Delightful Debris

Michael Robson/visitraleigh.com

Visit William B. Umstead State Park’s Graylyn trail, and you might be in for a surprise. A new art fixture has made way thanks to nature and the help of artists Jerry Reid and Randy Boni, of Smoky Mountain Art in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. The fallen red oak tree was carved with a chainsaw, now bearing detailed designs of woodland creatures and intricate leaves. The sculpture is like a reward for your hike, walk, or bike along the 13-mile trail. It has been so well-received that Hidden Treasure, as it is unofficially called, will eventually move indoors for protection from the elements on permanent display.  –Catherine Currin