Trail Town, USA: Damascus, VA
We have had the privilege of writing about the town of Damascus, VA, before, and now we are going to do it again, at least sort of. Damascus is just the kind of place that inspires writing and telling stories. Today, the story is less about Damascus than it is about where one trail leads.
Damascus is known as the Trail Town, USA, because hikers can access several well-known trails, including the Virginia Creeper, the famous Appalachian Trail, the Iron Mountain Trail, and the Crooked Road. In addition to hiking trails, Damascus is a central location for outdoor activities like hiking, camping, fishing, and even bow hunting.
Damascus is also conveniently located to access Mount Rogers National Recreation Area, Grayson Highlands State Park, and White Top Mountain, the highest summit in Virginia, where you can see North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia all at once. It is also on the road to the Cherokee National Forest. We took a drive southwest from Damascus along South Shady Avenue, which becomes Tennessee Highway 133, and eventually entered the Cherokee National Forest. We were on a mission.
A Mission for Fall Foliage Starting in Damascus
There are many reasons a person might want to visit Damascus, VA. Still, today, it’s late October in the Appalachian Highlands, so we’re focusing on the leaves. Specifically, fall leaves. It’s that time of year when magic happens in the forest.
The term “Fall”, as it is used to describe Autumn, originated in England in the mid-1500s. It was initially called “fall of the leaf”. It was eventually shortened to “fall”. And brought to America with the English immigrants, who, as we know, populated the Appalachia Region, and especially the Appalachian Highlands Region, where they kept the term alive.
The Science and Beauty of Color
What is essentially a defense mechanism for the deciduous trees against the threats of winter, many trees lose their leaves in the fall so that they can conserve energy when light and water are scarce. Trees don’t photosynthesize efficiently without adequate light and water, so they shed their leaves. They stop producing chlorophyll, which is what makes the leaves green. When they stop, it reveals all kinds of underlying color.
It is in the short period before they shed their leaves altogether that they put on a show for lucky outdoors people. While the science is undoubtedly fascinating, as with many things in nature, it is the beauty that results from the science that catches our attention. The Appalachian Highlands region is rich in deciduous tree species, each bringing something unique to the show.
A Chorus of Color: Appalachian Tree Species
The region is full of varieties of Maple Trees, and depending on the species, they may produce different colors. A Red Maple’s leaves turn shades of red, orange, and yellow. In this region, there are: Oak Trees of several varieties that turn crimson, orange, russet, and deep red. Hickory trees, which grow abundantly here, turn gold-yellow and bright gold. Birches turn yellow at higher elevations. Sourwood produces a rich crimson, while Blackgum trees display scarlet leaves. American Beech leaves turn yellow to orange, and Dogwood leaves turn red to maroon.
Pondering the Profound
As we admire the symphony of colors, it’s easy to see the forest as a single phenomenon. Still, it’s a chorus of colors, sung by millions of individual trees, each contributing its own hue to the song. It feels even more profound to think that without one species, the forest’s color palette would be somewhat muted.
Just think, this annual phenomenon occurs in a very short time, and if you blink, you might miss it. We encourage everyone to plan a trip to a place like this and ponder the profound depth of meaning and beauty behind this show. Please bring your children and tell them the story about how and why it happens. We also encourage people to view these turning leaves allegorically. Perhaps, like these trees, if we, as individuals, could work together for our own survival—and do it beautifully—we can produce something amazing too.
