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The following article was written by Eileen Neiler and originally published in the Volume 18, Number 2 issue of UT Arboretum Society Journal, The Leaflet.
Up hill and down dale is the short description of the Backwoods Trail.
This more detailed description was recorded when the weather at the beginning of April provided a couple of warm, sunny days between two dreary, damp spells. Perfect weather for playing hooky from various duties and obligations.
As one leaves the Visitors Center, go to the right (south) along the road overlooking the Marsh Area. The road gradually bears to the left and toward the trees; after a short distance the road will split. Watch for trail signage directing the hiker to the right up a slight grade to the information kiosk. You won't have walked far enough to need to rest on the nearby benches, but if bird watching or sketching is your objective, stop here while you watch and listen.
The forest is somewhat open and the roadside/trail was liberally decorated with patches of Quaker ladies or bluets (Houstonia caerulea). Young Christmas fern fronds, in various stages of nature's isometric exercises, uncurled in the spring sunshine. Here and there we saw small colonies of violets—yellow (Viola pubescens), deep purple (Viola papilionacea) and sometimes in a lighter blue; blue phlox (Phlox divaricata) and spotted wintergreen (Chimaphila maculata).
The trail soon crosses a very small stream, seemingly occupied by a jillion spring peepers with no concept of the term sotto voce, and begins a gentle climb through an open area dotted with the skeletons of storm-ravaged trees.
At various stops along the way signs will point out the predominate tree species or what happens when former pastureland is allowed to return to natural forest and why one tree species will dominate for a period and then be displaced by another. Fast growing pine are quick to "homestead" on old pastureland until the establishment of other trees, like hardwoods, once again change the profile of the forest.
Although the dogwood blossoms were scarce, the redbud seemed to have escaped the severe burning caused by that last “Blue Norther” we had that spoiled so many precocious spring blooming plants. By now we are at the top of the ridge and rather near the power line and have an opportunity to see close-up how the undergrowth is managed here by the use of selective herbicides. This management technique has virtually eliminated costly tree removal for power companies. With less interference by humans and machines, the ecosystem provides food and cover for a variety of wildlife.
Now for a short time we have an almost level trail. It was in this area that we noticed several isolated colonies of tent worms on wild cherry trees. We couldn't help but wonder at the navigational system of the moths that found this homestead site for the next generation of their species when we hadn't noticed other cherry trees nearby. The trail starts downhill, hurrying us along to the bottom of the hill and back to that familiar road overlooking the Marsh Area. The nice thing about the Backwoods Trail is that since much of it is an access road for Arboretum maintenance, it allows hikers to walk side by side for easy conversation and its roadbed is graveled but not so loosely as to be a hazard for walking.
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