Ohiopyle State Park

[sjhalow]

Recently I went to Ohiopyle State Park with my girlfriend, Randi, to investigate some nice trees. Several ENTs, including Dale Luthringer, Ed Frank, Carl Harting and Tony Kelly, have visited Ohiopyle over the last few years.

Links tor prevous trips

http://groups.google.com/group/entstrees/browse_thread/thread/4b65935fe745fc78?hl=en

http://groups.google.com/group/entstrees/browse_thread/thread/1d21cc503305ed4d?hl=en

http://www.nativetreesociety.org/fieldtrips/penna/ohiopyle06/ohiopyle_state_park.htm

In October, we got a chance to fly in a small plane. The pilot fly us over Ohiopyle, and Randi took some nice pictures of the Fern Cliff and Great Gorge areas.

               

                       

                       

Great Allegheny Passage Bike Trail

               

               

               

                       

                       

Ferncliff Natural Area viewed from the south

               

               

On 11/11/2011 we drove to the park on a blustery late fall day. Although there was wind and snow on the ridgetops, Ohiopyle was sheltered and quite pleasant. Our first objective was to document a very tall Scarlet Oak that we had spotted on a hike around the Fern cliff peninsula last July 4th. At that time I got a height of around 130'. With the leaf canopy mostly gone, we got a height of 132'. Nearby is another Scarlet Oak (123.0'), and a Northern Red Oak (131.5).

               

                       

                       

Scarlet Oak 132'

               

               

From here we proceeded to the biking/hiking trail bridge. Near the base of the bridge we found a Tulip Tree (143.0'), Shagbark hickory (126.0') and Black Cherry (137.0').

               

                       

                       

Black Cherry 137'

               

               

Then we crossed the river to the Great Gorge Trail. Here we found a White Ash (135.0'), Bitternut Hickory (124.0') and Cucumber Tree (123.0'). We also measured  several other Black Cherry and White Ash trees > 130'.

               

                       

                       

White Ash 135'

               

               

Next we investigated a Lidar hit > 155.0' at the southern end of the trail near Cucumber Falls. It turned out to be a White Pine around 120' overhanging a 40' cliff. Beautiful tree and setting, though not incredibly tall.

There are also a number of Lidar hits in the upper 140's in several other areas of the park. The park is several thousand acres in size, there is much more to investigate. We are hoping to revisit the Ferncliff area of the park sometime this winter.

List of measured trees

Scarlet Oak           132.0'    8'-7"
Scarlet Oak           123.0'    9'-5.5"
N Red Oak             131.5'    13'-0"
Black Cherry          137.0'    7'-5"
Tulip Tree             143.0'     9'-1"
Shagbark Hickory   126.0"
White Ash             135.0'
Bitternut Hickory   124.0'
Cucumber Tree      123.0'
Sassafras              108.5     4'-8"
Red Maple             117.0'
Sugar Maple          118.0'
White Pine            132.0     9'-0"


Combining these heights with trees previously recorded by Dale, Ed, Carl and Tony, gives Ohiopyle a RHI10 > 130!

1  Tulip Tree                143.0
2  Black Cherry         137.0
3  White Ash             135.0
4  White Pine (Dale)  132.8
5  Scarlet Oak                132.0
6  Northern Red Oak  131.5
7  Shagbark Hickory   126.0
8  E Hemlock (Dale)   124.4  
9  Bitternut Hickory   124.0  
10 Cucumber Tree     123.0

RHI10                      130.87

[edfrank]

Steve,

This is a pretty impressive trip report.  I thought the place was pretty neat when I visited it a few years ago with Anthony Kelly.  I have  photocopy of an old guidebook written by Jennings for the Ferncliff area.  It was for casual visitors and does not contain much useful information, but is a curiosity.  I could make a copy and send it you if you are interested.  Anthony dug it up for me from the library there at CMU.

Ed

[sjhalow]

Ed,

That sounds very interesting. I certainly would appreciate a copy. Ohiopyle used to be an important vacation spot before there was an interstate road system and air travel.  It has quite a history. I've been trying to learn a bit about its past. It's nice to know some of the history of a place while exploring its woodlands.

-Steve