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Fall Foliage Hike on Kelly Property |
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Not too many miles north of Eden Mill lies a stretch of land cloaked in woods and hidden from the world. Undulating hills, some rather steep and mountainous, encircle a pure and winding stream called Big Branch that rushes down towards Deer Creek further south. In several areas it takes its time to relax a moment forming lonely, quiet ponds that riffle off to the next adventurous plunge. This unique area provides a rare glimpse of what geologists refer to as Piedmont, and though it exists much further east than its larger well-known brethren, the Appalachian Mountains, you definitely feel like you’re walking the trails of the western Maryland region. Some unknown quirk of glacial upheaval tens of thousands of years ago created this fascinating portion of classic hills, rocks, and flowing water to replicate the gorgeous and unique qualities of classic Piedmont landscape.
This 74-acre preserve with its quaint, rustic cottage hidden along a
ridge is called the Kelly Property and was formerly owned by Dr. James
R. Kelly. Dr. Kelly was a native of Harford County whose varied
achievements were climaxed by the John Heinz Award and the
Distinguished Career Award, the highest honor of the U.S. Department of
Veterans Affairs, for the innovative outpatient treatment program he
developed for that agency. Dr. Kelly stipulated in his will that his
summer retreat, by sale or donation “remain in private,
non-governmental ownership, wild and unimproved to be used for
educational, conservation and recreational purposes only.” This
Shangri-La was acquired by the Harford Land Trust in July 2004 and is
now preserved, conserved, reserved, and protected forever. The Trust
has opened this magnificent property to the public for passive
recreation.
Following a previous hike held back in the spring, a group of
appreciative observers trekked again on a recent crisp autumn morning
to recapture its elegance and compare the much-changed flora of an area
not often seen in Harford County. What a difference! Sharing a day of
special homage to this glorious and scenic property, we carefully
watched our footing on some rather steep and rocky paths throughout
this diverse and beautiful landscape. Our guide was HLT Vice-President
Glenn Dudderar, a wealth of background and experience in all things
natural, who was accompanied by Peg Niland, Director of HLT. Time has
not changed the layout of this very unique geological paradise and now
that its forests and streams are protected and preserved, the only sign
of our visit was a few trampled leaves.
Lee Crush
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Last Updated ( Monday, 29 December 2008 )
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