A rare forest remnant occupies the Blue Knob Ski Lodge grounds, highest inhabited point in Pennsylvania at 3100 feet.  A band of curious red oak/scrub oak hybrid trees flourishes adjacent to the ski lifts.  The leaf outlines are red oak-like, while their autumn coloration is a scrub oak-like acorn color.  Further reflecting the hybridization, the trees exhibit thick trunks but limited stature. The hybridization occurs because the red oak reaches its elevational limit for this latitude at Blue Knob and, with nowhere to progress genetically, merges its genes with those of the dominant summit species, scrub oak. The trees stand across from the ski area's parking lot, which is open year-round free of charge.

Park staff in the Catoctin Mountains of central Maryland continue to speculate on the origins of a gold-mining pit and accompanying stone marker rediscovered recently.   Situated on a commanding promontory about 100 yards from the popular Catoctin Trail northeast of Cunningham Falls State Park, the remains consist of a leaf-covered pit and a headstone.  Pieces of concrete of unknown origin re-commemorated the site many years ago.   The golden tinge evident on the metamorphic slates of the adjacent ground area points to the outcome of the long-ago excavation:  iron pyrite, or "fool's gold".