Virgin Falls

One of my 2014 goals was to hike to Virgin Falls near Sparta, Tennessee. In case you missed this blog post from January 2014, here it is again.

While I didn't accomplish this goal in 2014, I did make it in January 2015 and share below a few glimpses of Virgin Falls as well as other beautiful sites along the trail.  

Virgin Falls is formed by an underground stream that emerges from a cave and then drops over a 110-foot high cliff. 

Here is more information on the Virgin Falls State Natural Area along with directions to the trailhead.  This area is part of Tennessee's Cumberland Plateau. 

The area is noted for its unique geological features and several other waterfalls. 

Big Branch Falls

The hike into Virgin Falls totals around 9 miles (in and out) and is considered a strenuous hike.  The trail descends around 900 feet in elevation and has many rocky areas with uneven footing. 

There is a cable to provide assistance at the only difficult stream crossing. 

Big Laurel Falls 

Top of Virgin Falls 

Side view of Virgin Falls. 

Winter or early Spring is the ideal time for a hike to Virgin Falls.  Be sure to allow plenty of time to see all of the fascinating geological formations along the way as well as explore the trail to the top of the Falls. 

Hope you enjoyed my hike to Virgin Falls and you have plans in 2015 to "Keep on Hiking."

The Waterfalls of DuPont State Forest

Who doesn't love waterfalls?  For those who follow my blog, you know that I love waterfalls almost as much as I love to hike.  On a trip this past summer to Brevard, North Carolina, I learned about the "Land of Waterfalls"--Transylvania County, North Carolina, which boasts 250 scenic waterfalls.  Most of these waterfalls are easily accessible as they are located in Pisgah National Forest, Gorges State Park, and DuPont State Forest.   

DuPont State Forest is a 10,300-acre tract of land between Brevard and Hendersonville, North Carolina. There are six listed waterfalls and miles of trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding.  Four of the six waterfalls were featured in the movie The Last of the Mohicans, and scenes from The Hunger Games were also filmed at DuPont. 

Below are the four waterfalls:  

Hooker Falls

Hooker Falls was my personal favorite as it was easy to photograph.

Not as easy to photograph, you can see how Triple Falls received its name. 

Photograph taken on the rocks at the bottom of the second waterfall known as Triple Falls.  

The trails are easy to hike and include other scenery such as this covered bridge.

High Falls 

Bridal Veil Falls 

Whether you're a hiker, biker, photographer, or looking for a nice getaway, I highly recommend DuPont State Forest.  Nearby North Carolina towns--Brevard, Hendersonville, and Asheville--have wonderful hotels and restaurants which should easily accommodate anyone's style and budget.

To learn more about the history of DuPont State Forest and its connection to the DuPont Corporation, click here.

Below are a couple of helpful websites with more information to help you plan your trip to see the lovely waterfalls of DuPont.  "Keep On Hiking"

Romantic Asheville
North Carolina Waterfalls

Chasing Waterfalls

I visited Niagara Falls in April 2014. It's more a walk than a hike, but nonetheless, one of the world's most spectacular waterfalls.  

Earlier this year I listed my hiking resolutions for the year.  One of my goals was to hike to five new waterfalls.  Here is the January 2014 blog post, "Looking to the Future," in case you missed it. 

Here are the five waterfalls:

Located an hour north of Chattanooga in Rhea County, this state natural area is about five miles west of Spring City, Tennessee on Highway 68. 

Stinging Fork Falls is a 30-foot waterfall located within the Stinging Fork Gorge. The creek flows over the fan-shaped falls, then quickly slips through chutes and tumbles over cascades below the falls.  Here is more information on the Stinging Fork Falls State Natural Area including trail descriptions and driving directions. (Photograph courtesy of Don Deakins.) 

Horsepound Falls is located in the Savage Gulf State Natural Area, part of the South Cumberland Recreation area near Monteagle, Tennessee. 

Horsepound Falls is on the Collins River. Half the flow of the river sinks underground in the pool below the falls. Here is more information on Savage Gulf and access to a map of the area.

When I hiked the Fiery Gizzard Trail in August, I marked off a waterfall as well as No. 4 on my "Looking to the Future" hiking resolution list.  Anderson Falls is a 80-foot double drop located just off the Fiery Gizzard Trail between Raven Point and Laurel Gorge.  Here is more information on Fiery Gizzard.   

Grotto Falls is located in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on the Trillium Gap Trail.  It's the only waterfall in the park you can actually walk behind.  It's also a popular tourist destination because of the short hiking distance (1.6 miles one way) and short drive from downtown Gatlinburg.  Here is more information including driving directions. 

Indian Flats Falls is located off the Middle Prong Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  According to hikinginthesmokies.com,  "Middle Prong is hands down the best waterfall hike in the Smokies. The trail passes three major waterfalls, in addition to numerous smaller falls, cataracts, and cascades."  Directions to the trailhead and falls are provided on the website. 

Below are links to a few blogs and websites you waterfall fans might enjoy:

Appalachian Treks

Romantic Asheville (featuring DuPont State Forest Waterfalls tour)

Waterfalls - Great Smoky Mountains National Park 

Explore Asheville - waterfalls in the Asheville area

Waterfalls and Backroads of North Georgia 

Although I've reached my earlier goal, there are still many more waterfalls to discover. Isn't discovery what hiking is all about? So put on your boots, grab your trekking poles, and "Keep On Hiking."

Special thanks to all my hiking buddies who helped me chase these waterfalls! 

Spring at the Walls of Jericho

The amphitheatre.  (Photograph courtesy of Backpacker magazine.) 

The Walls of Jericho near Hytop, Alabama, is a splendid hike for many reasons: Hepatica, Spring Beauty, Virginia Bluebells, and Trout Lily just to name a few. These are all wildflowers which are abundant in late Winter to early Spring. There are many other reasons to enjoy the Walls of Jericho: beautiful trail, protected forest land, Hurricane and Turkey creeks, interesting rock formations, and the rock amphitheatre, a great place to have lunch and then go exploring. Spring is my favorite time to hike the Walls of Jericho. Let me show you why.

The first waterfall just below the amphitheatre. 

Waterfall No. 2 and interesting rock formations.

The third waterfall which requires some climbing from the amphitheatre, but well worth it. 

The cascades of Turkey Creek. 

Hurricane Creek which has a footbridge for easy crossing.

Plus, there's the tree made famous in many a hiker's photographs: 

Do you see an animal's head? 

Who could resist? 

Picture perfect. 

Who doesn't enjoy the wildflowers? 

Along the banks of Hurricane Creek, a beautiful field of Virginia Bluebells await. 

"Virginia Bluebell" 

"Bloodroot" 

"Hepatica"

"Longspur Violet" 

"Ragwort" 

"Red Lousewort" 

"Rue Anemone" 

"Spring Beauty"

"Toadshade Trillium" 

"Trout Lily" 

"Virginia Bluebell" 

If you want to learn more about southern Appalachian wildflowers, here is a beautiful gallery which helped me identify the flowers in this post.

Here is a wonderful website from the Nature Conservancy which provides more information regarding the Walls of Jericho including a trail map, history, and directions to the Tennessee and Alabama trailheads.

Hope you have enjoyed this post on one of my favorite trails, the Walls of Jericho.  Until next time, "Keep On Hiking."

Special thanks to Beth Hemann, Patricia McAlpin, and John Rowland for some of the photographs. 

Looking to the Future

A view of the Tennessee River from Snooper's Rock on New Year's Day 2014. 

Happy New Year. January is when most of us make resolutions, establish goals for the year, or resolve to improve our health and well being. Why not? After all, January is named for Janus, the god of beginnings and transitions in ancient Roman religion and myth.  Janus is usually depicted as having two faces, since he looks to the future and to the past.

Let's look to the future and think about some hiking resolutions for 2014. Here is a list of my hiking resolutions as well as some of my hiking dreams. 

1.  I want to hike at least 20 miles in one day in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  It may take combining several trails to accomplish this feat, but it is something I hope to do in 2014.  Here is a great website which lists trails by location, feature, and difficulty rating. 

2.  I want to "Discover the West" and have a hiking trip planned to Park City, Utah.  Below is the iconic Delicate Arch located in Arches National Park, Utah.  If you are interested in hiking out west, here is a great website which provides information on hiking trails in 12 states including California, Oregon, Washington, New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah.

(Photograph courtesy of "Discover the West")

3.  I love waterfalls and want to hike to five new waterfalls.  My dream is to return to Oregon some day and see the beautiful  Multnomah Falls pictured below.  According to Oregon.com.,  it is a must see.  

(Photograph courtesy of Scott Allan Photo Art) 

For 2014, the Virgin Falls Loop Trail  near Sparta, Tennessee is on my waterfall list. 

(Photograph courtesy of AllTrails.com) 

4.  I want to hike the Fiery Gizzard Trail, one of the most diverse and beautiful in Tennessee.  The section which starts at the Grundy Forest Natural Area and climbs the plateau to Raven Point is possibly one of the most rugged and difficult trails in Tennessee.

Blue Hole Falls on the Fiery Gizzard trail.  (Photograph courtesy of AllTrails.com) 

5.  I dream of hiking in Glacier National Park in Montana.  It made the Discovery Channel's Top 10 Most Amazing Places to Hike in North America.

(Photograph courtesy of Wikipedia.com) 

6.  I want to hike all of the Georgia sections of the Appalachian Trail.  Here is more information on Georgia's trail sections and how to access.  Being a member of the Georgia Appalachian Trail Club makes this goal much easier to attain. 

Plaque at the southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail at Springer Mountain.   (Photograph by Ed Peterson of View from Inman Park) 

7.  I want to hike to the summit of Gregory Bald in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, world famous for its flame azaleas which bloom each summer in mid to late June. Learn here why Gregory Bald should be on the list of any self-respecting hiker or nature lover. 

(Photograph courtesy of www.knoxnews.com) 

8.  I want to learn more about Trail Dames (Hiking for Curvy Women) and attend Summit 2014, a hiking and backpacking conference just for women.  Learn more here. 

(Photograph courtesy of Trail Dames) 

9.  I want to stay physically fit by hiking, exercising, and eating healthy.  I like to track my progress by maintaining a spreadsheet of the trails I've hiked, mileage, and my weight. Yes, my weight has been changed to protect the innocent.  If you're interested in tracking the calories burned while hiking, here is a calorie burn calculator.

10.  Lastly, I want to continue to share my passion for hiking and the beautiful outdoors. Here is one of my favorite blogs, Appalachian Treks.

Hope this post has given you some ideas on how you can improve your health and well being in 2014 and provided some hiking inspiration, too.

For the time being, better get busy on my list, so I can "Keep On Hiking."