Getting There
Sunny Hollow is an 80-acre natural area in Colchester, Vermont. It has 3 miles of mountain biking trails as well as hiking and cross country ski trails. The easiest way to get here from campus is a 25 minute bike ride, heading toward Trinity Campus and following Route 2 through Winooski past the Memorial Highway and to the left, where you will find the parking lot. I chose Sunny Hollow as my phenology location for NR 001 because I can go mountain biking here while applying the practical skills I have learned through this course. Sunny Hollow is somewhat of a diamond in the rough; the parking lot is rarely full but the site offers a secluded feel despite being off of a main road. Many different types of vegetation can be observed in the under- as well as overstory.
Trailhead
Once you arrive at the parking lot, there is a sign marking the beginning of the Natural Area. Follow the trail past the gate and to the left until you reach the designated trailhead showing a topographic map of the trails within the Natural Area. This network consists of several 3 mile loops of trails, ranging from beginner to advanced on a technical mountain biking scale. There’s quite a bit of elevation change as you venture deeper into the Natural Area. While visiting Sunny Hollow, I came across other outdoor enthusiasts using the trails for hiking, dog walking and biking.
Myers, M. (Photographer). (2020). Untitled [Sign Post, Trailhead, Photographs]. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
Vegetation
Sunny Hollow is a diverse natural full of thriving tree species, including Paper Birches, Eastern Hemlocks, Eastern White Pines as well as White Oaks and Red Maples. In terms of herbaceous species in the understory, many ferns as well as young tree species can be seen alongside the trails. As these photos were taken in mid-October, the trees in the overstory’s chlorophyl is beginning to break down and creating the myriad of colors characteristic of fall in Vermont.
Looking up at the foliage from the trailhead. 
Paper birch trees as you approach the trailhead. 
Red Maples showing their colors amongst the overstory. 
Signpost leading us downhill. 
A few ferns scattered in the understory alongside the trails. 
Crossing the bridge away from an Eastern White Pine. 
Took a quick water break to capture the overstory! 
The sun casting its rays on a White Oak and several Elm trees.
Myers, M. (Photographer). (2020). Untitled [Sunny Hollow Natural Area, Multiple Photographs]. Retrieved October 4, 2020.