I have nothing but awesome things to say about these people. If you want to know about your natural world, this is a walk you should take. I've been on several and always came away with a greater appreciation of the world I live in. Dr. Larry Pounds has a wonderful way of teaching those of us who are new to botany. Don't miss this one!

Big South Fork Leatherwood Ford Outing (TCWP & TNPS)

September 11, 2010 (Saturday) 10 AM Eastern Time

Meeting Place: Leatherwood Ford (Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area)

Leader: Larry Pounds, 865-705-8516 (cell) 865-816-3576 (home)

Walking: Moderate.

Facilities: At the Leatherwood Ford parking area.

Lunch: Bring water, lunch, sunscreen, bug spray, rain gear.

TCWP and Tennessee Native Plant Society will host a joint outing near Leatherwood Ford at the Big South Fork. Botanist Larry Pounds will lead us upstream to a cobble bar along the Big South Fork River on a rough, informal trail. There are many rare plants on the cobble bar and surrounding area including Cumberland rosemary (Conradina verticillata), federally threatened; large-flowered Barbara’s buttons (Marshallia grandiflora), state endangered; mountain witch-alder (Fothergilla major), state threatened. We will also see swamp sunflower (Helianthus giganteus), a newly state listed species. As time and interest allow we will also visit a rockhouse to see some species limited to that habitat. If the river is running high, we will spend our day in rockhouses and other upland habitat.

Marshallia Fothergilla Conradina Helianthus

Participants should wear sturdy shoes or boots and bring sunscreen and bug spray for chiggers and ticks. It is always a good idea to bring clothing appropriate for weather conditions, water, snacks, and a lunch.

Participants can meet in Oak Ridge to carpool in the parking lot in front of the RUSH Fitness Center on S. Illinois Avenue near Waffle House. We plan to leave Oak Ridge at 8 AM Eastern Time, or you can join everyone else at Leatherwood Ford at 10 AM Eastern Time. The outing should end late afternoon about 4 PM.

For more information about the event, please call Larry Pounds, 865-705-8516 (cell) 865-816-3576 (home).

All photographs from UTK Herbarium website (link...)

Photographers: Patricia Cox (Marshallia grandiflora), Chris A. Fleming (Fothergilla major), B. Eugene Wofford (Conradina verticillata), Thomas G. Barnes (Helianthus giganteus)

Driving directions to Leatherwood Ford:

From Oak Ridge take the TN62 to Wartburg, turn right US27, turn left on TN297, turn right into the Leatherwood Ford parking area just before bridge across the Big South Fork River. To carpool from Oak Ridge, please call Jimmy at 865-805-9908, or send email to groton87@comcast.net.

From Knoxville take I-75 north to the Huntsville-Oneida Exit 141, follow TN63 west, turn right on US27, turn left on TN297, turn right into the Leatherwood Ford parking area just before bridge across the Big South Fork River.

From I-40 in Crossville take exit 317 north on US127 to Jamestown, turn right on TN154, turn right on TN297, cross the Big South Fork River, take first left turn after bridge into the Leatherwood Ford parking lot.