A mature deciduous forest rich in American beech, oak, tulip poplar, and hickory blankets an ancient headland of the Potomac River Gorge, while white sycamore, silver maple, and boxelder dominate the flood-washed lowlands. Though close to Washington, D.C., this 466-acre tract adjoins other protected lands to form a wild haven for plants and animals. Turtles, frogs, and lizards roam stream margins, rare warblers nest in the unbroken forest canopy, and locally uncommon wildflowers carpet the forest floor in spring. Relics of George Washington's Potowmack Canal rest along the river's bank, recalling his vision for an industrialized, channelized, and straightened Potomac River and the river's resistance to attempts to harness it. Woodland trails through forests nearly 100 years old pass varied plant and animal habitats, including a high ridge, a cool stream valley, and a connection to the Potomac Heritage Trail near the river's edge.