Arriving to this cache will walk you through a wealth of biodiversity, especially a view of the bald cypress trees native to this area. The cypress swamp is descended from the cypress that spread north following the most recent Ice Age, some 15,000 years ago. Look for this mini-cache a few hundred feet away from the Paul Leifer trail.
Look out for the other Nassawango Creek Preserve caches in the area at the Prothonotary Warbler Trail (off of Creek Rd) and at the Johnson Tract (along Mt Olive Church Rd)!
Watch for ticks along this trail! Do a thorough tick check after hiking.
While enjoying Maryland's great outdoors during hunting season, remain mindful of hunters and wear orange for your safety. For more information, visit the Department of Natural Resources web site.
What to See at the Preserve
Plants
- Nassawango is home to an abundant array of native plants, including rare plants such as pink lady’s-slipper, cardinal flower and Indian pipe. A diverse forest of bald cypress, black gum and loblolly pine trees dominate this upland forest.
Animals
- With more than 60 recorded species of migratory birds, such as the scarlet tanager, yellow-throated vireos and prothonotary warbler, there’s no doubt that Nassawango Creek is a critical stopover point for migratory birds. Bobcat, mink, deer and fox also thrive here
Furnace Town Hours: 10 AM- 5 PM
Keep in mind the preserve guidelines when visiting a Nature Conservancy Preserve:
To protect the health of the preserve for generations to come, and to ensure the safety of all visitors, the following activities are not allowed:
- Picking flowers, mushrooms, etc.; removing rocks or other parts of the landscape.
- Smoking.
- Camping, fires or cookouts.
- Driving motorized vehicles, including ATV’s, except on designated access roads.
- Biking.
- Fishing, trapping, or hunting, except as otherwise posted.
- Bringing dogs onto the preserve.
- Horseback riding.
- Feeding wildlife.
- Releasing animals or introducing plants.
- Disposing of trash or other waste, including biodegradable materials.
In addition, in order to minimize the impact visitors have on the preserve, please:
- Use trails.
- Avoid walking in wet, boggy areas.
- Inspect pant legs and shoes to remove seeds before entering and when leaving the preserve. Failure to do so could introduce unwanted weeds to new locations.
- If you flush a ground nesting bird - stop and avoid walking near the nest area.
- Observe all posted signs.
- Please do not remove stakes, signs, flagging, tape or other objects - they might be part of a research project.
- Please do not trespass on private property adjacent to the preserve.
Thank you for being respectful of the preserve and the geocache, and have fun exploring this preserve!