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A Trip to Croatan National Forest, North Carolina
Catfish Lake Road, Croatan National Forest
A drive along Catfish Lake Road (gravel but well maintained) through the center of Croatan National Forest provides opportunities to view excellent examples of the "pocosin" in Croatan National Forest. Derived from an Algonquin word meaning "swamp on a hill", the term pocosin is actually used to describe a continuum of forested peatlands ranging from pond pine forests on dry, shallow peat to deep peatlands dominated by small shrubs, bay trees, and widely spaced, often stunted pine trees. In Croatan National Forest's pocosin, thickness of the peat, hydroperiod, and fire determine the exact vegetation type. Because of the frequency of fire, trees in pocosin are generally not old. At least 10,000 acres of the pocosin in the Croatan, including the area along Catfish Lake Road, however, have never been logged. Therefore they are old growth in the sense that they have undergone minimal disruption by EuroAmericans. To explore the pocosin you can simply park along the side of the road and start hiking, but be sure to bring old shoes or even hip boots for the tough hike through the moist peat and nearly impenetrable shrub layer.
Millis Road Savanna, Croatan
National Forest
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Island Creek Trail, Croatan National Forest
The forest surrounding Island Creek, a blackwater tributary to the Trent River, seems out of place in Croatan because of the presence of alluvial and swamp hardwoods, including beech, bitternut hickory, sugar maple, tulip tree, swamp chestnut oak, black tupelo, and baldcypress. The unique geology of the area, which includes large exposures of limestone, has left the soil more basic, thus creating excellent habitat for hardwoods. As you meander down toward the creek along this leisurely one-mile loop trail, you will see across the river the H.H. Bate Tract, an upland old-growth forest with beech, tulip tree, mixed oaks, and hickory some seventy-five acres in size. The Bate Tract is privately owned.
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The Black River, a blackwater tributary to the Cape Fear River, provides wonderful opportunities to explore old-growth forests on a half-day canoe trip. Surrounded by classic blackwater river swamp, the Black River is home to the oldest living trees east of the Rocky Mountains according to research conducted by dendrochronologists from the University of Arkansas. Individual trees with swollen buttresses, often exceeding 15 feet in diameter, may be 1,700-2,000 years old. Other large trees can be found in the understory including pop ash and overcup oaks. Because of the unique beauty and biological significance of this area, The Nature Conservancy currently owns and protects nearly 1,912 acres of the Black River Swamp. The less adventurous not interested in canoeing can catch a glimpse of the old growth bald cypress trees from the boat landing just downstream of the North Carolina State Route 53/11 bridge.
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The Boyd Estate, a small section of Weymouth Woods State Natural Area, is a 50-acre plot of old-growth longleaf pine forest. In contrast to Millis Road Savanna, the Boyd Estate has an old-growth canopy (some trees exceeding 400 years old), but years of fire suppression have allowed other trees to mature and out-compete the classic old-growth understory. Prescribed burns by the North Carolina Department of Parks and Recreation have begun to reopen the understory in certain areas and numerous longleaf pine seedlings are now present. In addition to viewing large trees, hikers can search for the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker and pine barren tree frogs along the trail.
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Along with Jones Lake, Salters Lake is a Carolina Bay that continues to hold standing water. Along the east edge of the lake, thick forests of bay trees and bald cypress transition into open longleaf pine barrens on beautiful white sand. The coarse white sands have little or no water holding capacity, making it difficult for trees and plants to establish root systems. The sparsely vegetated understory that results combined with abundant white sands give this area an almost desert-like appearance. Consequently, Salters Lake provides a unique opportunity to visit both swamp habitats and desert-like barrens. Red-cockaded woodpeckers can be seen in the barrens, considered to be "borderline" old growth; and state park officials are attempting to aid their recovery through the addition of artificial nesting cavities.
Copyright © 2000 by Matthew Patterson
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This page was last updated 1/26/00