Department of Conservation and Recreation
Conserve. Protect. Enjoy.
Department of Conservation and Recreation
LOCALITY |
OWNER |
ACRES |
ACCESS |
NEWS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin | DCR | 112 | Yes |
SITE DESCRIPTION:
Home to four globally rare natural heritage resources, Bald Knob has been a long-standing conservation priority for DCR in Virginia's southern Piedmont. The thin soils and sparsely vegetated rocks found on parts of the Preserve support vegetation assemblages different than any place on earth. Bald Knob Natural Area Preserve is the largest and best known occurrence of a "Piedmont mafic barren" where exposed rocks resist weathering and have unusual chemical properties, making them and their derived soils different from typical Piedmont sites. For more information, see: Low-Elevation Outcrop Barrens
The Preserve was established in 2016 after decades of work by Natural Heritage Program scientists who first noticed something unusual about one of the plants on the site. After years of additional documentation and study, a College of William and Mary botanist confirmed that these plants were indeed a new species, not previously known to science. To-date, this species, Piedmont Fameflower (Phemeranthus piedmontanus) has only been documented at a handful of sites in the world.
The initial Preserve purchase was made possible by funding support from the Land & Water Conservation Fund and Virginia Land Conservation Foundation. Although more work is needed to fully protect the natural heritage resources of the site, this prominent and unique feature of the Rocky Mount and Franklin County landscape is well on its way to being fully protected for future generations.VISITATION:
A small parking area provides access to a moderate 1.3-mile hiking trail with several scenic viewpoints, as well as an accessible section with views of the rocky summit. The trail is open to foot traffic only and has been carefully designed to protect rare plants and avoid fragile, critically imperiled habitats. This includes the summit area, which supports the largest remaining population of Piedmont Fameflower known anywhere in the world.
To expand future hiking opportunities, an additional trail is planned for development on the southwest side of East Court Street.
You can use our new geo-referenced PDF map in a third-party app, Avenza Maps, available for Apple and Android devices, to help you navigate the trail system.
CONTACT:
Ryan Klopf, Mountain Region Supervisor
Department of Conservation & Recreation
Division of Natural Heritage
Roanoke, VA
540-265-5234
