Bassett Hall Nature Trail Walk

Join Helen Hamilton and Gus Hall at 10:30 am for a walk along the Bassett Hall Nature Trail, where umbrella magnolia is common. From upland woods, the trail goes through bottomland and back up to a ridge dominated by many sizable hardwoods such as oak, beech and hickory. The rare mountain camellia (Stewartia ovata) has been seen on this ridge; it has an unusual distribution in Virginia, only occurring in 3 counties in the far southwest Piedmont and 3 in the Coastal Plain. A plant of the Cumberland Plateau in Kentucky and Tennessee, it has been found in only a few scattered counties in North Carolina.

Bassett Hall is at 522 Francis Street. Park in Bassett Hall Parking, near the end of Francis Street before its intersection with Route 60. Look for the “Bassett Hall” sign and then one marked “Parking Entrance”. The nature trail starts in the woods after a long walk past the house and through a field on a graveled path. Email Helen at helen48@cox.net or call her at 757-564-4494 to register.