Elk Garden to Buzzard Rock on the AT

We headed out at 8 this morning to Elk Garden Trailhead near Whitetop, Virginia's second highest peak.  After close to 2 hours on the road, we unloaded and geared up and hit the trail.  The trail began in the woods, but emerges on a bald.  The wooded sections are usually uneventful, but this one looked like an enchanted forest.  The areas alongside the trail were covered in trillium, trout lilies and other wildflowers.  It was gorgeous, along with the views from the bald of course.

Doe River Gorge

This morning, eleven of us headed to Hampton, Tennessee to hike Doe River Gorge.  The hike is on private property owned by Doe River Gorge Ministries.  It is a five mile out and back hike along an old narrow gauge railroad that was used to haul high grade iron ore from Cranberry, North Carolina until the 1920's.  Now, the owners allow hikers to access the trail during the off season if a release form is signed.  Today the weather was grand and so was the hike.  Both the scenery and the roar of the river made for an enjoyable hike.  An added bonus was some not often seen red trillium.  Nice ones as big as your hand were sprinkled along one section of the trail.  Hats off to the owners to keep this area well maintained yet unspoiled.

Persimmon Ridge

Today the hiking club headed to Jonesborough, Tennessee to do about a 3 mile loop at Persimmon Ridge Park.  Finally, a pretty day after weeks of rain and or cold or snow.  This hike looped around the ball fields and water park and had some ups and downs.  We began by the campground and took Luke's Trail, then Walter's Trail and finally John's trail, to return to the road back to the parking area.  This trail was mainly a wooded trail and dropped down to a stream couple of times.  There were a few wildflowers and the trees hadn't leafed out yet, so we had some views of the area.  The footing was packed earth most of the way and made for fairly easy walking.

Laurel Run Park Guided Wildflower HIke

Finally a break in this horrendously cold, wet spring weather allowed for a few of us to participate in a wildflower hike at Laurel Run Park.  This off the beaten path park is the setting for a spectacular array of wildflowers.  And you don't have to go far to seem them.  You will see them as you drive into the park as they are sprinkled all over the hillside to your right.  Bays Mountain naturalist, Bob, gave us a tour around to examine and photograph the wildflowers.  We saw many species.  We didn't get a lot of traditional hiking in today, but we learned a lot about our native wildflowers.

Virginia Bluebells

Trout Lily

Trillium

First Day Hike 2018

Today was exceptionally cold.  So cold that I was glad we chose a nearby walking trail for our first day trek.  Our own newly paved Greenway from Food City to Leeman fleld was recently completed and provided the perfect location for our hike.  Or maybe more like a walk.  The trail is 1.4 miles one way.  We did a balloon loop with the loop portion being a lap around Leeman field for a total of 3.4 miles.  We had a group of 14 hikers who braved the 18 degrees with a wind chill warning in place.  I would estimate single digit wind chills during portions of the hike.  We bundled up and headed out.  It was frigid but there were nice views of the frozen river and we flushed out the blue heron that frequents that portion of the river.  Looking forward to warmer weather and more hiking!

The Brave Ones

The Sand Cave 2017

The hiking club headed up Ewing trail to visit the Sand Cave for the third time since our inception in 2013.  We have hiked it every other year.  The Sand Cave is within our own county, at least the trailhead is, and it is one of the most magnificent features I have ever seen.

The hike begins in Rose Hill at the Civic Park.  It is among the most difficult hikes we do, and involves quite a climb.  Once at the top on Ridge Trail, you think you have it licked, but the trail drops down over the ridge into Kentucky and the footing becomes a little tough.  But the high steps into the cave can be accomplished by even short legged people like me with the help of hiking sticks.  Once at the bottom, you must navigate a small stream that is created from a waterfall at the cave's entrance.  Then you are there, in a huge opening, that holds an acre and a half of sand.  It is an awesome sight!  If you want to get a nice picture, you then have to climb to the rear wall of the cave in loose, fine sand, and that is difficult too!  However, it is well worth it, and I don't mind returning in the future.

Waterfall at Cave's Entrance

Entering the Cave

From the rear wall

Steele Creek Park

The hiking club headed out to Steele Creek Park this morning.  The fall color is a bit lackluster this year, but the October weather has been great.  Today was no exception.  The day warmed quickly and we explored the park and hiked lakeside and other trails for about 4 miles total.  Steele Creek is quite nice.