Walls of Jericho TTA

 

Sara Pollard led 5 hikers on a beautiful trip to the Walls of Jericho. Two new hikers joined our hike -  Tammy & Jamie. There was an abundance of wildflowers and shallow streams. The hike started on the Tennessee side with a side trip to see the Blow Hole. The water was gushing out of the cave, and we enjoyed a snack break. The hike down to the Blow Hole is narrow and steep. Lora pointed out the names of wildflowers and we saw quite a few varieties. The water was deep at the "walls" creek crossing,  so Lora and Jamie were the only ones to venture across to the end. The others enjoyed lunch and watching everyone else cross the creek to the "walls". We hiked out to the Alabama trailhead. We saw lots of hikers, campers and dogs along the trail. It was a warm and beautiful day for a hike. Hikers were Jamie Madson, Lora McBride, Jane Reyling, Georganne Ross, Sara Pollard and Tammy Pomeroy.

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Walls of Jerico TTA

 

Deb led 9 hikers in and 10 hikers out of the Walls of Jerico on a beautiful November Wednesday. Started at the Alabama trailhead. Hiked down, down, down into the walls. Had lunch on the rocks of the wall. There was only a little water coming out of the side wall that looks like a cave. Lowest I've ever seen there. As we started back out Bill met us after coming in from the Tennessee trailhead. We saw two or three campsites that people had left chairs at, along with a teapot at one of them. Saw some pretty asters and goldenrod blooms. 

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Walls of Jericho TTA

Walls of Jericho hike with TTA Murfreesboro and Highland Rim. Crystal and I enjoyed the pretty drive over the river and thru the woods, farmland and small towns to get to the TN/Alabama border to see the Walls. We met a car piled full of hikers at the TN trailhead. Marietta, Jan, Joan, Sara, Ruth, and Wayne all in Jan's car. (I went to the wrong trailhead for the shuttle). We started down the trail finding wildflowers all along the way. Side trip to the Mill Creek blowhole which wasn't blowing, but really flowing. Jan and I found some baby salamanders in the creek. Teeny tiny ones. We we blessed with bluebells blooming all along the Hurricane Creek. We had lunch at the campsite by the cemetery. There were several tents, Boy Scout outing. They were ahead of us going to the walls. When we got there, the boys were swimming in the creek below the walls. I know their lips had to be blue, it was NOT warm enough to swim. Must be some badge they were working for...

We got across the creek without too many wet feet. Climbed up the walls for a look into the canyon. Realized my camera must be on the log I sat on for lunch since it wasn't hooked to my pack. (how to explain this one to Craig...)

On the way back across the creek, Crystal decided to test the water to see how cold it was, with water going down her rain pants and into her pretty new hiking boots. SPLASH! Not hurt, we kept going. The hike out to the Alabama trailhead was steep, and uphill and steep. We made it out and got transported to our car. Crystal and I drove into Winchester and found a small restaurant and got some grub before heading toward home. We drove thru Sewanee with a stop at the Natural Bridge.

Flowers seen: Bluebells, Bishops Cap, Bloodroot, Star Chickweed, Twin Leaf, Sweet Betsy Trillium, Hepatica was still blooming, Anemone, Mayapple that had the beginning of a bloom, Dutchman's Breeches, Wild Geranium, Spring beauty, Stone Crop, Pussytoes, Fire Pink, lots of Long Spurred Violets, Toothwort, Foam Flower, and I think Saxifrage but would have to see it again with my wildflower book in my hand. If I forgot any, someone please fill me in.

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Walls of Jericho TTA

Beautiful day for a hike, 55 degrees this morning starting from home. I drove to the Alabama state line thru lots of farmland going the scenic route. Through the Savage Gulf area, to Hwy 50, through Pelham, Decherd, Winchester. Nice drive. Met up with the folks from Murfreesboro at the trailhead. Roy was our hike leader. We shuttled cars to the AL trailhead then started at the TN trailhead. I asked right away who was the scout for snakes. Someone said the one in the lead. I was the 5th in line and found the snake. Black snake, looked comfortable sleeping. We let him sleep. The trail was a little overgrown in some areas. We did find a few ripe huckleberries...yummmm. We also spotted some wildflowers blooming; Pipsissewa, daisies, Spiderwort, Indian Paintbrush, Ashy Hydrangea. 

All the creeks were dry today so we didn't go to the blowhole. We met Marietta coming up from the walls, she had been planing to meet us and hike out, but she had already spent some time at the walls and was ready to hike out. It was warming up. When we arrived at the walls, there was one hole of water you could swim in, but just a little bit trickling down from the walls. There were plenty of tadpoles in the little pools of water. We found a shady spot and ate lunch. We had to climb on up to inspect the big hole and to see if there was any water coming over the waterfall. There wasn't and the hole was dry too. There was a vine with some blooms on it that were very interesting. I thought it might be Vasevine, not sure. Since I forgot my camera.......

The hike out seemed mostly uphill...hmmm what's up with that. We saw some cool looking centipedes and millipedes on the trail. I knew it was getting close to suppertime and mentioned that to Nabil, who said that we should go for ice cream when we got off the trail. Our hike leader had a cooler filled with ice cold water waiting for us in the parking lot. 

It was a good day of hiking and enjoyed being with Sara, Nabil, Jamie, Wayne, Jan, and Roy.

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