Explore Black Ankle Bog Preserve

An Ecological Treasure in North Carolina’s Piedmont

Botanize with the Triad Chapter and The Nature Conservancy’s plant and fire experts to learn about the Black Ankle Bog Preserve located in Montgomery County. Black Ankle Bog Preserve, owned by The Nature Conservancy and typically closed to the public, offers an incredible representation of the diverse ecological communities that historically dotted the Piedmont landscape.

Walking from the forested ridges of this preserve down into the stream heads that contain one of the few remaining Piedmont bogs, you’ll notice the vegetation shifts from plant communities requiring dry conditions, such as longleaf pine and the chestnut oak woodlands common to the nearby Uwharrie Mountains, to the treeless areas of the bog community. Blackjack oak, post oak, and dense huckleberry and blueberry shrubs surround mats of sphagnum moss and patches of habenaria orchids, milkworts, sedges, cinnamon ferns, and trumpet and purple pitcher plants.

Downhill from the bog, the habitat blends into a dense thicket dominated by alder, sweet bay, sweet pepper-bush, Virginia sweetspire, and the endangered bog spicebush that grows in these low areas. A patch of climbing fern, a large stand of sweetleaf, and the rare large witch-alder also grow in the preserve.

REGISTER HERE FOR THE BLACK ANKLE BOG PRESERVE HIKE

This is a Member Only hike and limited to 20 participants

Meeting Place and Time:

The preserve is located near Asbury and Seagrove, NC. Directions will be sent once your registration is confirmed. Please adjust your drive to arrive on time as a courtesy to our guest hike leaders.

We begin our hike at 10:00 a.m. and should conclude around 2:00 p.m.  A history of the area will be shared during our pause for lunch.

For those who might like to extend your day-trip with another activity, the North Carolina Pottery Highway is a 7-minute drive from the preserve in Seagrove.

How to Dress & What to Bring:

• Wear sturdy shoes/boots, long pants, and a hat.
• Dress in layers as it will likely warm up throughout the day.
• The ground is uneven in some places, so please bring hiking poles if you like to use them.
• Wear sunscreen and insect repellent.
• Bring a bottle of water and a bagged lunch.
• If you have allergies, bring the appropriate medication with you.

Restrooms:

There are no restrooms at Black Ankle Preserve, so we recommend stopping somewhere else to use the facilities before you arrive.

TNC Hike Leaders:

Lauren Goodman serves as preserve manager for Black Ankle. Lauren is a double graduate of UNC Chapel Hill, earning her B.S. in Environmental Science and M.S. in Marine Ecology. Her interests are driven by the intersection of environment and technology, with a particular focus on Unoccupied Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for monitoring purposes. While not managing TNC’s Black Ankle Preserve, Lauren enjoys ultra-running and yanking out invasive species from her yard.

Aisander Duda is the Associate Director of Philanthropy for the NC Chapter of The Nature Conservancy. He is a native North Carolinian and a graduate of James Madison University in Virginia. Before TNC, Aisander held positions in philanthropy and public policy for both conservation and research institutions. In his free time, Aisander loves exploring natural areas across the southeast with his three young boys.

To learn more about The Nature Conservancy in North Carolina, visit the website here or check out their Facebook page: The Nature Conservancy in North Carolina.

Thank you for joining the North Carolina Native Plant Society to learn more about the ecology of our region! We look forward to seeing you!

We hope you’ll consider becoming a member, volunteering, and/or helping to promote our education and outreach work by sharing with your friends and family. Thank you again!