A March Hike in Alabama

I  have so many blog posts that I haven't posted... Here's one of them.  The weekend (March 8-10, 2013) we celebrated George's birthday (click HERE for that post),  we visited Fort Payne, Alabama.  While there we visited the Little River Canyon area and De Soto State Park.

Today's post is from March 10 , the day after George's birthday.  We had our hardest hike of the weekend on this day --mainly because we got lost once and because the trail was not in good shape.  However,  we made it ----and got some great pictures along the bank of the West Fork of the Little River.

Hope you enjoy seeing another of our winter hikes.   Seems strange to see the trees there without leaves.  Bet they look different now!!!!  The picture above shows a tribute in Fort Payne to hometown group,  ALABAMA.  I have always enjoyed their music.  Have you???  Be sure to click on the photos for enlargements.

We made it down that mountain range to the river... Here's a picture of the birthday boy standing on some rocks next to the water.   I think he managed to make it through the birthday in good shape,  don't you?

The water was roaring by us... I captured this neat photo at one spot.   As you know,  George and I love taking water photos ---and today was no different!!!!! ha

Now it was time for the REAL photographer in the family to get to work (using his special lens/tripod, etc.)   He found a good spot up on a rock while I ...

...sat and RELAXED and enjoyed the sounds of that water all around me... It was a beautiful day in Alabama on March 10.

I did take another good picture of the Glistening Water that day ---but my Hero took the best water shots!!!!

Here's my favorite shot that he took that day I think (although I love them all).  Doesn't that water just look like silk?  And --it is so clear!

Here's another photo which George took of me while he was getting some fabulous photos... I just love seeing him in action..  He has such a passion for this.   Love it!!!!

And here is one more photo which George took of the West Fork of the Little River.

I mentioned that we got lost... The trail sorta stopped along the river ---so we had to turn around and backtrack a bit...  Here's a picture of some of the trail we were on that day... It was obviously not the best trail we have hiked! ha

But---we made it and had a great time.... Here's one more photo which George took with his tripod while we were down at the river. 

Hope you enjoyed seeing more from DeSoto State Park. If you ever get to Fort Payne, Alabama,  be sure and check out this great park.

Have a wonderful Wednesday.  Click HERE to see a pretty photo on my Photo Blog today.

Hugs,

Emoticons

Tallulah Gorge, Georgia

On May 4,  on our way to Ocean Isle Beach,  North Carolina,   we stopped to do some hiking at Tallulah Gorge near Clayton, GA.   We wanted to check out their beautiful waterfalls (so--what else is new????)   and hike to the bottom of the gorge and back up!!!!  If you want to see a gorgeous video from Tallulah Gorge,  click HERE.

This gorge is known as one of the largest canyons in the Eastern US.  It is 2 miles long,  1.2 mile between the two sides,  and 1000 feet deep.  The Tallulah River --which formed the canyon and passes through it,  drops 500 feet in less than a mile --making for some spectacular waterfalls/cascades.

To get to the bottom of the canyon,  we hiked down almost 550 steps ---and then of course,  had those 550 steps BACK UP....  The going down was easy as you can imagine.  About 80 feet from the bottom of the canyon,  we crossed a suspension bridge before going on down to the bottom.

Today,  I'll share some photos with you from that hike.  Besides the hike down and back up,  we also checked out ALL of the overlooks on both sides of the canyon... The picture above was taken of us on the south side (after we had been down and back in the gorge).  Obviously,  we were RESTING... ha ha ...   It was a drizzly day---but luckily,  we didn't have too much rain.   I don't mind getting wet---but have to protect our cameras!!!

Here is a view looking down into the canyon from the north side --before we started down!!

This is a picture of some of the steps going down into that deep canyon.

And,  here is another one ---looking down-down-down.

Here is a picture taken from the south side of the canyon ---AFTER we climbed down and back up.  This shows the suspension bridge we crossed.  There are people on that bridge.  See them?????  (We are 80 feet above the canyon floor while on that bridge.)

AND---to prove that we made it down there to the suspension bridge,  George took this picture of me ON the bridge. I'm glad my jacket was plenty big --since I had all of my camera 'stuff' under there ---keeping it dry!!!!!

BUT---we have farther to go down in order to get to the bottom of the canyon.  We went down more steps ---and finally,  we could see the BOTTOM.

George took this AWESOME photo of the water at the bottom of the canyon.  He was able to use his tripod and get some excellent photos of the waterfalls and the water/canyon.  I'll share the waterfall photos plus more photos from the overlooks in another post. 

Here is a photo taken from the bottom,  looking BACK up at the rock cliffs (which are on both sides of the canyon).   Amazing gorge,  isn't it????

Here is a photo of George doing his 'thing' with the tripod!!!!  WOW--the pictures he can get with the proper filters, plus using a tripod!   I love watching him at work!

While he had the tripod out,  George got this picture of us at the bottom.  That is Hurricane Falls,  one of the SIX main waterfalls at Tallulah Gorge.  Hurricane Falls is 96 feet. 

Hope you enjoyed seeing some photos from Tallulah Gorge taken on May 4, 2013.  When our day was complete at the gorge,  we had put about 4 miles on our pedometers.. Great exercise!!!!

Hope you have a wonderful day --and be sure and get out in nature and do some hiking!!!!  It's good for you! See you on Monday!

Hugs,

Emoticons

Oh how We Love to HIKE

On April 21, 2013,  George and I went to Fall Creek Falls State Park south of where we live here on the Cumberland Plateau...  We always enjoy seeing the gorgeous waterfalls there --but we also enjoy HIKING.  There are many hiking and biking trails in the park.. On this particular day,  we hiked about 4 miles when it was all said-and-done...

Hope you enjoy  seeing some of the pictures around the area  --minus the waterfalls (which I have already shown you).  Above is a photo of me taken at the Cane Creek Falls Overlook.  From this overlook,  we can see both Cane Creek Falls and Rockhouse Falls.

Be sure to click on the photos so that you can see them larger...

Here's a picture I took when we were at the Cane Creek Cascades --of the moving water.  Pretty,  isn't it?  There was alot of moving water in the park on this occasion --which made for some fabulous photos of the cascades and waterfalls and creeks.

This picture shows George on one of the trails where we hiked.

The canyons and rock formations around this park are amazing... This was taken not far from where Fall Creek Falls hurls down the mountain into the gorge below.

Here I am --sitting on the rock just above the brink of the Cane Creek Cascades...  This is a gorgeous place to sit and contemplate life!!!!!   SO PEACEFUL---even with the roar of water around us!

I love this area --and when we stop by here,  I love to try to capture a good reflection in the water.  Birds LOVE living in those big rocks....

After dinner in the lodge restaurant (absolutely fabulous buffet),  we took a short walk along the lake.  I snapped this picture when we were in that area.

There's an overlook over the gorge called Buzzard's Roost.   We both took pictures of the many big birds, as they flew by,  but I love this one which George captured here.  I cropped it a little so that you could see the bird a little better...

I got a great picture of the mountains surrounding this park (on the Cumberland Plateau).   Aren't they beautiful?  We are so blessed to have such a gorgeous work of nature so close to where we live.

Finally,  I will close with one more photo of George and me standing at the Cane Creek Cascades... We could even feel the spray of water that day.

Hope you enjoyed seeing more from Fall Creek Falls State Park. Have a great day! And don't forget to check out my Photo Blog on Wednesday.  Click HERE.

Hugs,

Emoticons

Waterfalls at Fall Creek Falls State Park, Tennessee

Us at Cane Creek Cascades (45 feet)

On April 21, 2013,   George and I traveled about an hour south of where we live to visit a VERY SPECIAL place,  Fall Creek Falls State Park, here on the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee.  (In order to find out why this trip on this date was so special,  be sure and read George's blog --click HERE..) 

One thing which has attracted us to this park since our first trip in 2001 is its WATERFALLS.    Both George and I have showed some of the waterfalls on our blogs in past,  but today,  I'm going to show you ALL six of them.  There happened to be LOTS of water flowing on this trip--so we did get some great photos.  Hope you enjoy seeing them ---and if you love waterfalls,  you MUST visit this area sometime!

Fall Creek Falls  (256 feet)

Here is the 'main' waterfall in the park,  Fall Creek Falls.  Most people who visit here will visit this waterfall --even if they don't always see the others.  There's just a very short hike to see this one (from a distance) --unless you hike down to the base.

Coon Creek Falls  (250 feet)

This waterfall  is right next to Fall Creek Falls and is called Coon Creek Falls.  Usually,  this one is VERY dry. 

Cane Creek Falls  (85 feet)

One of the beauties in the park is Cane Creek Falls.  Above you will see it from an overlook looking down at it.  I love seeing it when the sun is just right --and there's a rainbow.  Neat, huh?

Rockhouse Falls (125 feet)

Here's a picture from the overlook of Rockhouse Falls.  As you can see,  both Cane Creek Falls and Rockhouse Falls are not very good views.  That is why we hiked to the other side to get some better pictures.

Rockhouse Falls  (125 feet) and Cane Creek Falls (85 feet)

We hiked on the other side of the creek to a great overlook --where we could see both Rockhouse Falls and Cane Creek Falls.  Can you see how much better the views are from this side.  I will show you both overlooks where we saw these falls. They were across from each other.

Here we were standing on the overlook with the good view of Rockhouse Falls and Cane Creek Falls as in the picture above, looking down toward the other overlook (where we took the side pictures and the view showing the Rainbow).

AND--here is the overlook on the other side.  I took this picture looking up at that overlook... Can you see that person standing up there--with a white shirt on????  That's where the 'good' overlook is ---after we hiked to it (from Fall Creek Falls).

Rockhouse Falls (125 feet)

Here's a good picture of Rockhouse Falls  from the overlook  (that you can see in the above photo).  This is the most water I have EVER seen coming over this waterfall.

Piney Creek Falls (95 feet)

This photo was not taken this year.  We did not see Piney Creek Falls this time --but have seen it several times before. It is harder to see --but one year,  we did manage to get a good photo (from an overlook in the distance).

Finally,  here's another photo of George and me --taken that special day on April 21, 2013... We are sitting on a log at the Cane Creek Cascades.

Hope you enjoyed seeing all of the waterfalls at this fabulous state park.  We are blessed to live so near to it --and can enjoy it several times a year.

Have a fabulous day.  Don't forget to check out my Photo Blog on Wednesday.  Click HERE to see another photo from Fall Creek Falls on Wednesday.

Hugs,

Emoticons