Thanksgiving 2021

A trip to the Ponderosa for Thanksgiving. We got in a couple of hikes and a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner. Lot's of love shared.

Saturday we gathered with Nick, Amy, Paul, Mitsi, and Mom. Love was shared over another wonderful dinner.

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Alabama

After finishing our Uncles roof we packed up and headed to Alabama. We camped at Noccalula Falls Park and Campground in Gadsden. It is a city park which was quite amazing. The waterfall was right there, they had lot's of hiking/biking trails, and a day use area open to the public. It was a very clean park. We set up camp and then hiked the Gorge trail to the water fall. It was beautiful. After dinner we hiked across the creek to the Day Use Area to see what all they had. We had a nice campfire and listened to the coyotes. 

Day two: 

We got up and had a zoom meeting. Afterwards we hiked the Cascade trail to the Leftwich trail back to the Cascade trail to the Family Loop trail and back to camp for lunch. After lunch we went back and hiked the Black Creek trail to the Bluff trail and down to the double bridges. We saw three beaver and a heron. We hiked the Creek Path to Witch's Brew to Dog Hill to Pathkiller to Whatley trail to Family Loop and back to the camper. We had a snack, Craig took a nap, and then we collected firewood. After dinner we went down to the falls to at all the Christmas lights they had up in the Day Use Area. We had a nice campfire and listened to the coyotes.

Day three:

Waterfall day. We headed out to see Griffin falls which is located on 221. It is a 40' falls which is just a steep climb off the road. Beautiful except for the trash that people leave everywhere. From there we headed to High Falls Park to see a 35' fall but it is all the way across Town creek. Very nice to see. The couple that runs the area is very nice. We had lunch at the fall. On the way back Lora came across a black snake and a lizard. She didn't scream at the lizard! 

After that we headed to Lake Guntersville State Park. We drove to the overlooks and then tried to hike to the fall but never found it. Sometimes it is dry. Then we walked to the cave to check it out. It was funny that we could see a face in the picture of the cave, but could not see it when we were just looking at it. There is a fenced area that has some goats, donkeys, and ostriches in it. There is no sign or information at all about it.

From there we headed back to camp for dinner and a campfire.

Day four:

We got up and hiked the James D. Martin Wildlife Park in Gadsen. This is a nice walking trail/boardwalk along the river downtown. Lot's of birds. After that we packed up and headed West. We stopped in Cullman and visited the Ave Maria Grotto. Pretty amazing to see with a great story behind it. We bought a loaf of Monk's bread. Yumm! From there we headed on to Double Springs, AL and Bama Campground. Steve just took over this campground which used to be a horse camp about four months ago. He and his crew are putting a lot of work into this place. They were extremely nice and helpful while we were there. They have lots of horse trails to hike as well. We had dinner and a nice campfire for the evening.

Day five:

We got up and hiked Caney Creek Falls just North of our campsite. They closed the trailhead so you have to go down the road to the next driveway and go all the way to the house in the back. You are welcomed to park there for a donation. You can even visit with his cow. It's about a mile in and very pretty to see. From there we headed to Natural Bridge Park in Haleyville. If you don't type in "park" you will end up at the post office like we did. Beautiful place to explore. On the way there we passed a huge Confederate flag on the side of the road so we stopped on the way back to see. It was a park dedicated to the Confederate army. After that we stopped in Double Springs for some supplies and then headed back to the campground. We hiked the horse trails along the creek going to the water fall and then back to the cave. 

Day six:

We got up and tried to see Dismals Canyon in Phil Campbell, but they were not open yet. So we drove to see the Rock Bridge Canyon. We stopped at Hodges Equestrian Park in Hodges, AL where we found out that the park has been closed for two years. They offered us the opportunity to hike their horse trail in that area to see the bluffs so we took it. It was beautiful. From there we drove back to Dismals Canyon and explored it. It was a little expensive, but a pretty place to see. Then we drove out to Sipsey Wilderness on the way back and hiked to Turkey Foot falls and Mize Mill Falls. Very nice! Back at camp for a good night around the campfire.

Day seven:

We got up and headed North to Cherokee and set up at Mulberry Creek Campground near the Tennessee River. This is a nice place ran by a young couple. It is a relatively new campground and is very clean. After setting up we headed off to the Cane Creek Nature Preserve in Tuscumbia. Faye meets you at the parking area and provides all the information that you need. Very pretty Canyon with a water fall and other features on their well taken care of trails. They even have restrooms and drinking water along the routes. We did about four miles to the Blue hole and back. 

Day eight:

We drove to Wheeler National Wild Refuge in Decatur, AL. We saw lots of ducks and even more Sand Hill Cranes. We walked the boardwalk trail and then ate lunch. Then we drove to Monte Sano State Park in Huntsville and hiked the North Plateau Loop trail. From there we drove to Parnell Creek campground for the night. It's right by the highway and you can hear traffic/trucks all night. 

Day nine:

We got up this morning and drove to the Sauta Cave National Wildlife Refuge in Scottsboro. We visited the cave and then walked some of the roadbed. Saw an eagle flying overhead. From there we headed to Pisgah Gorge Falls in Pisgah, AL. This is a very beautiful gorge and the waterfalls are awsome. It is located in the Pisgah Gorge Civitan Park. They have hiking trails along the rim to see the falls. We went back to the campground, packed up, and headed home.

Pictures:

Cloudland Canyon TTA

I was supposed to meet the hikers at the Visitor Center, but the parking lot was crowded, and needing to pee I stopped at a side road with a gate and ran into the woods. Then on to the trailhead. Sara called to see where I was. I called Craig to let him know I made it there. The other hikers came thru to park at the trailhead a little further thru the parking area so I moved my car to where they parked. When I got my parking pass I couldn't find my wallet...panic!!! Back to the other parking lot, back to the potty stop in the woods retracing my steps, called the visitor center to see if someone found it in the parking lot. Called the place I stopped on the way there. Called on Jesus to have mercy and help me find it. Called on a friend to help me pray. Tore the car apart looking for it. Pulled everything out of my daypack and SAW THE WALLET I had put in a ziplock with my headlamp and lighter.....Phew, thank you Jesus.

Called to see where Joan and Sara and the other hikers had gotten to on the trail. Marietta kindly waited for me on the West Rim Trail while the others hiked down and back up the 600 steps to see the waterfalls. The leaf colors were vibrant in a lot of the trees, and the ones on the ground left a color filled carpet for us to walk on. Overlooks on this trail are just beautiful. I spotted a couple of hornet nests really high in the trees. Those hornets must be expecting a lot of snow. Weather forecasters. The sky stayed clear until the last section of our hike. The clouds rolled in, the wind picked up, but we didn't get rained on. It was a beautiful hike. 

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Pickett State Park

Day one: 7.55

Ladder trail 0.95

Lake trail 1.55

Island trail 0.3

Hidden Passage trail 3.75

Double Falls trail 1.0

Day two: 11.3

Double Falls trail 1.0

Hidden Passage trail 1.3

Tunnel trail 1.0

Rock Creek trail oop,s 2.0

Rock Creek trail 1.0

Rock Creek Loop trail 5.0

Day three: 7.25

Rock Creek Loop trail 2.5

Rock Creek trail 1.0

Tunnel trail 1.0

Hidden Passage trail 2.75

Total miles: 26.1

Lora and I headed to Pickett State Park for a three day backpack. We started off with some shorter trails in the park before heading out on the Hidden Passage trail. We parked in the campground and hiked the Ladder loop trail, the Lake trail, and the Island trail. Then we drove over to the Hidden Passage trail and took the backpacks. We hiked to Double Falls campsite for the night. After dinner we crossed the creek to view the falls. Didn't want to have to cross first thing in the morning.

We got up and hiked back up to the top and then took the Tunnel trail back down to the Rock Creek trail. The sign pointed both ways, so thinking we were at the Rock Creek Loop trail we went through the tunnel and crossed the creek four times when we realized we were going the wrong way. Oops! Back the way we came and through the tunnel again. My Bad! We hiked the Rock Creek trail on to the Rock Creek Loop trail. We did it counter clock wise so we would end up with water at camp. On Massy branch we saw our first and only other backpacker. He was through hiking the Sheltowee Trace. We stopped on Rock Creek for our second night. We heard some owls tonight.

We got up and continued on the Loop trail then crossed the creek for the Rock Creek trail. We crossed again to catch the Tunnel trail and then took the Hidden Passage trail by the group camp and on to the car. 

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