Walking Through Autumn: Mammoth Cave Forest, the North Side

A view of the Green River Valley from the Bluffs Overlook.

Mammoth Cave Park has many walking trails
around the Visitors' Center as well as across the Green River.
They are free of charge and can be taken any time of the year.
This is one of the best hiking areas is Southcentral Kentucky.
Today, I walked the trails on the north side of the Center.

Information about the Trails

Maps

How do I get to Mammoth Cave?

As I arrived at the front of the Mammoth Cave Visitors' Center

I noticed these turkeys walking around looking for food.

When I pulled into the parking lot I saw a doe with her fawn.

The Green River Bluffs Trail is at the top part of the map,
to the right of the picnic table icon.
Click the map to enlarge it.

To get to the Bluffs Trailhead walk from the parking lot past
the Woodland Cottages and it will be on your right.
My walk, today, included the Green River Bluffs Trail,
a short segment of the Echo River Spring Trail,
the Sunset Point Trail, and the Heritage Trail leading
back to the Visitors' Center.

A more detailed map

The Green River Bluffs Trailhead

You couldn't ask for a better day for a walk in the woods!

Some Turkey-tail fungus decomposing this log.
Click any photo to get a better view.

This trail will take you about 400 ft above the Green River.

A fern called Ebony Spleenwort.
Ferns are not flowering plants; they reproduce using spores,
instead of flowers and seeds.
Information

A fern called Maidenhair Fern.
Information

Look at the base of a Beech tree and you may
see an unusual plant called Beechdrops.

It makes beautiful flowers. This plant is unusual in that it
does not undergo photosynthesis, like typical plants.
Information

A beautiful Aster.
Information

Tiny flowers of a species of Tick Trefoil
Info on Illinois Tick Trefoil

Different stages of Downy Lobelia flowers.
Click any photo to enlarge.
Information

The Green River Bluffs Overlook.

Map

Beautiful View There are some great hiking trails
on the other side of the river. You have to take a ferry
across the river, which is a neat experience.

Click the photo to enlarge it and read it.
Information about the Green River

Great place to sit and take a break.

Purple Cliffbrake, an unusual looking fern.
Information

Mistflower with Ailanthus Webworm moth.

Mistflower Information Information on the moth.

A good look back at the Green River Overlook. You want to watch your step on
this part of the trail. If you slip here you will end up in the River 400 ft below.

This colorful spider was only about a centimeter long.
Click to enlarge.

This was a great find...a wild orchid
called Nodding Ladies' Tresses.

Close-up of the flowers.
Information

Look at the base of the mushrooms and you'll
see a very unusual fungus called Bird's Nest Fungus.
Information on Mushrooms
Information on Birds Nest Fungus

Watch your step!

The lichens, mosses, and plants are very slowly breaking
the boulder into tiny pieces (sediments) with time...lots of time.

"In dry weather the lichen carpet seems thin; it is brittle and crumbles underfoot. Now,

saturated with rain which it absorbs like a sponge, it was deep and springy. Roger delighted

in its texture, getting down on chubby knees to feel it, and running from one patch to another

to jump up and down in the deep, resilient carpet with squeals of pleasure."

from Rachel Carson's The Sense of Wonder

Lichen Information

This one has an odd name...Resurrection Fern.
When they become dehydrated they shrivel up
and look dead, like in the photo above.
When it rains they revive (a resurrection) like the photo, below.

Both photos are of the same species.
The only differrence is the amount of water they have in them.

The sori of this species.
Sori are spore cases.

Turn right here to get a view from another Overlook.

This very common fern is called Christmas Fern. People used to place some of these evergreen plants in their homes during the winter (Christmas) to liven-up the place. Today, people don't
know a plant from a dog...nature deficit disorder.

Sticktight or Beggar-ticks (Bidens frondosa)
Information

You can see the Green River, below...barely.
This overlook has been obscured by trees that have grown taller over the years.

Map

Moss sporophytes, containing the spores.
Moss Life Cycle diagram

At this point turn right to continue on the Bluffs Trail.
If you go straight you will go by Dixon Cave and the entrance to the Historic Cave.

This deer walked slowly in front of me as if I weren't there.
Nat. Geographic Video

You are now beginning your winding descent to the
River Styx Spring and the Green River.

Close-up of the Snakeroot that is very
numerous is the previous photo.
Information

A very well hidden toad; I didn't see it until it began hopping.
How can you tell it's a toad and not a frog?
Click here to see the Answer

Great little bridge covered in Walking Ferns

You can see these Walking Ferns growing on the bridge.
The tip of the fronds produce new growth (see the bud),
which grow new fronds...as if it's walking.
Information

Giant trees grow near the river!
Look at the size of this Sycamore.

Pennsylvania Smartweed

Information

At the end of the Bluffs Trail turn right to get to the Green River.
You can see Snakeroot and Wingstem on the right.

Yellow Wingstem

Wingstem plants have little wings growing off the stem,
where the flowers grow.

Their stems also have wing-like
structures.

Wingstem flowers
(Its cousin is White Wingstem)

This caterpillar was on the bottom of a Wingstem leaf.

The Green River
There were lots of Wingstems growing down here.

You are now at the point where the River Styx runs into the

Green River. See the middle-left of the map.

Map

Knotweed was everywhere.

Close-up of Knotweed flower.

Click here for info.

Walk to the end of this boardwalk to see the River Styx Spring.

The River Styx runs through the cave system and comes out
here at this Spring. After a good rain the water level is pretty
high, unlike today.
Information about Karst Springs

I took the trail to the right, the Echo River Spring Trail.
This trail takes you above the Spring that you just saw and leads to the Echo River Spring
on the south side of the park. The trail to the left goes to the Visitors' Center.

After a short climb you'll come to this boardwalk, which is
directly above the River Styx Spring.

At this point if you look down you will
see the River Styx coming out of the cave.

Soon after the boardwalk you come to this point;
just make a U-turn and head uphill to Sunset Point,
which is part of the Heritage Trail.
On another day you can continue on the Echo River Spring Trail (see map).

This Hairy Lipfern was growing on this hill.

This is a fairly steep climb and very winding.
Be sure to stop, look, and listen often.
Also, be sure to stay on the path and do not take short cuts, which will
create erosion paths, which can damage the existing path.