Rock Pile Lead Trail
Trail length: 0.25 miles
From Visitors Center via White Pine Trail: 0.35 miles
Round Trip: 0.7 miles
Rock Pile Lead starts about half way along the White Pine Trail and winds up the ridge to end at the North Forest Loop road. Although it ascends the ridge, the slope is not steep. Initially it passes through a forest dominated by large beech (Fagus grandifolia) trees. Farther along White and Black Oak (Quercus alba and Quercus velutina) become prominent, along with a mixture of other deciduous trees typical of Oak-Hickory forests (e.g., sourwood, dogwood). A few pines are also present reflecting a history of paast disturbance. Conspicuous features along the trail are piles of rocks which were accumulated by settlers as they cleared the area for pastures and crops. Several yucca plants can be seen toward the upper end of the trail.