Location: My Thanksgiving Break Phenology spot is on top of a hill in Harriman State Park, a fairly large state park in southern New York which is just about twenty minutes away from my home in New Jersey. The spot is located right off trail and offers a quiet vista point other hikers often don’t visit. For a better look at where this location actually is, here is a bigger look at the area.
Why is this place special? This place is right off trail from my favorite hike in Harriman State Park. I have done this hike multiple times, both by myself and with my best friend from home, Teo. Every time I do this hike I take the time to go off trail for this view. This lookout is better than any of the others that are actually included on the hike. Since this if off trail too, it has very little foot traffic making it a quiet escape.
Ecology and Phenology Comparison: This spot is drastically different from my Centennial Woods phenology spot. Here on the hilltop there are only two trees (one of which is pictured) and neither of which I could identify. Very different from the plethora of Northern White Pines and Eastern Hemlocks in Centennial. Instead on this hilltop there is mostly tall grasses that wave in the wind. The two trees on top had also dropped all of their leaves already, quite different than the coniferous trees in Centennial keeping their needles all year long.
Honorable Harvest: While I forgot to bring a gift to leave behind, I couldn’t leave one of my favorites places behind empty. I wrot into some sand “Peace+Love” to remind whoever goes up there next to express Peace and Love in their everyday lives. Especially around this time of year and with current global affairs, we all need to remember to incorporate peace and love into our lives.