Stone Door TTA

Murfreesboro TTA was going hiking at the Stone Door. I got ready, started the drive, along the way got some alarming news that my aunt had died. Started back home, got an update that my aunt was resurrected from the dead, so I turned around, and went hiking.

Most of the group was still at the trailhead when I got there so I didn't have to run the trail to catch them. Wayne did an outstanding job picking the loop to hike. It was a cool 34 degrees but the sun was warm. We had several wardrobe changes with shade/sun/going up/going down. The rim trail had pretty overlooks into the gulf. A little color was showing, not many reds, mostly yellows. Someone had stated they had never seen wildlife there. I said look! there goes some deer! Two of them leaping and bounding, white tails flying. And later on we watched a woodpecker and listened to him sing.

The new trail signs in the park are really nice, so much better info on them. We hiked to Alum Gap and then down the Big Creek Gulf rocky rocky trail. The creek was running, and when we got to the Sinks, the creek was high, the sink was bubbling, but most of the water was going on down the creek. Too much water for us to chance crossing to see Ranger Falls.

We hiked up to the Stone Door and saw some rock climbers on the wall beneath the overlook. Up on top we spent a few minutes enjoying the view, and watching the black buzzards soaring, catching the updraft going higher and higher.

It sure was a beautiful day to be in the woods.

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