Starting at the wood-chipped starting area,

just follow the red trail markers along the path. Not

too far out you will find a tree marked with a num-

ber 1. The numbered trees correspond to the follow-

ing descriptions:

1. Black Cherry – The forests of nor thern Penn-

sylvania produce some of the biggest black cherry

trees in the nation. Highly valued as a source of pan-

eling and fine furniture wood, cherry also bears

thousands of small, juicy, sweet black fruits in late

summer that are relished by black bears and many

species of songbirds. The dark, flaky bark, like

“burned potato chips”, is very recognizable.

2. Striped Maple – This small, beautiful nor thern

tree has distinctive green, white-striped bark and big,

3-pointed “goose-foot” leaves. Also called

“moosewood” in Canada, where it’s browsed by

moose, it rarely exceeds 6 inches in diameter and

grows in the forest’s understory.

3. Yellow Birch – A beautiful tree of the North

Country, yellow birch reaches its greatest dimen-

sions in the virgin forests of the Adirondack and

Great Smoky Mountains, especially in rich, moist,

well-drained soils. Recognized by its loose, peeling,

papery, curly bark – shiny and yellowish-bronze

when young, but turning darker with age – it often

takes root as a seedling on top of rotting stumps and

logs, which gradually rot away and leave the tree

standing on stilts.

4. Red Maple – The most abundant tree in the Po-

conos (and possibly in all of eastern North America),

red or swamp maple grows best in wetlands but sur-

vives in all habitats. Bark on young trees is smooth

and gray like that of beech but it becomes darker and

rougher with age. There is always something red on

this tree: vivid autumn foliage, winter buds and twigs,

spring flowers, and summer leaf-stems.

5. American Beech – Second in abundance on the

Pocono Plateau (after red maple), beech possesses

very distinctive smooth, tight, silvery-gray bark, even

on old trees. It often holds onto its dead leaves all win-

ter. Although it’s a characteristic member of the north-

ern hardwood or “beech-birch-maple” forest, beech is

also common in moist, shady woods as far south as

Florida. Its sweet, delicious nuts are borne in spiny

husks and provide autumn food for bears, deer, squir-

rels, mice, grouse, turkeys, jays, and many other ani-

mals. Beech spreads across forests by “suckers” from

its shallow surface roots, as seen here.

Club Moss – (located all across the trail but is espe-

cially noticeable on the ground along this part of the

path) – Related to the ferns, these small, attractive ev-

ergreens resemble miniature pines and cedars. The

three species on this trail are ground pine or princess

pine, which looks like a tiny Norfolk Island Pine (a

small branched tree); staghorn club moss, with antler-

like branching; and bristly club moss, which resembles

a colony of pipe cleaners or bottle brushes.

6. Rhododendron – (to the r ight of the marker) –

Our native rhododendron blooms in late June and July

with big, showy white flowers. It prefers shadier, wet-

ter habitats than its relative, mountain laurel, and has

much larger leaves. Dense rhododendron swamps are

good shelters for black bears and snowshoe hares.

7. Blueberry – (in the area) – These delicious berry

bushes are one native to North America. Often found

in clusters, they are very common in the eastern

United States. The berries have a wide variety of

uses, including a very nutritious fresh fruit. If

they’re in bloom, don’t be afraid to pick some and

try them for yourself.

8. Red Spruce – (behind the marker) – Look in the

wetland for the symmetrical, spire-like spruce trees,

truly cold-climate conifers that exist in Pennsylvania

only at the highest elevations like the Poconos, and

southward only near the tops of the Appalachian

Mountains, Red spruce is more prevalent in Pocono

woodlands, while black spruce grows in the bogs.

Both have sharp, short needles and small, hanging

cones.

9. Wetlands – (behind the marker) – After the

glaciers receded from the Pocono Plateau about

10,000 years ago, the landscape was left with many

lakes and wetlands from the melting ice. Some were

gradually colonized with vegetation and became

swamps (dominated by trees) or bogs (partially cov-

ered with a floating mat of sphagnum moss and

shrubs like blueberry, leatherleaf, and cranberry).

This wetland has lots of blueberry bushes, rhododen-

dron, spruce trees and thick hummocks of tussock

sedge. In spring, listen for the mating calls of wood

frogs and spring peeper frogs, and look for delicate

marsh blue violets and the large, deeply veined

leaves of false hellebore emerging from the muck.

Beyond the trail, deep inside this wetland, insect-

eating pitcher plants and sundews, rare orchids, and

Canadian heath shrubs may also grow.

Mallard Court Trail

Adopted by David Cohen

This nature trail has been a recreation of an

original trail made by BBLCA ELM Committee

and John Serrao. This recreation has been an Eagle

Scout project by David Cohen.

Disclaimer: Hike at your own risk.

The trail is a rocky path through the

woods, and if you don’t think you can

hike it, don’t hike it. The trail is one-

way so do not turn around.

This trail was commissioned by BBLCA ELM

Committee to be a self-guided trail. It was decided

NOT to install pathways, which would interfere with

the natural habitat. However, for this reason, please

wear rugged hiking boots or walking shoes, use a

walking stick to steady yourself and DO NOT GO

ALONE. The trail is marked with red reflectors,

but your actual path may vary. The markers are only

facing one direction, so it is important NOT TO

TURN AROUND; once you star t, you must finish

the trail. This is preferable to having a designated path

that could become well worn and kill the natural vege-

tation. Take care as there are many rocks, hummock,

and fallen limbs that could be tripping hazards.

This Self-Guided Nature Trail loops

through a typical example of the type of for-

est covering the Pocono Plateau, and de-

scribes many of its characteristic elements

via 9 numbered stops. In addition, it borders

a fine example of a wooded wetland –

another type of natural community that’s

very typical of the glaciated Pocono Plateau.

By walking this trail at different seasons of

the year, the hiker can know the trees and

shrubs numbered in this booklet from their

dormant, leafless wintery condition through

their brilliant display of autumn foliage.

Wildflowers such as Canada mayflower,

white starflower, and wood sorrel bloom on

the forest floor in spring, and red-eyed vireos

ovenbirds, hermit thrushes, veeries, and

many other songbirds migrate back from the

tropics to breed in these forests in spring and

summer. The quite walker may even catch a

glimpse of a porcupine, mink, black bear, red

-shouldered hawk barred owl, pileated wood-

pecker or other secretive, exciting resident of

these Pocono woodlands.

Big Bass Lake Community Associa-

tion hopes you enjoy your self guided nature

hike. Comments and suggestions can be sub-

mitted to the Association Office.

Length: Approx. 0.5 Miles

Difficulty: 3 out of 5