Cathedral State Park in West Virginia contains the last remnants of a hemlock forest that once covered a wide area in the Appalachians. The average age of the mature trees here is 350 years.
The eastern hemlock is the climax species in this forest, meaning that it is crowding out other plants, except those that share its love of acid soil.
The hemlock tree is unrelated to the poison-hemlock plant, famous for its use in the execution of the philosopher Socrates.
There are picnic areas in the park, and easy hiking trails depart from the parking lot right next to Route 50. The trees are completely non-poisonous, so feel free to pull in for a restorative stroll in the woods.
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Photo by the author.