Buffalo Mountain Natural Area Preserve

بلندی: 3090 فٹ

Buffalo Mountain Natural Area Preserve encircles Buffalo Mountain, a knob within the Blue Ridge Mountains whose shape resembles the head of a Buffalo. Two hiking trails lead explorers from the parking area to a peak of 3971 feet. This area is unique in that it offers sub-alpine vegetation, magnesium-rich soils, and windswept balds along the summit. Trails to the summit pass through mature hardwood forests. Listen for Scarlet Tanager, Black-throated Blue and Black-throated Green warblers, Veery, and Rose-breasted Grosbeak. The summit and exposed areas along the ridge are unique to mountaintops within this area. The combination of magnesium-enriched soils and sub-alpine winds and temperature provide microclimates ideal for rare plants such as three-toothed cinquefoil and mountain sandwort. This is also the only site in the world where the Buffalo Mountain mealybug can be found. Virginia’s largest population of the globally rare, large-leaved grass-of-parnassus is found near the base of the southern flanks of the mountain. The open summit also features many native grassland species such as little bluestem, big bluestem, and blazing star. These areas can be good spots to watch hawk migration in the fall. Red cedars border the fringes of this bald and are frequently visited by nesting Eastern Towhee, Dark-eyed Junco, and Brown Thrasher. Woodland butterflies such as common wood-nymph and northern pearly-eye flit about forest edges. Red fox, black bear, white-tailed deer, and Ruffed Grouse are local denizens of the mountainsides. 

نوٹس: 

• 10کار پارکنگ لاٹ خاص طور پر ویک اینڈز پر جلدی بھر جاتی ہے۔ جلدی پہنچیں تاکہ پارکنگ کی جگہ بہتر ہو سکے۔ اگر لاٹ بھر چکا ہے تو براہ کرم کسی جگہ کے کھلنے کا انتظار کریں یا کسی اور وقت واپس آئیں۔
• بفیلو ماؤنٹین کی چوٹی کے مسکن میں کئی نایاب پودے پائے جاتے ہیں جو روندنے کے لیے بہت حساس ہوتے ہیں۔ براہ کرم اپنے دورے کے دوران نشان زدہ راستوں پر رہیں۔