Visiting Kentucky Falls is quite a drive for a short hike coming from the Portland area. When I read about it though, it sounded pretty awesome, and worth checking out. The roads are a bit confusing with different names depending on the maps you look at, but getting there is not too rough, and is very pretty.
The trailhead parking area is pretty small but they've got a picnic table and a vault toilet out there
The thick pelts of moss as you approach the upper falls are pretty amazing
Does anyone know if there is a name for when plants are growing out of the top of tree stumps? I was looking through a dictionary of forestry terms and couldn't find anything. I've seen some pretty cool ones in old growth forests where is seems like there is a mini-landscape on the stump with a variety of different things growing out of it. Something about this fascinates me.
Despite the remote location, the roads and trail seemed well maintained and unobstructed. I imagine these waterfalls look quite different in the summer, but it was cool to see them raging like this.
Kentucky Falls 11/11/2021
Re: Kentucky Falls 11/11/2021
When a tree falls and decomposes over many years and new saplings sprout along the length of the dead tree, they call the log a nursery log or a nurse log. I suppose you can call a tree stump that nurtures the growth of a new tree the same thing. One cool thing about nurse logs is that the nurse log could outlast a mature tree from which it originally sprouted many years ago. When that happens, one would see an above ground root structure with one or more voids where the nurse log used to exist. See some examples here.
Re: Kentucky Falls 11/11/2021
Nurse stumps! I like it, thanks
Re: Kentucky Falls 11/11/2021
Beautiful video! Thank you for posting this.
As always, I'm torn between my fear of gravity, with the steep drop offs and narrow trail, vs. the beauty of the falls and scenery on this hike. Nothing could have given me the information to decide whether to risk it like your trail report and video.
As always, I'm torn between my fear of gravity, with the steep drop offs and narrow trail, vs. the beauty of the falls and scenery on this hike. Nothing could have given me the information to decide whether to risk it like your trail report and video.
Re: Kentucky Falls 11/11/2021
Also, just to reply to your question re: plants growing up out of tree stumps - I've seen this occasionally along trails around Florence and Lakeside, but most often while paddling the lakes in the area. They're usually in the water close to the lake shore and look like little open-air terrariums, with all kinds of small flowers and plants growing up out of the stump. There *should* be a special name for these charming little gardens.
Re: Kentucky Falls 11/11/2021
I call them pineapples Just because of the look. Nice report!
I've been wandering early and late, from New York City to the Golden Gate, and it don't look like I'll ever stop my wandering.
-James Taylor
-James Taylor