" Echota Lands "
From our beautiful lower, middle and upper nature trails, virgin forest and waterfalls to the mossy overhangs and mountain bluff shelters, the wonders within our Tribal lands continue to offer the teachings from our ancestors of learning from nature and honoring our earth and all that inhabit her.
Our Outdoor Classroom
Echota Tribal Land at Lacon Mountain, Cullman County, Al.
Echota Cherokee Ida Lee Hodge
Our nature trails are posted as well as many plant and tree species identified with information markers
Looking down from a high bluff at the wooden bridge on the middle trail
There are many peaceful streams throughout the forest....
The abundance offered by our Earth Mother of the lush ferns,
many varieties of medicinal plants , the beauty of this natural place greatly untouched by the hand of man still offering shelter and substinance to the all that live within it. The standing one's - our many varieties of trees, the ancient ones - the rock and stone shelters that have been here from the beginning of time, the two and four legged , the winged one's and all that inhabit the beauty of our Tribal lands....
With the gift of spending time in these place's that still exist we should all remember to leave nature untouched by our presence.
....and then there are the magestic waterfalls
carrying on the teachings within their continous waters....
Bluff shelters and rock overhangs
A few of the many plant, moss and flowering tree species.
Our Tribal lands consist of " Virgin Forest " with no harvested timber
Back up the middle trail
Photo's provided by Ida Lee Hodge and Linn Whitedeer
Indian Pipe
Wild Azalea
Wooden landing overlooking one of the enormous bluff overhangs
Our Ancestors come to mind when spending time where they once walked....where they once hunted, where they created all they used to survive from within these forest walls. Where they prayed and taught the children the ways of our people to carry on to a new generation. The importance of living in these ways, ones that are close to our earth. When we walk within these sacred places, do we place our footsteps in those where our ancestor's once stood, thanking Creator for all around us as they did, do we walk lightly upon our earth....
Some of the varieties of trees on our Echota Tribal Lands include :
Pin Oak, White Oak, Sycamore, Beech, Spruce Pine, Cedar, Dogwood,
Laurel, Buckeye, Hog Apple and Sweet Gum.
They have been the guardians of our land for generations.
Mayapple
Spotted Wintergreen
Buckeye or Indian Pink
White Top Aster
Yellow Root
We thank naturalist Darryl Patton as well as Auburn University for their assistance in identifying and marking the many plant and tree species along our nature trails.
Medicine Plants found on the Echota Cherokee Tribe Of Alabama Tribal
Land, Lacon Mountain, Cullman County, Alabama
Identified by naturalist Darryl Patton ( thesouthernherbalist.com )
* * * * * * *
Medicine Trail - ( from the bridge south to fence at south boundary )
Grampsy Graybeard ( Poison Ash )
Joepyweed ( Queen Of The Meadow )
Pipsissewa ( Rat's Vein , Rat bane or Spotted Wintergreen )
Witch Hazel
Sweet Gum Tree
Black Gum Tree
Sawbriars ( Sarsaparilla )
Paw Paw
Wahoo
Sourwood Tree
Prickly Ash
Nine Bark
Partidge Berry
Arrowwood ( Maple Leaf Viburnem )
Inkberry
Yellow Root
Fairy Wand
Waterfall Trail - ( from the bridge to waterfall at northern boundary )
Sugar Maple
Solomon's Seal
Stinging Nettle
Wild Yam
Upper Bluff Trail ( from the creek northwest around bluff )
Sanicle ( Black Snake Root )
Carolina Buckthorn
Ebony Spleenwort
Redbud Tree
Fragrant Sumac
False Solomon seal
Flowering Spurge
Yucca
Lower Bluff Trail ( northward down bluff to get to midpoint of trail, head east
River Cane
Spice Berry ( Spice Bush )
Indian Turnip ( Jack In The Pulpit )
Hound's Tongue
White Baneberry
Ginseng
Enchanter's Nightshade
( this brings you back to Sanicle - first marker on Upper Bluff Trail )
Indian Village Trail ( straight across bridge to east and up hill )
Winter Huckleberry
Alum Root
Cleavers ( Bedstraw )
False Aloe
Hoary Mountain Mint
Black Haw ( Cramp Bark )
Whorled Loose Strife
Lobelia
One of our beautiful Elm trees that stands outside of our Tribal office. Throughout each day you can hear the community of birds that live within its shelter, see the squirrels that play along its branches and even when your at work you can hear the constant reminder that the gift of nature is all around on our Echota Tribal Land.
