Join Master Naturalists for a Guided Tour of Cathedral State Park!
Join Potomac Valley Master Naturalists for a trip to the last remaining stand of virgin hemlock trees in West Virginia. Park naturalist Paulita Cousin will provide us with a guided tour of the park emphasizing the history and importance of this area. After the program, the participants will travel a short distance to Blackwater Falls for lunch before departing for home. Bring your own lunch. Space is limited to 20 people. Pre-registration is required.
WHERE: The park is located on the Appalachian Plateau in Aurora, WV. The drive is approximately two- and one-half hours from the Eastern Panhandle. We encourage you to talk with friends to carpool to the park. To get there, take I-81 south to the Route 37 bypass around the west side of Winchester; from there, take Route 50 west all the way through the Maryland panhandle and back into West Virginia. The park is approximately five miles west of Red House, MD.
CARPOOLING: Preregistration is required to carpool. Participants can meet at the Old Courthouse Shopping Center Martin’s grocery store on Edwin Miller Boulevard on the north side of Martinsburg, WV. Please arrive at 7:45AM. Cars will leave at exactly 8:00am.
PREPARATION: The park’s elevation of 2400 – 2600 feet will result in significant differences in temperature from the Eastern Panhandle. Participants should dress appropriately. Comfortable, waterproof walking shoes are recommended. Expect soft ground and muddy conditions if rain has occurred prior to the trip. A bottle of water, hat, sunscreen, and insect repellant are suggested.
PARK BACKGROUND: Registered as a Natural Historical Landmark, Cathedral State Park offers 133 acres of woods, streams and trails containing mixed virgin timber that is hundreds of years old. Hemlocks tower to 90 feet and more with some having a circumference of over 16 feet. Trails are wide and marked, with gentle slopes throughout the park. The park is home to over 170 species of plants, including 9 species of fern, 3 club moss, over 30 tree species (17 broad leaf) and over 50 species of wildflowers. Numerous bird, mammal and other species can be found in the park, also.
For more information about the park, see its website at www.cathedralstatepark.com.
