Jon EvansUniversity of the South professor Jon Evans will lead an off-trail hike for the Tennessee Native Plant Society starting at 10 a.m. CDT Saturday, Sept. 7, to explore the benches leading down into Lost Cove from Point Disappointment. The free hike is open to anyone.
"The group will look for late-summer bloomers, including the state-listed Silphium brachiatum," according to organizers. "The emphasis for this all-day excursion will be on exploration of the flora of these interesting habitats just below the escarpment on the Cumberland Plateau."
But while plants are paramount for the society, other hikers may be wowed by the panoramic scenery.
Point Disappointment is a gargoyle-like projection that offers a 270-degree view of Lost Cove, some 3,000 acres acquired by the university in 2009 and placed in a perpetual conservation easement held by the Land Trust for Tennessee.
The hike is rated moderate to difficult, and the society reminds would-be hikers that risks include physical exertion, rough terrain, forces of nature and other hazards not present in everyday life.
Participants will meet at the Blue Chair Café, 35 University Ave., in the Sewanee village. Hikers should bring a lunch and plenty of water, wear appropriate shoes and dress for the weather.
Picking flowers and digging plants are prohibited.
The outing is co-sponsored by the Sewanee Herbarium. For more information, visit www.tnps.org or http://lal.sewanee.edu/herbarium.
Questions? Call Mary Priestley at 931-598-0157.