On the eastern side of Long Pond you can visit the Sphagnum Bog where in the fall, winter, and spring you can frequently find a vernal pool. Also known as ephemeral pools, autumnal pools, and temporary woodland ponds, these pools fill in the autumn and winter and are usually dry by the middle of the summer. These pools are vital parts of the New England woodland ecosystem. Many amphibians, from Spring Peepers and Wood Frogs to Spotted Salamanders, and insects, like fairy shrimp, breed and lay their eggs in these pools. This vernal pool is a great place to stop for anyone interested in ecology of the Outer Cape.