Set out to explore an area recommended by friends on this sunny Xmas day.
And with good reason: we walked over serpentine rocky terrain formed 500 million years ago, bordered by beautiful expansive savanna-like grasslands. In addition, the area is of historical importance as the soil is rich in chromium ore that was mined from the early 1800s until 1860.
Above you can see the serpentinite rock that easily dissolves and erodes, leaving this stony unfertile soil. The area used to be called "serpentine barrens" as in barren of trees. The area is the largest grassland ecosystem of the eastern US. It was once part of the 100,000 acres of the Great Maryland Barrens in the Appalachian piedmont.
Distance: 2.5 miles with ~ 300 elevation change.
