Heggie's Rock

Why You Should Visit
Nestled in a forest of pines and hardwoods, this outcrop of coarse-grained granite towers nearly 70 feet over the surrounding area. Known as Heggie's Rock for the last 150 years, this monolith is one of the most striking examples of granite flatrock in Georgia. Without the support of soil, plant life has evolved over centuries to withstand the natural cycles of downpours and searing heat. Many ecological processes, including primary succession, adaptation, and competition, are at work here, making Heggie's Rock a natural laboratory for research and education.

Location
Columbia County, near Appling

Size
101 acres

Conditions
Hardwood / Granite flat rock

How to Prepare for Your Visit
The public may visit the preserve on a limited basis, although The Nature Conservancy must be notified of any intended trip. Contact Michelle Cable at (404) 253-7213 or mcable@tnc.org for further details and directions. Hikers are also asked to be aware of where they are stepping due to the sensitive nature of the plants that live in the dish gardens and on the rock itself.

What to See: Plants
The outcrop has a variety of habitats ranging from dry rock faces to wet seepage areas, or "dish gardens." Within these delicate gardens the crimson-hued stonecrop plant adds vibrant color to the shallow rock pools. Two endangered plants also thrive in these basins: the tiny pool sprite, and the mat-forming quillwort, which grows in only one pool on the rock. The dwarf granite stonecrop, listed as threatened in Georgia, survives here, and the rare glade windflower was discovered on the preserve a few years ago. Other plants include cactus, wild azalea, Confederate daisies, reindeer moss, goldenrod and broomstraw.

Weathered cedar trees draped in Spanish moss add to the site's beauty. Spanish moss is not common this far north, and is rarely found on rock outcrops. Lichens and moss dominate the south face, while patches of trees and vegetation occupy the more gradual slopes. Twelve of the 18 plant species endemic to granite flat rock occur at Heggie's Rock.

What to See: Animals
A creek along one boundary of the preserve harbors beaver and otter, eastern white-tailed deer, turkeys, and lizards all inhabit the area. Many rare and endemic spiders and insects occupy this site, some known only from Heggie's Rock.

Why the Conservancy Selected This Site
Heggie's Rock is arguably the finest known Piedmont granite outcrop. The biodiversity at this site is unrivaled.

What the Conservancy Has Done/Is Doing
The Conservancy monitors several rare plants and works to eradicate invasive plant species, including Japanese honeysuckle and Chinese wisteria. Periodic guided tours are given by volunteers.