The American Beech is one of my favorite trees in the woods. It is native to the Eastern United States and Canada. Fargus Grandifolia grows to the height of 60 to 105 feet tall with a silver gray smooth bark. These distinguished shade tolerant trees can live over 400 years. In Iroquois park beech trees are found mostly in southern and western sections of the park favoring the lower elevations near streams and bottomlands.
Beech being a hard tough wood has been used in many commercial applications including furniture, flooring, tool handles, railroad ties and it makes excellent firewood. Budweiser uses beech wood chips as a fining agent in the brewing of their beer. German smoked beers also get their flavor from drying the malts using beech firewood. Creosote is a tar extracted from the tree which is used to protect other woods from rotting. The leaves and bark of the tree were a source of extracts for the making of fabric dyes. Early American colonists even used the leaves to stuff mattresses. The nuts from the beech tree are edible and also a valuable source of nutrition for wildlife.
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American Beech
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Unfortunately the very attractive smooth bark of the beech is a magnet for graffiti and many a beech in the park has been the target of young love over the years. In 1803 while passing through the area Daniel Boone carved his name in a large American Beech in the Western part of the park. See Daniel Boone Tree (GCKGK5)
The beech with its shallow root system is also susceptible to being toppled. Many beech trees in the Southwestern part of the park were uprooted in later winter 2008 when a tornado and very strong straight line winds came through the area. See Forest Circle Of Life (GC1C8P2)
The Cache is a small cammo RX container located among these stately trees. Parking is located at N38 09.327 W085 47.528. From here take the horse/hiking trail across the street. This trail will take you through a nice stand of American Beech.