Natural Areas to Hold Two Winter Interpretive Hikes in Fayette County on February 7

NASHVILLE – The Department of Environment and Conservation’s Division of Natural Areas will lead two, short guided hikes on Saturday, Feb. 7 at the William B. Clark and the Ghost River Natural Areas in Fayette County. Participants should meet at 10 a.m. in the parking lot at the William Clark Preserve located about one mile north of Rossville on State Highway 194.

The first hike will begin at the 460-acre William B. Clark conservation area, which features a 1,600-foot interpretive boardwalk that meanders through bald, cypress-water tupelo forest in the Wolf River. Participants will then drive approximately 10 miles to the Ghost River State Natural Area situated just outside of LaGrange. While at this 2,220-acre natural area, hikers will walk along the 600-foot boardwalk that crosses through a very scenic stretch of the Ghost River section of the Wolf River.

Both hikes will be guided by the Division’s Stewardship Ecologist Allan Trently, who will interpret the ecology of the natural areas, which occur along un-channelized reaches of the Wolf River. A variety of aquatic and terrestrial habitats along the boardwalks offer opportunities for observing snakes, turtles, amphibians, beavers, wading birds and aquatic vegetation. Participants can expect to see cypress knees protruding from the moist forest floor and shallow water. 

“The Wolf River and its sloughs provide excellent habitat for rare and endangered freshwater mussels and other aquatic organisms,” Trently said. “Additionally, the Ghost River Natural Area includes other ecologically significant uplands and sandy hills adjacent to the floodplain.” 

Reservations are required for the guided hikes and can be made by contacting Allan Trently by phone at (731) 512-1369 or by e-mail at allan.trently@state.tn.us by Feb. 6. For directions to the William B. Clark Natural Area, please visit: www.tn.gov/environment/na/natareas/wbclark.

The winter hikes at William B. Clark and Ghost River State Natural Areas are part of a series of monthly, guided field trips to Tennessee State Natural Areas offered by the department’s Division of Natural Areas. Tennessee has 79 designated natural areas throughout the state, covering approximately 110,000 acres of ecologically significant lands. More information about Tennessee’s natural areas program, including a complete list of all natural areas and scheduled field trips, can be found at www.tn.gov/environment/na/.