The Painted Trillium prefers wet, almost boggy soils. This one was photographed at Hemlock Lake. It can take anywhere from 3 to 7 years for a Trillium to bloom, a good reason to never pick the flowers and leave them in their natural setting to enjoy.
The Eliza Furnace, on the Ghost Town Trail in Vintondale, PA is a good place to take a break on your trail ride to learn about the early iron making industry. The furnace operated from 1846 to 1849 and was one of three iron furnaces located in the Blacklick Creek Valley. Eliza Furnace is regarded as one of Pennsylvania's best preserved iron furnaces. A stop here is a highlight of any trip to the Ghost Town Trail.
Most of us associate the crocus with the coming of Spring but there is a species that blooms in the Fall. These ones are blooming at this time at the end of October just outside our office at Blue Spruce Park.