Cove Hardwood Forests

 I've visited many wild places in my life. But I reckon that, so far, my favorite places are southern Appalachian cove hardwood forests. Unfortunately, there's not quite the variety of trees in them that there was when I was a young man, but they're still amazing places. Even if two of the cornerstones of such forests--the Eastern and Carolina hemlocks--are gone now from that scenery.

I never tire of going into such forests and just sitting still and listening to the place and watching it around me as I am small and quiet beneath the green canopy.

 Following are some photographs I took in 2011 on a hike into the Mackey Mountain area where the forests are old and magnificent.

Click to embiggen.

Alone on the slopes with the big trees.

One of the best poplar groves I've visited outside the Great Smoky Mountains.

We followed the stream up and up the mountain slopes until we found the big trees.

Andy Kunkle and Boone the dawg.