Red River Gorge

We got to meet Dan, Deanna, and McKinley for Easter. Dad and Mom met us too as we all gathered at the Natural Bridge State Resort Park in Kentucky. They met up on Thursday, Lora and I got there Friday evening. The group had hiked muddy trails all over the park Friday so we started out with Henson's arch in the Red River Gorge which is right across the road from the Natural Bridge Park. From there we hiked to the the Natural Bridge and balanced rock. Back to the campground for some Hamburgers.

The next day we got up and met our friend Tim at the Bison Way trailhead in the Red River Gorge. We had met Tim on the AT years back and said that we would get with him when we got up to the Red River Gorge. This was our first chance.

We drove through the 900 ft long NADA tunnel which is a really cool one lane old train tunnel. Tim took us and showed us the Indian arch, Adena arch, Council Chamber rock shelter with a waterfall, and the Indian Staircase. We also got to see salamanders with their eggs in a shallow pond. He was a wonderful guide.

After our hike we went and picked up Mom. We took her to see Angle Windows, Whistling arch, and Sky Bridge. We also stopped at an unnamed water fall. Back to the campground for BBQ. We celebrated McKinley's graduation with a tasty cake.

The next day, after sending the Brewers off, Lora and I headed to Whittleton Arch. From there we took Dad and Mom to see Mill Creek Lake. It was misting out so we didn't do the hike around the lake. From there we headed back to the campground to pack up and head home.

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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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Rock Creek

Crystal and I went hunting for wildflowers on the Rock Creek Trail. We weren't disappointed. We found yellow trillium, purple and yellow violets, anemone, trout lily, and the beginnings of little brown jug.The view from the Rock Creek overlook was so pretty. The weather was great and so was the company.

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John Muir

Lora and I headed to the Big South Fork for an overnighter. We got a late start Friday waiting on her to get off work. We drove the Divide road and parked next to the John Muir trail. We headed East towards the John Muir Overlook. When we got to what we thought was our last water source, we stopped for the night. We had a great evening for looking at stars and a good campfire. We listened to owls and coyotes.

The next day we got up and continued to the overlook. We found that there was more water now looking at the map. It was a beautiful day and got up to 75 degrees. We enjoyed the overlook and then headed back to the car.

After the hike we stopped by the General Store in Clarkrange for some ice cream.

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Soddy Creek 111

Lora and I headed out after church for a day hike. We parked on Hwy 111 by the guard rail and hiked South on the Cumberland Trail. Shorty after we started we went down by Board Camp Creek and ate lunch. Then we hiked a little further to the second creek crossing and did a little trail maintenance. The creek was dammed up and flooding the trail. We got it opened back up and flowing freely. We continued on and got to the point where we had camped before and then turned around and headed back. On the way back we stopped at some of the puddles and found lots of salamanders and their egg sacks.

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Virgin Falls CHC

Chattanooga Hiking Club planned a great hike to Virgin Falls following all the rain we’ve had. Eleven hikers met at the parking lot which was FULL. A group of Boy Scouts was there, along with all the others that came out for the  first sunny weekend we’ve had lately. Wish we all had the energy the Boy Scouts had in the parking lot. They were probably worn out before starting the hike.

Barbara had maps for us, and John had pre hiked yesterday to make sure we could cross the creeks. We headed out to Martha’s Pretty Point and explored the woods and trail markings for a little while, then found our way to the beautiful overlook. After hiking back to the main trail, we found lots of early spring wildflowers; hepatica, bloodroot, purple violets, trout lily, and a Sweet Betsy trillium. All the waterfalls were beautiful, Virgin Falls was spectacular with the volume of water coming over. We took our lunch break here, then hiked up to the top of the falls to see the cave the water comes out of. And the rainbow with the sunshine on the waterfall.  The hike out gave us more time to smell the flowers. All that uphill! The cable crossing at the creek was fun, one big long step from the big rock to the smaller ones, trying to keep our boots dry.

Thanks to Barbara McCollum and John Roland for leading the hike.

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TTA Hobbs Cabin

We started on Saturday in light rain hiking the south rim trail to stagecoach rd. Had Lunch, met some upper cumberland hikers and hiked down stagecoach in heavy rain to the connector near sawmill. Light mist on the connector and up hobbs trail in heavy rain and slick rocks. Made camp at hobbs cabin camp site #8 and put up rain fly so we could set up tents and cook dinner. Wet saturday hike and wet camp that night. Light rain overnight. Beautiful sunday sunrise and clear skies. Broke camp around 0830 to hike the plateau trail back to savage gulf ranger station. 12 miles hiked on Saturday and 9.6 miles hiked on Sunday. 
Total of 21.6 miles hiked in 2 days.

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Savage Gulf TTA

Another rainy weekend, but Joan didn't give up. I met her and Don Deakins at Savage Gulf Ranger Station. Calling for 3" by Sunday but we figured it couldn't come all at once, so we signed in at the new kiosk, and then on to Savage Falls which was really gushing.

The view along the South Rim trail were so pretty, we had expected them to be blocked by all the fog we drove thru to get here, but they were fairly clear. We stopped at 4 miles in, ate our lunch under hemlock cover, still in rain gear. The poncho I wore was great cover, except for my forearms, fleece jacket got soaked from forearms down. On the way out it rained. And then it rained harder in spells. The trail was full of water, nowhere to drain. My shoes were pretty wet by the time we got to the parking lot. I think Wayne made a good call cancelling the backpack we were going to do here this weekend. Might have needed our kayaks.

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Foster Falls TTA

Sunday hike with Joan leading, Michael, Sara and I didn't let a little rain keep us from hiking a beautiful trail. The trail was wet but the rain didn't last long. The view of the Foster Falls from the bottom is always breath taking. We had lunch at a campsite after climbing out of the gulf. Great day with great company. Thanks Michael for the pics.

Ritchie Hollow and Rainbow Lake trails

The Ritchie Hollow trail is on River Canyon road in Chattanooga. It is a 2.5 mile one way trail from the Tennessee River to the Cumberland trail. It is a good climb up but you do get some views of the valley and you get to see Blowing Wind falls.

Rainbow Lake trail is in Signal Mountain on Ohio Avenue. It is a 2.3 mile loop trail around Rainbow Lake. You get to see an old spring, a chimney from an old cabin, and the lake.

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