David DuBois, Land Steward at Baltimore Woods Nature Center
Time and Date
This trip is full. Click Here to fill out the registration form and be put on a waitlist
Limit
12 participants.
Hiking Difficulty
Moderate. Participants will travel about 2 miles, with lots of uneven terrain and semi-perilous chasms.
Trip Description
Just south of the city of Syracuse, the Onondaga escarpment dramatically rises from the lake plain. This massive limestone block hosts an impressive diversity of calciphilic plants. Just a few miles east of Clark Reservation State Park, and on the other side of the quarry that occupies much of the Onondaga limestone exposure, is the under-botanized Three Falls Woods. This site has nearly as much exposed bedrock and karst topography as Clark Reservation, but a fraction of the botanical exploration. Calcareous Pavement Woodlands, Limestone Woodlands, Calcareous Talus slopes, Maple-Basswood Rich Mesic Forests, and an interesting Sinkhole Wetland are some highlights of this 150+ acre preserve. These rare communities contain rare plants, including one of the largest populations of Rock Elm (Ulmus thomasii) in the state. Many more rare and listed species are bound to be found in this unique habitat.
