Nature
April 15, 2022
Tennessee is known for its impressive system of state parks, but there are a few private areas that seek to conserve nature in its purest sense. The Global Nature Conservancy purchased a piece of land at the northeast end of the Highland Rim and named it Taylor Hollow State Natural Area. As one of the first nature preserves purchased in Tennessee, the Westmoreland Natural Area has become one of the most beautiful untouched areas in the state.
In these uncertain times, please keep safety in mind and consider adding destinations to your bucket list at a later date.
Taylor Hollow is considered an ecological gem in the southern United States. The area is privately owned and maintained, so you won’t find the public treading its lush paths or through its delicate ecosystem. No, instead the Nature Conservancy seeks to maintain the magnificent historic mesophytic forest system.
A “mesophytic” forest system refers to a moderately wet area, and the valley in which Taylor Hollow sits is carved into the ground between two steep slopes. There are 380 plant species as well as a myriad of wildlife protected within the hollow. The soil is rich in magnesium and calcium due to eroded limestone, so the wildflowers burst forth in the spring.
You’ll find all kinds of wildflowers in Taylor Hollow, but the Blue-Eyed Mary is perhaps one of the most iconic. It creates a thick blue band on the Forest Flower when it blooms.
Taylor Hollow is considered one of the last undisturbed areas in Tennessee. The ancient forest is thick with small animals, and you’ll even find a few cave dwellers nestled in the rocky outcrops of the hollow and the cave system that exists beneath the forest floor.
Spring wildflowers peak in March and April, but during the month of April you’ll also find a cloud of swallowtail butterflies. They emerge from the pupae in the spring, after sleeping all winter, and the sight of so many beautiful insects is almost unbelievable.
Have you ever heard of Taylor Hollow State Natural Area? Although it is private and closed to the public, you can request access. We recommend contacting the Tennessee Chapter of the Nature Conservancy if you have a serious inquiry.
You can read more about the extraordinary Taylor Hollow and its blooming wildflowers on the official Nature Conservancy website.
Address: Taylor Hollow, Tennessee 37186, USA
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