Where to See It: Chestnut Oak / Mountain Laurel Forest in Rock Creek Park

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.

Visit the Rock Creek Park Map Viewer to find this location.
Tip: Type "good places" or "picnic 16" in the search function (upper left corner of map). In the search results box, click on what you want to see.