Posted By auntie on July 22, 2012

4.62 miles  ★★★★½

whew. if i ever called any of my previous hikes “climby,” i lied—only because i’d never tried this one. i kind of knew it was a strenuous hike, and so i never attempted it solo. but today i went out with the usual suspects, and it was a major workout. i tried using hiking poles today for the first time, too, and they came in extremely handy. that said, it’s one of the prettiest places i’ve visited. very un-rhode island-like. my friends say it’s as close to white mountain hiking as you get in ri.

sun through hemlock trunks

there is one stretch where you’re walking through a rhododendron jungle. the plants are almost primeval looking. and huge… more than 3 stories tall. i wonder when they’re in bloom.

rhododendrons

i apologize for the poor quality of the next photo, but it was the best shot i got. i am planning on being on this part of the trail again tomorrow, so i’ll try and get a better picture. anyway, it’s interesting. it’s called rattlesnake plantain. this particular specimen is the downy rattlesnake plantain, although, as is usually the case with common names, it’s not actually a plantain, it’s an orchid. and the leaves last for up to 4 years.

downy rattlesnake plantain

and of course no post here would be complete without a fungus! this is an older specimen of hemlock varnish shelf fungus. the younger organisms have white margins. mr. g says you can make a medicinal tea from them. well, maybe you can…

hemlock varnish shelf (ganoderma tsugae)

Categories: Rhode Island, Walks and Hikes
Tags: 2–5 miles, Hopkinton RI, RI