Lemonweir Bottomland Hardwood Forest encompasses a floodplain forest amidst a maze of river channels, slough, and oxbows.  The site can be reached by parking on the side of Arens Road and walking east into the forest.  Parking near the end of Arens Road will lead you to an access road/trail heading east/southeast into the site. I followed this route until it turned southeast and then headed straight east into the forest.

The forest was different than most that I had visited to that point.  Trees were younger and the ground was a carpet of sedges with virtually no shrub layer.  The occasional violet and pussytoes poked through the greenery.  I crossed a couple of streams/depleted river channels on fallen logs to proceed deeper into the site.  Fallen logs, uprooted trees, and other woody debris were abundant on land as well, often hiding below the sedges for fun suprises.  This forest is known more as habitat for birds, including various waterfowl, and less for its component rare species, so perhaps a visit slightly earlier in the year would be more productive.  This is a fairly large natural area that I think would be best explored by water because its distribution makes deeper exploration substantially more difficult by foot.  I would like to return in the future, but would not put this site near the top of the priority list.

Floodplain Forest

Common Violet

Floodplain Forest

Floodplain Forest

Floodplain Forest

Pussytoes

More of my photos (and full-res) from Lemonweir Bottomland Hardwood Forest can be viewed here.

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