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Hemlocks & Other Old Growth Trees: Educational Walk

September 19 @ 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
Free
Graphic for the Hemlock Restoration Initiative's Old Growth Trees Educational Walk. On the left, text on a cream background reads: "Hemlock Restoration Initiative — Old Growth Trees Educational Walk. See one of the oldest eastern hemlocks in North America on the Coker Trail with HRI and Highlands Biological Station." An orange button reads "Reserve your spot," beside the details "Sat, Sept 19, 2026 · 10 AM · Highlands, NC." On the right, an illustrated upward view of a massive hemlock trunk with reddish furrowed bark, rising into a green canopy with rhododendron leaves in the foreground. A green circle overlays the image with the text "467 years old."

Highlands Biological Station · Coker Trail · Highlands, NC
Free — RSVP required

Join the Hemlock Restoration Initiative and Highlands Biological Station for an Old Growth Forest edition of our educational hemlock walk.

You’ll walk the Coker Trail beneath healthy hemlocks in an HRI Hemlock Conservation Area — and stand among some of the largest and oldest trees in the Eastern United States. Spanning roughly 3.7 acres, this rare forest remnant holds eastern hemlocks exceeding 3.3 feet in diameter, with the largest reaching 4.2 feet. The oldest hemlock in the stand is at least 467 years old — the oldest known in the Southern Appalachians — and many others exceed 250 years.

A relic of the primeval forest that once blanketed the Highlands Plateau, the Coker Forest also features Northern Red Oak, Tulip Poplar, Yellow Birch, and Mountain Laurel, with Rosebay Rhododendron carpeting the understory. Now part of the Old Growth Forest Network, it helps protect regional biodiversity and offers a glimpse into the area’s ecological past.

What you’ll learn
Your hike leaders will cover the ecological importance of hemlocks, what’s causing their decline, and what’s being done about it. A representative from Highlands Biological Station will teach tree species identification and share the history of the forest.

Know before you go
The walk is a short 0.5-mile out-and-back. However, the trail receives minimal maintenance and includes steep inclines. Wear sturdy shoes and bring water. We plan to be back at our vehicles by 1:00 PM.

In case of poor weather, the hike will be rescheduled to Saturday, September 26.

Registration
The hike is free to attend, but your RSVP is required. Please sign up by Monday, September 14: https://savehemlocksnc.org/saturday-september-19th-2026-hemlocks-and-other-old-growth-trees-educational-walk-at-highlands-biological-station/

Questions? Contact Olivia Hall at education@savehemlocksnc.org or 828-252-4783.

Details

Organizer

Venue

  • HBS North Campus
  • 111 Lower Lake Road
    Highlands, NC 28741 United States     + Google Map