Rock Wall

A signature structure

seen throughout the

New England area is the

rock wall. Along the trail

you will see numerous rock walls that are manmade and built within the forest, surrounding various trees and bushes.  The rock wall shows the impact of humans on the environment. These walls are typically built using granite, limestone, or gneiss and originally were used as fences on farmland. These rock types are capable of sustaining extreme weather because they are difficult to smooth, making them ideal building blocks during the changing seasons. The rock walls seen on the trail are small ecosystems full of life, providing shelter for certain organisms such as ants, bugs, chipmunks, and acting as a parent rock for growing moss and lichen.