Bald Rock EarthCache
Hidden : 9/6/2010
Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
1 out of 5

Size: Size: other (other)

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Geocache Description:

A beautiful area that used to be honey combed with roads that allowed you to explore all of the wonderful views of this area. Sadly you can now only see limited amounts of the area that are still under county control. This area is known as Almond, AL. With the establishment of Flat Rock Park on Lake Wedowee, interest in this area waned. It is still a beautiful area that should be a public park. I hope you enjoy it and the beauty it has to offer.

This area is a vast area of flat rock. Some covered and much exposed. This area is frequented by the local college, Southern Union for outdoor classroom experiments and sample collections. There is not a lot published about this area, it is hoped that through this earthcache more information might be published about it. This used to be an area that we visited often when we were young. There is a cross and some benches at the highest part of the rock area that is used for Easter Sunrise Services. The area has a lot of roads over the rocks. Unfortunatly these roads are now closed. This area is still on county land, you can enjoy examining it and cool your feet in the creek.

This area is known as the Piedmont Region. It is underlaid with crystalline rock of Precambrian age, most of which is covered with a soil covering of varying depths. Occassionally the bedrock is exposed at the surface. This is known as flat rock as opposed to rock mounts. There are many rock mounts in the area. Most notable is Stone Mountain, Mount Arabia and Panola Mountain. This area is full of flat or gentle sloping exposures called flat rocks.

These rock exposures, depending on their degree of metamorphosis may be classified as biotite gneiss, mica-schist, or granite.

There are unique plants and animals that have adapted to these extreme environments. The surfaces of the rock outcrops ae not bare but are instead darkened by microscopic lichens. Two plants that grow directly on rock surfaces are Parmeli conspersa, a crustose lichen and Grimmia laevigata, the Rockmoss. During periods of dryness, the Rockmoss appears dead. However, with just a short amount of rain these become emerald green and look alive again. These mosses catch soil particles and over time it builds up under the plants. Deeper soil allows other larger lichens to grow such as Reindeer Moss and hairy cap moss that belong to the Cladonia. These lichen later are followed by vascular plants.

Granite outcrops occur throughout most of the Piedmont. Most local landowners and governments do not recognizeor appreciate these unique plant and animal ecosystems that are specially adapted to desertlike, isolated envrionments. Most of these outcrops are considered wastelands, unfit for grazing or construction. They often become dumping grounds for refuse, garbage, boats, mattresses, furniture, clothing, construction waste and dead livestock. The ones accessible by roads are more likely to become dumping grounds.

During construction these outcrops become parking areas for logging trucks and heavy equipment. With carefull planning these outcrops could become a natural part of the development with their unique beauty. They could actually enhance the character of residential and commerical development. While some outcrops are granted protected status many are not and are threatened with permanent destruction. Think of Stone Mountain State Park as one of the protected ones in Georgia. We all need to think of preserving these unique and beautiful areas. Nearby is also Flat Rock Park which is a Randolph County Park used for picnicking and swimming. From this point you can also see an example of the destruction that occurs to these areas at the small island in the distance which contains a rock quarry that is now inactive thanks to the lake.

This particular area is home to a VERY RARE plant known as the Pool Sprite (Amphianthus pusillus) of the Figwort Family. The Pool Sprite is listed on both state and federal registers as threatened. It is wholly confined to granite outcrops. The Pol Sprite is an aquatic annual that completes its life cycle in shallow outcrop pools in winter and spring. It consists of a submerged rosette of small lance-shaped leaves and paired floating leaves borne on long, delicate stems. It bears two kinds of flowers: Tiny white solitary flowers bloom between the paired leaves above the water, and self-fertilizing flowers that never open are borne by the submerged rosette.

In shallow soil in pools that hold water for several months of the year. The population exists as dormant seeds most of the year, from the time the pools dry up in mid to late spring and until they reform in winter.

URGENT NOTE: If you should come across a Pool Sprite while visiting this area, please do not step on or disturb it in any way. Please contact Randy Howell of the Southern Union College Biology department at the nearby campus in Wadley. His phone number is 256-395-2211 extension 5801.

While visiting this area take time to observe the unique plants and ecosystem in general. Be careful not to disturb any rare plants.

What kind of rock is here?

How many trees are there in the center of the rock?

Measure the width of the exposed rock from trees to creek as viewed from the road.

Take a picture of you at the oasis.

(Optional)

What did you experience here that was different or unusual?

Did this visit help you appreciate this type of area more?

Many thanks to Randy Howell of Southern Union College in Wadley, Alabama for information on their research at this location. The state of Alabama has a lot of information on it's various geological aspects at this website: (visit link)

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Guvf vf pbhagl cebcregl. Fcrpvny gunaxf gb Enaql Ubjryy bs Fbhgurea Havba Pbyyrtr sbe urycvat gb orggre haqrefgnaq guvf nern naq vg'f havdhr rpbflfgrz.

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)

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