NPS | Nicole Phillips Northern Dusky Salamander (Desmognathus fuscus)Identifiers: Dusky salamanders are generally brownish to dark brown with a lighter underside, but their colors can be highly variable. Their tails are triangular and their bodies can range from 2.5 to 5.5 inches in length. Habitat: These semi-aquatic salamanders typically inhabit moist, wooded areas near streams, often under rocks or logs. Behavior: Northern dusky salamanders are nocturnal, doing most of their foraging of invertebrates at night. To escape predators, they may drop their tails. Regions: This species of lungless salamander is distributed across the entirety of the trail corridor. 
NPS | Nicole Phillips Northern Red-backed Salamander (Plethodon cinereus)Identifiers: This slender salamander is characterized by the red or orange stripe that runs from their head to their tail. Habitat: These lungless salamanders typically inhabit moist deciduous and mixed forests with plenty of leaf litter and decaying wood to hide under. Behavior: Red-backed salamanders have a unique life cycle, being entirely terrestrial and caring for their eggs until they hatch. They are also territorial and will defend their foraging areas with scent marking and aggressive displays. Regions: This species of salamander is distributed across the entirety of the trail corridor. 
NPS | Nicole Phillips Northern Two-lined Salamander (Eurycea bislineata)Identifiers: Look for a yellow salamander with two broad stripes extending down both sides of the body and speckles filling the area between them. Habitat: The natural habitats of the two-lined salamander are temperate forests, temperate shrub land, and intermittent rivers and freshwater marshes. Behavior: Two-lined salamanders will attach their eggs to rocks, logs, or aquatic plants and defend them until they hatch. During the nighttime, they forage for insects and other invertebrates. Regions: This species of salamander is distributed across the entirety of the trail corridor. 
NPS | Nicole Phillips American Toad (Anaxyrus americanus)Identifiers: American toads are typically larger and have one or two warts per dark spot compared to their Fowler’s Toad relative that has around three. Habitat: Toads prefer to be near water sources like wetlands and streams, but can also be found in grasslands, woodlands, and even urban areas, as long as there is moisture and plenty of insects to eat. Behavior: They will hide during the day in their burrows under logs and leaf litter and emerge at night. They will secrete a toxin out of their paratoid glands (bean shaped structure behind their eyes) to deter predators. Regions: This species toad is distributed across the entirety of the trail corridor. 
NPS | Steve Dean American Bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeiana)Identifiers: Bullfrogs are the largest true frog in North America and can grow up to 8 inches long. They are green in color and differentiated from other water frogs by their lack of dorsolateral ridges. Habitat: Warm, slow moving stagnant water is preferred by bullfrogs, such as lakes, ponds, swamps, and marshes. Behavior: Bullfrogs, particularly males, are known for their territorial behavior over their areas. Their calls sound similar to cars rounding a racetrack. Regions: This species frog is distributed across the entirety of the trail corridor. |
Last updated: July 25, 2025