One of the best examples in the park of the Chestnut Oak / Mountain Laurel Forest can be found on the hilltop beside Picnic Area 16 on Glover Road. This stand is also visible from the White Horse Trail that cuts across the same forested knoll. A cross-sectional view of the soil profile there would reveal a thin layer of duff (decaying leaves and twigs) overlying a thick layer of sandy soil full of smooth stones such as you might find in a riverbed.

Map tip: To find this location, go to the interactive map of Rock Creek Park and search for "good places" or "picnic 16."