Fallin' for Falls Lake

Just when I thought the clunket-d-clunk whoosh! of another passing truck might make me scream, I entered the serene woods of the Falls Lake Trail. I was just a little bit elated. The traffic has definitely increased since passing through the Durham-Raleigh area, but this portion of trail was beautifully maintained, full of woodland plants, lowland specific trees such as loblolly and long leaf pine, animals (gasp! live ones not roadkill), critters such as tiny frogs and black thick-legged spiders, prime swimming spots, and continued on for 25m - enough to stretch out between 2 days.


Falls Lake trail between towering loblolly pine

marshy area of Falls Lake

unknown insect on Narrow Leaved Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum tenuifolium) - does anyone else know what this critter is?

Hibiscus bud

Shrubby Saint John's Wort (Hypericum spathulatum)

Can you find the little frog in this pic? (hint: righthand corner) He seems to be reverently pondering the wild ginger "tree" before him.