. However, KT had his camera on hand. To see his photos and report, click on the following SCENIC NC blog post link:

http://scenicnc.blogspot.com/2009/09/enccaers-hike-to-temple-flat-rock.html

An added bonus: as CA's resident botanist, he can delve deeper into the mysteries of granitic flatrocks and the species that grow on them. But after visiting Temple Flat Rock, I feel safe in saying it's a wonderful example of this particular natural community, and I'm pleased the Triangle Land Conservancy is protecting it from people like me, who, unaware of its status and importance, would look at the rock, complain of its presence, and then take a bulldozer to it so I could claim the land.

On another note: You may recall that in an earlier post, I claimed I wouldn't go back in the woods until the bugs had died. I did so on this occasion because of the hope of seeing wildflowers that are once again blooming in abundance. I'm not a fan of chemicals, so I didn't use the bug spray in my pack, choosing instead to stay on the trail. MISTAKE! I had more chigger (aka red bug) bites and seed ticks than I could count or even find. If you go in the woods, please take appropriate measures as you're medically able to fend off these pests.

Photos from the first half of our trip are below. For more information on Temple Flat Rock, go to http://www.triangleland.org/lands/tlc/temple_property.shtml

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Copyright 2009. All Rights Reserved. Do not use or distribute.

Image of the Day: Fishing at Mattamuskeet

We recently made a quick trip to Lake Mattamuskeet (or as I called it that day, Lake ManyMosquitoes) to check out the goings on. All seemed quiet, but in a few months, thousands of ducks and swans and two or three snow geese will descend on the pocosin lakes in this region. Until then, Lake Mattamuskeet seems to be the place to while away the lingering summer hours:

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Copyright 2009. All Rights Reserved. Do Not Copy or Distribute

Pilot Mountain State Park

Monadnock(1) : (ma-NAD-knock)
: noun
: Inselburg (German Etymology): Isolated Mountain

Sauratown Mountain Range(2)
: an outlier mountain range in the northwest corner of the North Carolina Piedmont, just west of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Once "mighty peaks", erosion reduced the range to scenic quartzite ridges, peaks and knobs.

Pilot Mountain
: a monadnock in the Sauratown Mountain Range

I'd heard of Pilot Mountain on several occasions, mainly through my hiking group, but I knew very little about this destination. Only that it's located in the northwest quadrant of the state, that it's a cone of a mountain with a dome protruding from the top, and that it's near Mt. Airy. So a fair amount of research was in order before, during, and after our visit.

One of the first things we learned? It's beautiful country.

As mentioned above, Pilot Rock is a monadnock, and as such, it appears to be a single mountain growing from the landscape. (Hanging Rock is another, and can be seen in the background of the photo above.) Because of this, when near the mountain's summit, one can see miles of land stretching toward the horizon.

Since this was our first trip to the landmark natives called Jomeokee (great guide), we stopped at the Visitor's Center and collected a bit of verbal and printed information. The park consists of two sections--the Mountain Section, and River--and has a total of thirteen trails. On the advice of a ranger, we drove up to the parking area, where we stopped at the first of several overlooks. The view from each was worth the three-hour drive:

View from the parking area

Path to overlook

From the overlook. From here, one can see a portion of Big 

Pinnacle, the well-know dome. We also spotted several hawks

After spending time at the overlooks, we continued on to Little Pinnacle, a slight rise located near Big Pinnacle. The elevation is higher, and involves walking up a staircase of stone steps. But it provides a fabulous view of Big Pinnacle.

We stayed there for twenty or thirty minutes, enjoying the view, and watching more of the birds that call Pilot Mountain home.

But we wanted a closer look at that dome. For that, the ranger at the Visitor's Center recommended the .8 (point eight, not eight!) mile Jomeokee Trail, which circles the base.

Jomeokee Trailhead, located near the entrance to Little Pinnacle

The stretch between Little and Big Pinnacle sags like an old horse's back, so the initial path is quite steep:

It was a short walk to the dome, and along the way, we passed the entrance to the strenuous Ledge Trail. Without hiking packs, walking sticks, and water, we opted not to take it on this occasion. Next time. Soon, we entered the circular path around the dome.

And, wow.

Geology is not a subject I've had the opportunity--or the courage--to study, so I cannot begin to address the significance of what we saw. We did our best to take pictures of the massive layers of vertical and horizontal rock that formed the dome, as well as the various textures resulting from erosion (in some places, it appeared as if the rock were melting.)

It's well worth a visit to see it in person. And there's plenty to do at Pilot Mountain to make it a day long, or weekend excursion. As I mentioned earlier, the park has two sections, and one of the longer trails travels from one to the other. In addition to hiking trails, the park also has bridle trails and a canoe launch. Rock climbing and camping are available in designated areas. Check with the park office for more information. The dome appears to be a rookery, and the paths are lined with rhododendron, so birding and wildflowering are also options during certain months.

NOTE: As with all outdoor destinations, if you decide to hike Pilot Mountain, please use caution. Don't venture near or onto ledges, and stay on the trails. Danger signs are posted around the park as a reminder. Please heed them.

According to fellow CA members and exploring north carolina's natural areas, Hanging Rock is nearby, as is Moore's Knob, Upper and Lower Cascade Falls, Mt. Airy (Andy Griffith's hometown and the model for Mayberry, if you're a fan) along with the city of Pilot Mountain (called Mount Pilot in The Andy Griffith Show.)

We hope to visit the park again soon, to hike the missed longer trails, and to check out the river section. For more information on Pilot Mountain, including fees and trail closures, go to http://ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/pimo/main.php

To view the rest of the photos on our Smugmug site, click the image below:

1. http://www.m-w.com/
2. http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/haro/history.php and exploring north carolina's natural areas (pg 221-222)

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Copyright 2009. All Rights Reserved. Do not distribute text or images without permission

Video: Sea Turtle Release in South Carolina

The South Carolina Aquarium "Tweeted" the link for this video last week. I kid you not, it brought tears to my eyes. (What do you expect from a person who tried to rescue a box turtle on White Horse Road near Greenville in a dress and low heeled sandals!)

Enjoy.


Sea Turtle Release from Open Dome Studios on Vimeo.