On this Columbus Day weekend I took an appropriate excursion to First Landing State Park which is located in Norther Virginia. Although Christopher Columbus did not actually discover the continental United States, we still have a federal holiday to celebrate (Hooray!). First Landing State Park was the location where Captain John Smith and his crew (yes, Pocahontas was still incredibly historically inaccurate even though they got one name right) first landed in 1604.

The Bald Cyprus trail is a pleasant 1.5 mile loop through and around cypress swamps. Areas that separate the various sized low wetlands are parts of the trail that cross over forest covered dunes, making for a few slight uphill and downhill climbs. The trail has a number of boardwalks and observation platforms that carry you over and allow you to look into the swamps.

While on the loop I saw these “knees” of the Bald Cyprus trees, for which the trail is named. The knees are of unknown value to the tree: some believe they provide stabilization for the trees while others think it may contribute to its oxygenation. Scientists remain unsure of their function, but they certainly add a little wonder to nature.