Cedars of Lebanon

Cedars of Lebanon is a unique, beautiful state park. 


The Cedars of Lebanon is known for their unique cedars glades. A cedar glade is a unique "natural rock garden" where limestone bedrock sits just beneath the surface, creating soil too thin for most trees to survive. These rocky openings are nicknamed for the hardy Eastern Red Cedars that ring their edges, but the real magic happens in the center. Because the environment is so harsh—baking like a desert in the summer and flooding in the winter—it is home to a collection of rare, "endemic" wildflowers that grow nowhere else on Earth.


The first trail I took was the Cedar Glade Trail. This half-mile loop takes you past three cedar glades and gives you educational information on the importance, history, and animals you can find in and around the cedar glade. As a mycophile myself, going in the winter just highlighted the abundance of moss, mushrooms, and lichen growing throughout the trail. 

.
This trail was directly behind the visitor center where you can get your Tennessee State Park stamp. The Tennessee State Park stamp program is a free way to track your visits to state parks AND once completed, earn a certificate from the state for exploring them all! My self-care this year is to visit as many as I can and (hopefully) complete my stamp book!


After the first trail, I headed over to find the cave I kept reading about in the Brochure. The Jackson Cave is located in the day-use area and is a short-hike. You do have to get a permit from the Visitor Center to enter the cave but the view from outside is worth the hike. The way I took involved going down a set of steep, rock stairs. One of my biggest fears is falling down a cliff or steep stairs - especially as someone who lives in a larger body. I took my time and went slowly down - while singing my personal theme song I've created in my mind. 


While the stairs don't look like much... for me... I was terrified. But I did it! And that's what matters. I got down safely and was able to go up close to the cave. I'll definitely be going back to check out the cave and complete some more trails - maybe even a camping trip! 






If you want to learn more about the Cedars of Lebanon, check out their website here: https://tnstateparks.com/parks/cedars-of-lebanon  








Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Welcome to My View - Introductory Blog

Image
Hello and welcome to my view!   Krystal in the Woods - 2025 Let me introduce myself. My name is Krystal Haseltine and I've been an avid photographer for over 20 years. My first love for photography started in high school mainly capturing moments between my friends and I. My senior year I took a film photography class which deepened my love and understanding for the art of photography. As I grew older, I wasn't as active in photography and my mental health took a tool. In 2013 I went to rehab for my addiction and mental health and soon moved to Tennessee. In Tennessee my passion for photography re-ignited - especially after giving birth to my daughter. Her first Christmas I took a photo on my IPhone that lead to me pursing that passion.  Image taken by Krystal in 2014 that sparked a photography business. I ran a small photography business from 2015 - 2019 offering portrait photography and while I enjoyed it- it dimmed my love for photography a bit. I decided to close the busine...
Read more

My Thoughts on Going Instagram Viral

Image
This week I had my first video go viral on Instagram....  While the majority of people were kind-hearted - there were those few who focused on my weight rather than the beautiful moment.  People have always treated me less than because of my size and for years I'd let it tear me down. It messed with my mental health so much that as a teen I had multiple suicide attempts, hospitalizations, and in my early 20s battled addiction. At my thinnest, I was strung out daily, committing crimes, and hurting those around me. While I was in rehab I watched "The Secret", a movie about the law of attraction, and something clicked. I no longer cared that people thought I was fat because I was still achieving things in my life. I got clean and started moving forward.  Over the course of the next twelve years (while fat) I've:  Became a mom  Graduated top of my class with my bachelors degree  Ran an innovative 988 follow up program as a Director  Been to dozens of conce...
Read more

The Years End - That's a Wrap 2025

Image
 Through the Lens of 2025 Krystal after completing the 1000 yard shoot. Now that the year is coming to a wrap, there is no better time than to go through each month with some of my favorite images taken! This year was filled with wonder and self-discovery but also so many trials to strengthen myself and my family.  January  Oh, January. For me this month is always about the birds. In 2025 we worked to make our property a certified wildlife habitat and come January - it shows!  February  Late winter in Tennessee is a fascinating time! The first signs of life begin later in the month and the moss and fungus are in full color.  March  Oh March. It's one of my favorite times of year. The days are longer, the sun is warmer, but the trees are still bare enough to see into the forest.  April April is a special month in our family and spring goes into full swing! Some of our migratory friends come back to visit.  May May was a lot of fun. Our Magnoli...
Read more