Spend Time with Mother Nature on Shenandoah Mountain

Friends of Shenandoah Mountain and Headwaters Master Naturalists are joining forces to encourage members of the public to discover the springtime treasures found on Shenandoah Mountain. Over past years, we’ve hosted Wildflower Walks on Shenandoah Mountain. This year, it will look a little different.

On Saturday, May 8 from 10AM to 2PM, three sites along the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources’ Bird and Wildlife Trail will be prepared for visitors with nature experts and activities to help them explore these areas.

---

Virginia Bird and Wildlife Trail Sites
​Visit as many of these sites as you like: 

• Hone Quarry – Meet at Picnic Area, walk along native trout stream, view birds and wildflowers, tadpoles, hemlock forest, wheelchair accessible (more info and directions). Watch for potholes in paved Forest Service access road. 
• Braley Pond – Meet at Picnic Area, take 1/2 mile hike around beautiful pond, view birds, wildflowers, salamanders and tadpoles (more info and directions)
• Shenandoah Mountain Crest on Rt. 250  – Scenic view of Highland County, walking tour of  Confederate Breast Works with interpretive signs,  birds, history of Ramseys Draft Wilderness and Shenandoah Mountain (more info and  directions)

---

From Sandy Greene who has been helping to organize this event:

“As COVID vaccinations increase and restrictions begin to be lifted, Headwaters Chapter is planning a socially distanced twist on the previous successful Wildflower Walks on Shenandoah Mountain, with thanks to Chip for organizing those in partnership with Friends of Shenandoah Mountain for so many years. We are also blending our monitoring commitment to the Bird and Wildlife Trails, by featuring three sites that have restroom and parking capacity: Hone Quarry, Braley Pond, and Shenandoah Mountain at the Confederate Breastworks. 

Public visitors will be encouraged to explore on their own, supported by a team of four volunteers at each site. (These teams include a “Greeter/Coordinator,” “Scout,” “Kid Activator” and “Expert.”) Volunteers come first from current Bird and Wildlife Trail monitors, and other Master Naturalists with ties to these sites and loops, as well as US Forest Service Biologists, who have also participated in Wildflower Walks in the past. These teams have already come together, but we welcome HMN participants and visitors. We will be keeping lists of wildflowers and birds, especially warblers, and will encourage the posting of those sightings and photographs to eBird and iNaturalist.”

Greeter/Coordinators: 

• Braley Pond:  Sandy Greene
• Hone Quarry:  Cheryl Shull
• Shenandoah Mountain:  Lynn Cameron

HMNs who do not have active volunteer roles in this event are still welcome and encouraged to come by these sites to participate and/or lend a hand to make this a fun and rewarding experience for everyone attending! No registration needed!

This event has been approved for up to 1.5 hours of CE credit for HMNs who attend. Note: Log CE hours for this activity into “Continuing Education activity” and not “VOL: Warblers & Wildflowers.”