Jordan River Valley 

Landslide Overview

The first week of second session flew by!  Numerous hours have been spent playing volleyball and getting to know the new students.

Saturday afternoon a small group of us went for an afternoon hike in the Jordan River Valley, an 18,000 acre State Park located in Antrim County.  

The Jordan River is groundwater fed - keeping the water temperatures quite cool.  We hiked from the Landslide Overview down to the river via the North Country Trail.  From the Landslide Overview all one can see is forest!

The trail meandered through a mature forest of Sugar Maple, Beech, and Yellow Birch.  It was interested to watch the landscape change.  There were several areas where groundwater seepage created small forested wetlands.  Potentially these areas were fens - but we did not take the time to determine if that were true.  A fen is an area that is fed by groundwater and supports a unique vegetative community.

At a small brook the group decided to set up a group photo on a log stretching over the river - we moved a portion of the bark and found three red backed Salamanders - the group carefully positioned themselves around the Salamanders for a photo.

A little farther along there a rather impressive series of Fungi including a large self-fungi.


Upon reaching the Jordan River we spent some time exploring the shore of the river.  Before heading back up the trail we enjoyed a lovely snack: Yellow Raspberries!  

Along the way back to the car we did spot a patch of Maidenhair ferns!  Ah, the joys of a Rich-Mesic-Northern Hardwood Forests!


 A return trip is in order - for there are many more miles of trails to be explored! Stay Tuned for Jordan River Part 2 Next week