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| This trailhead is behind the Nature Center. |
| When you explore the Nature Center at Montgomery Bell State Park, just west of Nashville, TN, you'll notice a trailhead next to the creek. This trail, the Jim Bailey Trail, is a short one, only 3/4 of a mile and one you shouldn't miss, while you're here. |
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| You begin your walk next to a cool creek. |
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| Right away I noticed a mushroom growing next to the trail. It happens to be an Amanita species. Click here to see a list of species. |
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| My favorite walks are next to streams like this one. |
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| The canopy and water keep it relatively cool on this path. |
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| Some very tiny white mushrooms. |
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| Rain has pooled on the top of the cap. Rain and high temperatures are ideal conditions for mushrooms, and this area has had plenty of both. |
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| You begin a slow, gradual climb. |
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| Tiny Orange Pinwheel Marasmius mushrooms. (Marasmius siccus) |
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| A large Bolete (has pores instead of gills under its cap). Click here to learn about boletes. |
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| There is a great variety of trees here, mostly oaks, hickories, and maples. |
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| A Coral Fungus. |
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| A different species of Bolete. |
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| Great sign! |
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| Mushrooms At this time of the year you might as well call this the Mushroom Trail! So many different kinds! |
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| You can see they don't have gills; instead they have holes, which are the ends of tubes; therefore they are boletes and not mushrooms. |
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| A great contrast in colors... another Bolete (Boletus auripes)...in moss. |
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| Observe both sides of the trail as you walk. You never know what you'll find if you walk slowly and look. |
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| Long Beech Fern. Information |
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| Small Bracket Fungi decomposing this log. |
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| A light colored Bolete. |
The find of the day!!
A wild orchid...
Cranefly Orchid (Tipularia discolor) !
Cranefly Orchid (Tipularia discolor) !
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| Very tiny flowers with long spurs. Beautiful! Click here to see a great video. |
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| A self quiz: What kind of fungus is this? |
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| A fern called Ebony Spleenwort. (Asplenium platyneuron) Click here for information. |
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| So many different kinds of fungi on this trail. |
Two more Amanita mushrooms!
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| Destroying Angel (A. bisporigera) |
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| Yellow Patches (A. flavoconia) |
Amanitas have a volva (cup at its base), free gills,
and a white spore print. Most have an annulus
(a ring around the stem).
(a ring around the stem).
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| Red and Yellow Bolete (Baorangia bicolor) |
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| You can see the road up ahead. Turn left at the bottom of this hill to get back to the Nature Center. |
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| One of my favorite finds...a Bolete with what looks like chocolate chips on top of its cap. Pretty crazy looking. Old Man of the Woods (Strobilomyces strobilaceus) |
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| The Nature Center is to your left. |
If you want to continue walking, go across the road and
get on the Montgomery Bell Trail, which takes you to a beautiful
Creech Hollow Lake.
This is a short but excellent hiking trail, with a variety of fungi
and plants. If you come to this park make sure you walk this trail!
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