Description
Hanging Bog is important for the survival of skunk cabbage, a rare plant that thrives here. A cold-water source feeds the site to create the perfect environment for skunk cabbage. Skunk cabbage blooms very early, pushing through the last of the winter snow. This plant, aptly named, has an unpleasant odor and very unusual blooms.
Why You Should Visit
Hanging Bog gets its name from a series of saturated terraces on the lower slopes of the wooded hillsides. These terraces formed from large deposits of porous lime, called "tufa", which were deposited by mineral-rich groundwater that flows across an impermeable layer of buried bedrock and seeps out of the side of the hill. These unique conditions are ideal for the growth of skunk cabbage.
Conditions
Dominated by porous lime deposits and the notably odorous skunk cabbage. Relatively easy walk, but be considerate as to where walking, some steep ravines.
Why the Conservancy Selected This Site
Hanging Bog was deeded to the Conservancy by Leslie F. Clarke in 1968. It was dedicated as a biological State Preserve in 1981.
What the Conservancy Has Done/Is Doing
The preserve is an important educational and research resource for local schools, colleges and universities.