Hiking with Lipstick

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.

"A Unique Destination"

Recently, I had the pleasure of a two-night stay at the Len Foote Hike Inn with the Chattanooga Hiking Club.This is an annual event for the club, usually in late February, when the rates are discounted by 50 percent on weekdays. I recommend an overnight stay to enjoy all it has to offer, however, one can enjoy a beautiful day hike to the inn on one of two trails (see trail maps below). According to their website, "The Hike Inn is a sustainably-designed Georgia State Park facility nestled in the Chattahoochee National Forest, just a few hours north of Atlanta. Its four main buildings offer twenty private guest rooms, hot showers, fresh linens, and home-cooked meals. Here is their website.

Let's take a look around.

Access to the Len Foote Hike Inn is through Amicalola Falls State Park near Dawsonville, Georgia.

You must have reservations to stay overnight at the inn. Registration is at the park
visitor's center. A special parking permit is provided at registration after which you are directed to the Top of the Falls parking area.

At the Top of the Falls parking area, the Hike Inn trailhead is easy to find. If you are day hiking to the inn, this is where you should park. As the name suggests, you must hike to the Hike Inn. Sorry, no valet parking.

There is no vehicle access which means there are no bellhops or mules to carry luggage. Most visitors carry minimal clothes and only essential toiletries. It is a "pack in pack out" facility which means no trashcans.

Most visitors use the Hike Inn trail, but you can access via the longer approach trail to the Appalachian Trail (AT). I prefer to go in on the Hike Inn Trail (green) and depart via the AT approach trail (blue). This is also my recommendation for a day hike.

What a welcome sight after hiking 4.8 miles with a heavy backpack.

A great place to sit down and take a load off your feet. Day hikers are also welcome at the inn.

Don't forget to clean your hiking boots before entering the Bunkhouse to pick up room key and linens.

The registration desk where only Hike Inn paraphernalia may be purchased. You may also purchase such necessary items as chocolate and earplugs.

A friendly Hike Inn staff member will greet and present you with a room key and a cloth bag containing bed and bath linens.

A nearby sign in the Bunkhouse provides the day's events.

Another view of the Bunkhouse facility which is a pleasant place to mingle with other hikers. It is also a great place to sit and read from one of the many wonderful books available on Georgia's beautiful outdoors.

More Hike Inn items for sale in the Bunkhouse.

Breezeway access to the guest rooms.

It's important to remember your room number in case of a middle-of-the-night visit to the Bathhouse.

Rooms are small but utilitarian.

Surely a hiker doesn't mind climbing up to the top bunk.

Knobs for hanging your personal items and a mirror for putting on lipstick.

Minimal clothes equal minimal closet.

Yes the showers and toilets are in a separate Bath House.

There are separate shower facilities for men and women.

In the women's facility, there are two private showers and four sinks. I suspect it's the same for men.

Composting toilets are also available for day hikers.

No further explanation needed.

Breakfast and dinner, which is included in the room charge, are served in the separate dining hall A sack lunch may be purchased by inn guests only for an extra charge. Day hikers are welcome to use the dining hall facility, but must bring their own food. Lemonade, tea, coffee, and desserts are available to day hikers for a much-appreciated tip.

Meals are served family style and visitors are encouraged to take all they want, but eat all they take. Food waste is tracked by inn personnel.

The Sunrise Room, with its wonderful wraparound porch, faces east to take advantage of the beautiful sunrises. On a clear morning, a Hike Inn staff member walks around the lodge beating a drum indicating a beautiful sunrise in the next 15 minutes.

The Sunrise Room is always a great place to hang out. There are puzzles, board games, decks of cards, and plenty of fun for everyone. No ABC, CNN, A&E to spoil the natural surroundings!