Cranberry Glades Botanical Area

Cranberry Glades Botanical Area is the name of a 750-acre group of five bog wetlands located in the Monongahela National Forest, situated in the highlands of the Allegheny Mountains at an elevation of 3400 feet.

The land is highly acidic covered with all sorts of decaying vegetation. The peat and decaying organic matter is more than 10 feet thick under the plant cover. Cranberry Glades supports a diverse collection of plants, including cranberries, sphagnum moss, and carnivorous plants including the purple pitcher plant. The moss produces tannic acid, which is used to tan skins and hides in the production of leather. Also, the mosss is spongy and like quicksand and can pull you under if you get stuck in it. Due to this and the fragile nature of the Glades, walking off of the boardwalk trail is strictly prohibited and hefty fines will be issued if one is caught doing so.

The climate of Cranberry Glades is cool and wet, similar to that of New England and Canada. This is the result of the surrounding mountains draining their cool air down to Cranberry Glades.

"Cranberry Glades is considered an island of north muskeg in the south. It is very unusual and one of West Virginia’s two flora Natural Wonders. The other, is Dolly Sods. With many things to see and discover, Cranberry Glades has become a very popular tourist attraction in West Virginia over the years. There are many rare species of birds, animals, and plants that are left here from long ago. All of these unique factors have made Cranberry Glades what it is today."
(from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cranberry_Glades_Botanical_Area)