We saw an amazing diversity of things on our hike down to Apple Orchard Falls. I saw all the spring ephemerals I used to look for every spring on the Blue Ridge. My mom knew the most plants, but each of us contributed. And we saw a few interesting non-vegetative things.
The flowers
- Trillium
- Dutchman’s breeches
- Wild geranium
- Star chickweed
- Lady slipper
- Bleeding heart
- Fly poison
- Wood betony
- Bellwort
- Violets
- Squaw root
- Salomon seal
- False salomon seal
Other plants
- American (false) hellebore
- May apple
- Chestnut burr from last year (Isaac carried one back to the car with the occasional “ow!” exclamation.)
- Rattlesnake plantain
Landmarks
- Many small cascades and the long Apple Orchard Falls
- Cliff with bolts and anchors for rock climbing
- A small cave
- Bridges
- Stairs
- View across the Shenandoah Valley
- Hiking a section of the Appalachian Trail
Animals
- Garter snake
- Skink
- Common watersnake
- Eastern tiger swallowtail butterfly
- Various shiny beetles
- Bear cub
All Photos
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- Apple Orchard Falls trailhead -- Comments (0)
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- Violets -- Comments (0)
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- Saloman Seal -- Comments (0)
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- Isaac on a rock -- Comments (0)
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- Star Chickweed -- Comments (0)
More ...
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- A tree that grew on a nurse stump -- Comments (0)
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- Emilie climbing for a photo -- Comments (0)
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- Bleeding Heart -- Comments (0)
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- Isaac trying to help mom find the bleeding heart -- Comments (0)
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- Tyson -- Comments (0)
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- Finding bolts and anchors -- Comments (0)
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- Isaac in a cave -- Comments (0)
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- Snail -- Comments (0)
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- View -- Comments (0)
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- Everyone in the Rhododendron -- Comments (0)
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- Stairs on Apple Orchard Falls Trail -- Comments (0)
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- John and Trudy by the falls -- Comments (0)
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- Tyson approaching the falls -- Comments (0)
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- Rainbow in the spray -- Comments (0)
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- Emilie and Isaac at Apple Orchard Falls -- Comments (0)
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- Bleeding Heart -- Comments (0)
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- Trillium -- Comments (0)
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- Wild Geranium -- Comments (0)
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- Squaw Root -- Comments (0)
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- Rattlesnake Plantain -- Comments (0)
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- Garter Snake -- Comments (0)
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- Fast skink -- Comments (0)
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- Flowering hillside -- Comments (0)
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- Wild Ginger flower -- Comments (0)
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- Trillium -- Comments (0)
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- Fly Poison? Amianthium muscitoxicum -- Comments (0)
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- Beetle -- Comments (0)
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- Lady slipper -- Comments (0)
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- Hiking back up the hill -- Comments (0)
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- Common watersnake -- Comments (0)
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- John taking pictures from the bridge -- Comments (0)
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- Green beetle -- Comments (0)
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- Morel mushroom? -- Comments (0)
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- Wood Betony? -- Comments (0)
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- Chestnut burr -- Comments (0)
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- Trudy and John at a rest stop -- Comments (0)
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- Dutchman’s Breeches -- Comments (0)
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- John on the AT -- Comments (0)
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- Whole family on the AT -- Comments (0)
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- Grass bordering the AT -- Comments (0)
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- Hillside of May Apples -- Comments (0)
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- Where is Mama bear? -- Comments (0)
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- Trillium -- Comments (0)
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- Isaac and the chestnut burr -- Comments (0)
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A Bear?
As I hear the story, the front of our group was walking by a log when the bear cub popped out from underneath. I was a hundred yards behind photographing may apples. Tyson thought “another snake, no. A woodchuck? no.” Trudy first thought it was a raccoon. And my Dad started with mink. It took them all a good moment to realize it was the utterly improbable — a curious, and maybe a little hungry bear cub. Where was mama bear? And how long until she came growling to her cub’s defense? Tyson took a quick photo before hurrying away. Isaac shared the bear cub’s curiosity and fearlessness. He paused to watch it. As noted before, I was so far back I had to walk towards the cub before I could pass it. I was so busy looking over my shoulder for an angry mama bear that I barely looked at the cub. The cub snuffled at me as I went past.
Mama bear never showed up. Hopefully, she was just out of earshot upwind and came back later to take care of the cub. But we are glad she wasn’t there when we were.
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