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15 Great Lakes Lighthouses from Our Summer Circle Tour Road Trip

DeanLand
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15 Great Lakes Lighthouses from Our Summer Circle Tour Road Trip

When I mapped our 1,200 mile, 7 day circle tour-plus around Lake Michigan, Great Lakes lighthouses were not a major feature on our route plan. Beginning in Chicago and heading east, some of our planned stops included Indiana Dunes National Park, farms and small towns in West Michigan, Mackinac Island and eventually Pictured Rocks on Lake Superior.

But stopping for lunch in St. Joseph, MI on day one, we checked Google and Roadtrippers for close-by suggestions. The historic St. Joseph Lighthouse — featuring iconic wintertime pictures of the frozen lake wrapping the small structure — topped the list. So we took a short detour, found easy lake-front parking at Tiscornia Park, and walked out on North Pier for a quick peek.

A wind surfer enjoys a great day on the protected side of the St. Joseph Lighthouse

Ducks and a Wind Surfer

The wind howled around us and an angry lake pounded the pier. But we leaned forward for more than a casual stroll. A family of ducks paddled effortlessly in the four-foot swells. A wind surfer successfully caught the strong wind to ride and jump the waves. Nearby at Tiscornia beach, determined beachgoers weighted and tied down belongings to “enjoy” their Lake Michigan beach day.

It was then and there that the history, stories and scenic settings of the Great Lakes lighthouses took control. Searching Google and blog sites, we then took detours to more of these iconic structures while exploring some historic small towns in the process.

Lighthouse and channel light at the South Pierhead in Muskegon, as seen from the Coast Guard station.

We photographed and video-captured 15 Great Lakes lighthouses on Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. We skipped many others due to our route, preplanned activities and time limitations. Oh, well, now we have reason for another trip.

Check Out the Video

We created a 4-minute video for our YouTube channel that features images from all the Great Lakes lighthouses we explored. Following is the list of the lighthouses we visited, in the order we visited. All are included in the Newsbreak video:

  • St. Joseph Lighthouse, St. Joseph, MI. They say you never forget your first, and that howling wind make that believable. Do check out all the pictures of this lighthouse frozen over in winter.
  • Big Red Lighthouse, Holland, MI. We walked through the marina and to the lighthouse as storm clouds surrounded the area. The setting sun and clouds put on an incredible light show, with a guest appearance by a rising full moon.
  • South Pierhead Lighthouse, Muskegon, MI. The classic-designed neighboring Coast Guard station and moored rescue boats add to the visit interest here.
  • Breakwater Lighthouse, Ludington, MI. While here, drive along the lakefront park. If you have time, also head up to Ludington State Park and the Big Sable Point Lighthouse. Unfortunately, we had to skip this one because we didn’t have time for the 4-mile round-trip hike required. But we did have time for lunch at Keeper’s Fish Shack, and we highly recommend it.
  • North Pierhead Lighthouse, Manistee, MI. A nice family-oriented beach with a snack bar and clean restrooms was a perfect afternoon stop, for the view and relief from lunch-time beverages.
  • Mission Point Lighthouse, Traverse City, MI. Located at the tip of Mission peninsula, the lighthouse is open limited hours for tours. We arrived after closing time and enjoyed walking the grounds and beach.
The Mission Point Lighthouse, as seen from the beach. We walked the grounds and beach as the lighthouse was closed due to a shortage of volunteers.
  • South Pierhead Lighthouse, Charlevoix, MI. You can’t miss this bright red lighthouse. We parked at the beachside park and snapped some photos. Then, we headed up the hill to see some of the town’s famous mushroom houses. Local tours are available, but we used this online resource as our walking guide.
  • Wawatam Lighthouse, St. Ignace, MI. Not on Lake Michigan, and not really historic based on its young age, this one guides the ferries to Mackinac Island back into St. Ignace harbor.
  • Round Island Lighthouse, Mackinac Island, MI. Again, not on Lake Michigan but on Lake Huron.
  • Sand Point Lighthouse, Escanaba, MI. On the western side of Lake Michigan, this small lighthouse is located in a nice park and marina area.
  • Grassy Island Lighthouses, Green Bay, WI. These two lighthouses were decommissioned in 1966, then moved from their original locations to Green Bay Yacht Club in 1967 for historical preservation.
  • Kewaunee Pierhead Lighthouse, Kewaunee, WI. Rumors spread in the early 1890s that Kewaunee contained gold, and Kewaunee’s chances of becoming a major port on Lake Michigan were high. A pair of range lights were installed in 1891 that helped guide people in from the fog. Gold was never found. The lighthouses remain.
The Rawley Point Lighthouse is located in a lakefront state forest. The lighthouse is not open to the public.
  • Rawley Point Lighthouse, Two Rivers, WI. Located in a lakefront state forest, park admission is required. The lighthouse can be seen and photographed from the park and public beach. But there is no admission to the lighthouse or grounds.
  • North Pierhead Lighthouse, Two Rivers, WI. Moved from its original lake location, this small lighthouse now is part of the Rogers Street Fishing Village, itself worthy of a visit.
  • Breakwater Lighthouse, Manitowoc, WI. The first lighthouse entered service here in 1839. While in Manitowoc, be sure to stop at the nearby Wisconsin Maritime Museum. It features a WW2-era sub built in the area.
Just when you think it’s safe, you have to spell Kewaunee to name this Wisconsin lighthouse.

More Lake Michigan Circle Tour

Here are links to a few more short NewsBreak videos about stops on our summer circle tour around Lake Michigan and beyond. We’re producing more, so be sure to follow subscribe here, or at our YouTube channel:

Blueberry Heaven in West Michigan

See Huge Ships Transit Great Lakes’ Soo Locks

Hiking the Indiana Sand Dunes

Hiking at Indiana Sand Dunes is made easier with boardwalks and stairs to traverse and scale the terrain.

I Scream, You Scream, July Is National Ice Cream Month

DeanLand
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I Scream, You Scream, July Is National Ice Cream Month

There’s nothing like a sugar cone filled with flavored rich creamy goodness to cool even the hottest Georgia summer day. And since July is National Ice Cream Month, declared such in 1984 by then-President Ronald Reagan, that got us to thinking about some of our favorite ice cream stops around West Cobb County.

Now, we’re not saying this is a comprehensive list of ALL the best ice cream stops in West Cobb, but rather, a list of some of the favorites we frequent for frozen favors. And, though not technically ice cream, we’re going to include frozen custard and yogurt, too. If you can’t handle that inclusion, please stop reading now and go eat something sour to match your attitude.

There’s nothing like flavored rich creamy goodness to cool even the hottest Georgia summer day. We share some of our West Cobb ice cream stops — and a few from even farther away.

We don’t proclaim to be ice cream experts, or to have sampled all the ice creams in West Cobb. So, we invite you to leave your favorites in the comments section so we can try them out, if not in July, then perhaps later in the summer.

Our West Cobb Favorites

As to our West Cobb favorites, here’s a list, in random order of my memory rather than ranked by preference:

Four Fat Cows, Marietta. If we had to pick a favorite, this might be it. Let’s start with the broad flavor choice of hand-dipped goodness. Operated by a mother and son duo from a family familiar with celiac disease, the store offers traditional flavors, some exotic options, and a variety of gluten free and diary free treats – all allergen free and perfect when your family includes lactose, gluten and (maybe!) fun-intolerant members!

All allergen free, Four Fat Cows in Marietta’s Market Square Food Hall is perfect when your family includes lactose, gluten and (maybe!) fun-intolerant members.

Sarah Jean’s Ice Cream, Marietta. On Marietta Square, this family shop features 45 flavors, all available in an incredible array of frozen concoctions like shakes, malts, banana splits, sundaes, slushes, and more. We love eating in because we’re suckers for an establishment with an operating model train. But, we often carry-out because it gets just too crowded with discriminating ice cream aficionados.

Frozen Cow Creamery, Kennesaw. Just off Main Street near the Locomotive Museum, this hidden gem has served handmade, nitrogen-frozen ice cream since 2016. We’re often frozen in our decision making by the array of choices. Or, conversely, we get wildly cold-creative. For the less adventuresome, let the 32 “standard” options on the “classic” menu, be your starting point. Our favorite: bananas foster, with a touch of chocolate and coconut added.

Unfrozen from our indecision, we ordered up some custom-made treats at Frozen Cow Creamery in Kennesaw and enjoyed them on the front porch.

Culvers, various locations. We discovered this Wisconsin-based frozen custard on trips to America’s dairy land when working for a Manitowoc, WI, based company named The Manitowoc Company. We celebrated when Culver’s opened outposts in Georgia. Here’s a little secret: $2 Tuesday! They pack some of their best flavors into pint servings, and you can take those home at a big discount.

Bruster’s, various locations. Yes, it’s a chain, but their hand-dipped flavors retain the freshness we love at local creameries. Bruster’s stores are franchised and locally operated, and each generally features at least two dozen flavors. A few standards are always available, then they rotate others in from 150+ options in the chain’s flavor freezer.

Dairy Queen, various locations. Tom Hanks was quoted famously that he gained lots of weight when filming the movie classic, “A League of Their Own,” because of trips to Dairy Queen. Over the years, the chain has narrowed its list of the mix-in Blizzard offer. But, when the line is short or we have a long-experienced worker, we still sometimes order — and provide instructions for making — the French Silk Pie Blizzard since all the original ingredients remain in-store for use in other treats.

Mt. Desert in downtown Bar Harbor was a perfect stop after Acadia National Park. Flavor sampling and people watching were great fun.

Favorites Elsewhere

It’s hard to remember all the places we’ve enjoyed ice cream during our travels. But here are a few we’d recommend:

Goats on the Roof, Tiger, GA. Yes, there are actual goats on the roof. And their nitro ice cream was an unexpected treat.

Mt. Desert Ice Cream, Bar Harbor, ME. There are several around, but downtown Bar Harbor was the best for flavors, service and local scenery.

Mickey Mouse Bars, Disney World, FL. It’s a family tradition for our kids and grandkids, so it had to make the list.

No way was Eli sharing a bite of his Mickey Mouse Bar while at Magic Kingdom.

Mr. B’s Ice Cream, Branson, MO. We probably could have listed lots of other choices here, but we only tried this one, old-fashioned location.

Georgia’s U-Pick Farms, various locations. Whenever we’re down on one of these farms, if ice cream is available, we get it. Strawberry at Southern Belle and peach at Lane are among our favs.

Ice cream with local ingredients is often available at Georgia’s U-pick farms. Southern Belle, Lane, and Jaemor are among our favorites.

Gelato, Anywhere in Italy. Or, anywhere in Europe. Perfect for a quick cool-down on in virtually any European city.

Vivoli Il Gelato, Disney Springs, FL. This was a close copy of the authentic Euro experience.

We get our gelato stops wherever we can, especially when in Europe. We also enjoy Volga in Atlanta.

The Hyppo Gourmet Ice Pops, St. Augustine, FL. Not really ice cream, but ice pops in a variety of unique flavors. Remember our statement about inclusiveness?

Check out the flavor bomb options at Hyppo Gourmet Ice Pops in St. Augustine, FL

Where to Watch Wildlife: Five Favorite Spots in Georgia

DeanLand
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Where to Watch Wildlife: Five Favorite Spots in Georgia

Summer is a great time for early morning and late afternoon hikes, when the Georgia heat is less intense. And when we’re doing morning and afternoon hikes, we always keep our eyes peeled wildlife watching along the trails — even when we’re hiking or walking in more urban settings.

Apparently, we’re not the only one’s keeping an eye out for nearby wildlife. Interest in wildlife watching continues to climb according to the latest National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation. More than 86 million US residents participated in at least one type of wildlife-watching activity. That includes observing, feeding, or photographing fish and other wildlife in the United States, states the most recent survey published by the group. Wildlife watching opportunities vary greatly based on season, location, personal interests and access. But it’s possible for virtually every Atlanta and NW Georgia resident to participate in some type of wildlife observation.

Are we watching wildlife, or is it watching us? More than 86 million US residents participated in at least one type of wildlife-watching activity.

Here are five favorite wildlife watching location ideas near the greater Atlanta area:

Chattahoochee National Recreation Area. The 21 locations of the Chattahoochee NRA offer prime riverside and wooded locations near Atlanta for wildlife watching. Waterfowl like geese and ducks and other forest dwellers are plentiful. As many as 198 bird species and more than 40 mammal species are known to exist in the park, according to a 2022 environmental assessment published by the National Park Service.

As many as 198 bird species and more than 40 mammal species are known to exist in the Chattahoochee National Recreation Area, including wood ducks.

Georgia State Parks. There are six Georgia State Parks within an easy one hour drive of the Greater Atlanta Area. Wildlife including a variety of native birds and mammals are present at all of the parks, including around the lakesides at Stone Mountain. Nearby Panola Mountain is a 100-acre granite outcrop similar to Stone Mountain. But it’s smaller and much more pristine. Visitors can make reservations for ranger-led hikes that teach about both plants and animals found in this unique, pristine ecosystem. The extensive lake front at Red Top Mountain State Park and Allatoona Battlefield Park are great for observing ospreys, other birds, and forest mammals.

We’ve been watching a pair of mating ospreys at Lake Allatoona near Allatoona Battlefield Park for several years. Due to their size and white heads, they are often confused for eagles. We did a video about our Spring 2022 visit.

Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park. While its rare to encounter forest mammals on the highly-trafficked main trails, many hawks and other birds reside on the mountaintop. Along the more remote Brumby Camp Loop, Noses Creek Trails and the trails of the southern section, we often spot deer in the woods.

The deer at Kennesaw Mountain Battlefield Park seem unperturbed by nearby humans. We got this shot on the Brumby Camp Loop.

Botanical Gardens. These lush gardens are often home to smaller mammals like squirrels, rabbits, chimp munks and other ground-dwelling mammals. We visit Butterfly Exhibit at Kennesaw’s Smith-Gilbert Gardens during summer months to experience native species up close. You’ll also spot a variety of butterflies at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens locations near downtown and in Gainesville.

Local Lakes and Streams. Even if you don’t have a national or state park nearby, many Atlanta
are neighborhoods have easy access to local lakes and streams. These are prime spots for wildlife viewing, especially in early morning and sunset feeding times.

For a different animal viewing experience, stop by Goats on the Roof in Tiger. There’s even a story that the goats have alien origins, but we’re doubtful.

A Different Version of Wildlife Encounters

While the above-listed spots focus on watching wild animals in nature, here are two places we’ve really enjoyed watching different animals in captivity:

Goats on the Roof, Tiger, GA. This quirky roadside attraction is perfectly described by its name. A heard of goats hangs out, waiting to be fed, on the roof of this combination store, restaurant, ice cream shop and more. Our friends at Florida Family Insiders stopped there recently and did this great video.

Safari Park, Pine Mountain, GA. African animals roam the Georgia savannah in a drive-through setting. Animal food is available for purchase, and the animals expect it. So, here’s our big tip: use the rental vehicles rather than your own car to maximize your enjoyment and avoid potential scratches on your own car. Frankly, we went primarily to entertain our littles. But our adults had a blast, too, and laughed throughout the ride.

Other Offbeat Stops on Georgia Byways

We often stop when we find intriguing or odd attractions along Georgia byways and elsewhere. (For example, we have marked on an upcoming road trip a stop to see the world’s largest cherry pie pan.) Check out this post of some of our previous finds.

Marietta’s Fire Museum Is A Hidden Community Gem

DeanLand
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Marietta’s Fire Museum Is A Hidden Community Gem

Just a short walk from Marietta’s historic square and hidden in plain site inside Fire Station No. 1, the Marietta Fire Museum holds a treasure trove of artifacts certain to please both the history lover and “wanna-be” or “shoulda-been” firefighters.

If you’re familiar with the children’s story “The Little Engine That Could” and its positive-thinking locomotive, you might apply that same thinking to this fire museum and the various fire engines contained within. Just think you can, and you will enjoy a short visit to this small museum which packs lots of Marietta’s history into a relatively small space.

Located at 112 Haynes St NE in Marietta, the Fire Museum is co-located with Fire Station No. 1. Parking is available across the street.

Before you consider a visit, know that the Marietta Fire Museum is open only on weekdays, from 8 am to 5 pm. Admission is free, though you’ll likely pay a small fee to park across the street at the Marietta East Square parking deck. Weekend visits require an appointment, but we can’t honestly tell you how to arrange for one. Brochures are available online and onsite, but plan on reading the placards to get the most out of your visit.

Our visit was a grandfather and grandson outing during a school break. As usual, I didn’t disclose in advance our destination in advance. That was a good thing given the short attention span of a 9-year-old who doesn’t like to read. As you can imagine, that wide-eyed excitement for fire equipment that fills youngsters took over. Before long, he was tugging at me, eager to move on to the next display.

Four historic vehicles are displayed near the entry, though I might swear the number was triple that given the number of excited yells.

Bright Red with Shining Chrome

We both were drawn immediately to the bright red antique cars, rescue vehicle and fire trucks that fill the first level. A total of four historic vehicles are displayed here. But I might swear the number was triple given the number of excited yells resonating through the exhibit.

For the record, grandson Cooper’s favorite here was the 1949 Pirish Ladder Truck. Designated Ladder #1, its inaugural service was 1949 and retirement in 1984. I was drawn to the historic Chief’s Car, a 1960s vintage Ford Falcon hardtop. It featured enough reflective chrome to light a city block when parked near a blazing inferno.

I was drawn to the historic Chief’s Car, featuring enough bright reflective chrome to light a city block when parked near a blazing inferno.

I attempted to read the historic placards, newspapers and information postings for the fire apparatus and various other artifacts. But there was no containing the grandson’s enthusiasm once he spotted another floor below. Especially since that floor exhibited the brightest and shiniest fire apparatus of all — the nickel-plated 1879 Silsby Steamer.

Marietta’s Horse-Drawn Silsby Steamer

Purchased by the City of Marietta in 1879, this horse-drawn firefighting miracle remained in active use until 1921. Today, it’s believed to be only one of five still in existence.

Firefighting historians generally acknowledge that the Silsby Steamer was the innovation that created modern fire departments. Prior to its development, fire departments depended on bucket brigades and hand pumps to fight blazes. Neither method was particularly effective in dousing any burning infernos. They were most effective in stopping the spread of an active fire to neighboring structures.

In 1878, the City of Marietta purchased the 65th unit built by the Seneca, New York-based Silsby Company. It’s believed to be one of five remaining in existence.

The Silsby’s breakthrough was a steam powered pump. Capable of pumping 600 gallons of water a minute, it could shoot a stream reaching over 200 feet. That made those hand-pumps look like squirt guns. With the new pumpers in high demand, the City of Marietta purchased the 65th unit built by the Seneca, New York-based Silsby Company.

The irony of the Silsby Steamer was that an active fire was required to fight fires. To generate the steam pressure necessary for the pump, one of the fire crew shoveled coal into a fire box on the unit. There, it burned to heat the water until the steam pressure was sufficient to project water onto an active fire.

The advanced steam technology and powerful pump on the Silsby unit made hand pumps look as effective as squirt guns for firefighting.

How Dalmatians Became Fire Dogs

I was able to impart some of that background to Cooper. But he quickly bored with the grandfatherly blabbering, ready to move on to the next bright, shiny object. I did manage to hold his interest for one more minute by talking about how Dalmatians were critical parts of the Silsby’s fire-fighting team.

Now admit, you want to know the story, too. But only because you asked!

I managed to hold Cooper’s interest for one more minute by talking about how Dalmatians were critical parts of the Silsby’s fire-fighting team.

Imagine a frantic fire crew, racing down a narrow city street — likely a dirt or cobblestone road — to an 1880s fire. A team of three horses pulled the Silsby unit. An active fire burned in the firebox and steam poured from the stack. The wagon clattered noisily down the street, rattling loudly over every bump. A driver guided the team of racing horses. A crew of two or three firemen hung on for dear life during the ride. And out front or alongside ran a Dalmatian.

Dalmatians served since the 1700s as fire carriage dogs, accompanying carriages and guarding their contents. Whether factual or fanciful, Dalmatians reputedly possessed a special affinity for horses, and their presence helped to guide and calm horses. And according to the American Kennel Club, “In 1910, the Westminster Dog Show developed a category for Fire Department Dalmatians. The inaugural winner was a Dal named Mike from New York’s Engine Company 8 on 51st Street. The tradition lasted for the next 30 years until being discontinued.”

Just the Artifacts, Please

As mentioned, the museum is filled with other artifacts. Those include vintage fire fighting protective gear; a variety of nozzles, gauges, hoses, helmets and more; newspaper articles recounting famous Marietta fires; and photos from ceremonies and parades featuring the Marietta Fire Department. But with a 9-year-old along, we quickly bypassed most of those with time only for a photo or two.

The museum is filled with protective equipment, gauges, hoses, nozzles and other firefighting tools.

One “don’t miss” artifact on the lower level is a steel I-beam cut from the rubble of the World Trade Center. It was given to the Marietta Fire Department by the Fire Department of New York (FDNY), and commemorates the firefighters and other first responders who lost their lives in rescue efforts at the Twin Towers.

After-Visit Treats

Naturally, this kind of outing requires a sweet ending. Fortunately, with Marietta Square a few blocks away, it’s relatively easy to source some sugary substance to soothe intrepid history explorers. With a movie filming on the Square, our first choice of Sarah Jean’s wasn’t available. But that necessitated a choice among the remaining options of Sweet Treats Marietta, Rocket Fizz candy store, Snow on the Square and the other outlets at the Marietta Square Marketplace. Ruling out “all of the above” as a choice, we successfully navigated our path to a satisfactory sugar purveyor for our homeward-bound treat.

Nearby Marietta Square Market offers a variety of dining and treat options for your pre-or-post visit pleasure.

More Nearby Family-Friendly Options

Depending on your party size and ages, the Marietta Fire Museum will require 30 minutes to two hours for a visit. If you want to combine this with other nearby activities, here are a few of our favorites, listed in order of proximity:

Marietta Square Market. Local food hall featuring a wide variety of meals and treats.

Marietta Bike and Walking Path. Easy walk to Marietta’s city and Confederate cemeteries.

Great Locomotive Chase. The Marietta History Museum includes exhibits on the Chase and other local events.

Gone With the Wind Museum. Movie artifacts from this Southern classic, often confused with real history.

Kennesaw Mountain Hikes. If you’re looking for more strenuous physical activity, or a weekday drive to a scenic viewpoint.

Smith Gilbert Botanical Gardens. A local hidden gem featuring native plants, extensive sculptures and a seasonal butterfly exhibit.

KSU Holocaust and World War II Museum. A free museum, though a bit intense for the younger crowd.

The General is housed in nearby Kennesaw, while the closer Marietta History Museum is the starting point for The Great Locomotive Chase.

There’s Gold In North Georgia Streams, And We Found Some

DeanLand
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There’s Gold In North Georgia Streams, And We Found Some

It’s Saturday morning and a group of approximately 30 people are gathering in the parking lot of a public park near Woodstock, GA, north of Atlanta. As they pull gear from car trunks and truck beds, muddy boots and tall waders drop on the asphalt. Shovel handles bounce off the hard surface. It quickly becomes clear that these are not members of area softball teams meeting up for a friendly game.

These are gold seekers, members of the Allatoona Gold Panners setting out for a day of panning in a local creek located on public lands managed by the US Army Corps of Engineers. Over the next few hours, they hope to find golden flakes or small nuggets hidden in the creek, once one of Georgia’s gold rich mining areas. While the discovered veins were exhausted in the early 1800s, this eclectic group of determined hobbyists, professional geologists, curious first-timers and experienced panners WILL find placer gold. The only questions are who will find it first, and how much will be recovered before they leave.

Gold hunters panning for gold in Georgia stream
An eclectic group of determined hobbyists, professional geologists, curious first-timers and experienced panners WILL find gold. The only questions are who will find it first, and how much will be recovered before they leave.

A Family Legacy

Walking on a winding wooded trail following the creek, experienced gold hunters share tidbits with the newcomers. Robert, who began tagging along with his dad more than 30 years ago, drops to the back with four slower walkers. Robert says he’s out in the streams every weekend, “Unless it’s really cold.”

He remembers days when he and his dad picked up small nuggets from the creek beds with their bare hands. Now, he explains, finding nuggets is rare. “It’s not likely you’ll get a big score on any one trip. But if you keep at it, the gold adds up over time,” he says.

As we approach a bridge, Robert points right. “There’s an old mine right there. They covered up the opening, and built a house right above it.”

Even if Robert’s mine-shaft knowledge isn’t spot on, one thing is certain. We’re in the general area where multiple gold mines operated in the midst of the Georgia Gold Rush. Shafts were dug and blasted into bedrock, seeking gold veins hidden in the rolling hills. Stream beds, their banks and the surrounding hills were dug out by hand by prospectors drawn to this area.

Today, that kind of mining isn’t allowed on public property managed by the Corps. Instead, this group of intrepid gold hunters carries only shovels and gold pans, closely following the gold hunting guidelines for public lands.

Hiking in on public property, this group of intrepid gold hunters carries only shovels and gold pans, closely following the gold hunting guidelines for public lands.

After hiking approximately .75 miles, the group stops for a brief huddle. Steve, the organizer of today’s event, confirms we’ve reached the designated location and tells they group they can commence their searches.

Several of the experienced panners climb down into the stream, walk a hundred yards further and start their solo efforts. A few of the newcomers stick with Steve, who has brought along extra gear for them to use. He offers a few practical tips, does a quick panning demonstration, then watches as the newbies try their luck.

Help for the First-Timers

Two first-timers, Huan and Michael, are using equipment borrowed from Steve. They don’t have boots like the experienced panners, and stand in the swift, cold water in athletic shoes and bare feet. Michael dumps a shovel-full of bottom material into a pan.

Gold pan with sand and shiny gold
On the third pan, Michael sees some shiny flakes in the bottom of the pan. He asks Steve’s opinion, who smiles and says, “That’s gold!’

On the third pan, Michael sees some shiny flakes. ‘That’s gold,’ confirms Steve.

Panners often wish for good luck by saying, “Heavy pans.” But this pan is too heavy — with rocks — for Huan to handle. Steve steps in, smiling, and throws out some of the large rocks. He then shows Michael and Huan how to hold the pan at a proper angle, working the water and small material to expose any gold. This pan has none, and neither does the next.

But on the third pan, Michael sees some shiny flakes in the bottom of the pan. He asks Steve’s opinion, who smiles and says, “That’s gold!’

Steve takes the pan for a minute, and gives more instruction, demonstrating how to move all the material to one side, then gently shaking the pan to move the sediment away. More gold flakes are now visible at the top of the pan.

“When you do this right, if it moves, it’s not gold,” Steve says. Michael and Huan have been panning for less than 15 minutes and they’ve found their first gold.

Panning for gold
Watching the groups work, their posture and facial expressions often foretell their gold finding success with individual pans. Experienced panners often stop to offer advice to the newbies.

How Much Did You Find?

This same scene is repeated up and down the creek. Tom is a geologist by trade and also has several working mines in other locations. He’s ankle deep in the creek giving a family of newcomers similar instruction. John, who says he’s been hunting gold for nearly all of his 60 years, comes from a family of geologists. He’s happily offering advice when asked, which is frequently.

Watching the groups work, their posture and facial expressions often foretell their gold finding success with individual pans. And when an accumulator bottle is stuck into one of the pans, it’s a sure sign that there’s definitely gold in that pan.

After about 90 minutes, the first group member calls it a day. Several others start taking the trail back over the next hour. As a newcomer myself, I make a rookie mistake and ask several panners how much gold they’ve recovered. I’ve broken an unspoken rule, but the experienced panners let me off easy. They simply smile and reply, “We had a good day.” Or, “Enough to come back again.”

And that’s the final lesson from this group. No one here is planning to get rich. Over time, the luckiest may pay for their equipment, gasoline, a few sandwiches and maybe have a few dollars to spare. But the adventure, the thrill of finding gold and the camaraderie will bring them back again. Because there’s definitely more gold in these North Georgia streams!

How much did you find? Over time, the luckiest may pay for their equipment, gasoline, a few sandwiches and maybe have a few dollars to spare.

Our Best Tips for Rental RV Trips

DeanLand
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Our Best Tips for Rental RV Trips

Updated March 2022, Original Post September 2017

We rented an RV!  Now what?

Deciding to broaden our travel experiences, we rented an RV for a long weekend trip.  Our reasoning:  we could enjoy fall weather at a nearby location and test-drive the RV trip experience. Then we could decide about a week-long rental to Disney World and other RV trips beyond.

Our destination: FD Roosevelt State Park, located near Pine Mountain, GA.  It’s Georgia’s largest state park featuring camping, hiking, fishing, boating and more.

Here are a few things we learned about renting and having fun on RV trips:

  • Choose carefully. For a first-time renter, selection can be a daunting task.  We found peer-to-peer sites RVShare.com and Outdoorsy.com to be excellent sources to compare RV options, amenities, prices and availability.  Extended resources (like blogs and user reviews) offer excellent tips and insights, both on what to expect and specific experiences with the rental units and owners. Carefully consider the number, ages and sizes of your travelers and potential sleeping arrangements. Think about bed times (early for young children, but not others), personal habits (who takes forever in the bathroom!), any physical requirements (frequent nighttime bathroom needs?) and your meal plans (cook and carry, campfire cooking or other). Don’t forget to evaluate included (or excluded!) amenities, like extras sheets, towels, cookware and a coffee pot – or you’ll need to bring them along from home

RV, Camping
Peer-to-Peer rental sites were helpful sources to compare RV options, amenities, prices and availability.

  • Understand your bathroom expectations. Most larger RVs include bathrooms, but don’t expect them to match up with an ensuite in an HGTV luxury home. They often are functional, basic and cramped. Hot water is in limited supply, shower space is tight, toilets can be complicated, and every drop of water that is used must later be drained. For us, the bathroom was used in limited fashion by the younger travelers and for less-odiferous bodily functions.  For two days, our girls of all ages preferred the camper shower rather than using the camp ground bath house, but by day 3 sought out the space and luxurious hot water supply of the bath house.
  • Communicate with the owner.  Rental sites make this relatively easy.  And you should consider the timeliness, thoroughness, and attentiveness of your unit owner in the pre-rental decision period. While not a guarantee, a timely, responsive pre-rental owner likely will be a helpful, flexible and considerate owner throughout the experience. After much consideration, we selected a Coachman Freelander 31BH, rated to sleep 8 people, offering two slide-outs for extra space and a bunk-house configuration that could have accommodated a few more kids.  The unit owner, Ken, was very helpful during the consideration process, answering questions by e-mail quickly and offering practical advice.  He worked personally with us to overcome some schedule and coordination issues that made the pick-up, familiarization and return process super-easy.  And when we discovered we left a few personal items behind, he mailed them back to us.

After much consideration, we selected a Coachman Freelander 31BH, rated to sleep 8 people, offering two slide-outs for extra space and a bunk-house configuration.

  • Make a packing list. We do this no matter where we’re traveling. But since this was a first camping and RV excursion, we took extra care to create our packing list. Multiple clothing types, extra socks and shoes, rain gear, pre-cooked refrigerated foods for quick warming, beverages and snacks, fresh fruit and more all made the list, as did the Vitamix blender which travels with us on almost all non-airline trips. We included bicycles, fishing gear, play toys for the little boys, our favorite electronic devices for communication, reading, entertainment and pictures, and all the requisite charging devices.  We were confident we had it all.

RB, Camping
We took extra care to create a packing list. We were confident we had it all. As soon as we hit the road, we realized what we left behind. Avoid this rookie mistake by comparing to an RV veteran’s list.

  • Double-check an experienced RVer’s packing list. When we compared our list with the voice and lists of the experienced, we realized everything we had forgotten.  Unfortunately for us, we didn’t do this until AFTER we were confidently and distantly on the road.  To avoid our rookie mistake, check the rental sites, RV blogs and Pinterest boards at least a week in advance of your departure.
  • Bring your little red wagon. Even if it feels like you’ve packed everything but the kitchen sink, go back to your garage and take along your little red wagon.  Seriously, do it!  Thinking about this in advance cuts down on the loading process, trips and personal carrying weight.  If you’re doing RV trips with kids and grand kids, having the wagon along provides some easy activities and much-needed respite from carrying tired, crying young ones.

    Bring your little red wagon. It provides some easy activities and much-needed respite from carrying tired, crying young ones.
  • Tools, bungee cords and rope are your friends. Thankfully, on my final home lock-up check before departure, I grabbed this short list of last-minute items.  Maybe my dad was whispering in my ear from four states away, or maybe it was my years of Boy Scout experience.  Whatever the source of inspiration, the trip was made immensely easier with these handy and much-used items. Tools were essential for some quick gear adjustment.  Bungee cords made it much easier to carry fishing rods and extra gear.
  • Consider your excursion requirements.  Class A and Class C RVs are great for RV trips — once you get to the campground.  But you don’t want to depend on them as your daily transportation.  Thus, if you plan side trips, local excursions or other essential travel, have a backup transportation plan.  For us, that was a second vehicle.

    If you’re going to take excursions or side trips, you’ll need a second vehicle.  We brought our own van, then also used one of these rental vans at Wildlife Safari Park near Pine Mountain, GA.
  • Don’t expect to save money. If you want a budget trip, RV rental is not a good option.  In addition to the nightly rental fee and any campground space rental, you’ll likely have to arrange for extra insurance and some incidental costs (LP gas, extra mileage or generator use fees, cleaning fees, etc.) charged with some rentals. Fuel costs can also be expensive, depending on the unit you choose and your travel distance. Plus, depending on amenities provided or excluded, you may find yourself making some extra purchases.

As mentioned at the start, this was a test-drive for a potential week-long, longer-distance trip to Disney World. That’s out – we’re going to rent a home that accommodates additional family members and provides a few more luxuries for the long days at theme parks.

We’ve decided that we enjoyed the RV experience and are looking forward to future adventures in a rented RV — but not for the week-long Disney World Trip. We’re going to rent a house that comfortably accommodates more family members.

Still, after the weekend, we’ve decided that we enjoyed the RV experience and are looking forward to future adventures in a rented RV.  Those likely will be similar to this most recent trip – long weekends, or close-by journeys that may include two or three stops of multiple days in “natural” settings.  Additional Georgia state parks, trips to the Smokey Mountains or maybe a beach excursion to the Golden Isles of the South Georgia coast are all considerations.  Renting a unit in Denver or another Western city, flying in for the pickup, and then RV-journeying for a National Park adventure is another possibility.  We might consider doing something similar to explore the natural wonders of the upper Northeast US and Novia Scotia.

And, we have marked our calendars for an upcoming regional RV and camping show to explore more options.  Who knows where that will lead!

After the weekend, we’ve decided that we enjoyed the RV experience and are looking forward to future adventures in a rented RV.  Those likely will be long weekends, or close-by journeys that include two or three stops of multiple days in “natural” settings.

Helpful RV Planning Resources:

As always, there’s a wealth of information available from experienced travelers, first-timers, and other sources.  Here are a few we found helpful:

RVShare.com:  We used this peer-to-peer site to location units, compare and price options, communicate with owners and, ultimately, complete our rental transaction.  The filter and search features simplify the process.  And if you scroll all the way to the bottom of the home page, you’ll find a footer link to a valuable blog site.  RVShare.com includes roadside assistance with each rental, and offers a rewards program.

Outdoorsy.com:  We discovered this site later in our search and found that many of the units we considered are listed on both sites with similar or same transaction terms. Overall, we think Outdoorsy.Com is more user friendly, especially in the trip planning and travel tips. When we rent again, we’ll definitely come here.

19 Things You Should Know. We read this and several other posts by Erin and Josh Bender. The writing was fun and the insights useful.

RV Blogs: Just do a google search and you’ll discover many.  We avoided those that focused on full-time RV living, and instead gravitated to blogs that focused on destinations and tips.  Some we liked best included Everything About RVing, and GO RVing.  We also checked out a variety of dealership sites — mostly to check out future ideas for remote rentals.  We liked Lazy Days among the best.

Campgrounds:  While we choose F.D. Roosevelt State Park in Pine Mountain, GA, as our first destination, the options are endless.  If you’re considering a US National Park, you’ll want to visit Recreation.Gov for reservations and planning tips.  For commercial options, check out GoodSamClub.Com and KOA.Com

5 Ways to Kill Time Waiting at Chicago’s Midway Airport

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5 Ways to Kill Time Waiting at Chicago’s Midway Airport

I’ve traveled to Chicago each May for over 30 years for the National Restaurant Association trade show. Plus, working for large companies with major customers and events near Chicago, I’m a regular traveler to Chi-town.  And now, we have two kids and grandkids who live there. While I didn’t always travel through Midway Airport, it is my airport of choice when Chicago is my destination.

Now, picking Midway Airport over O’Hare is about the same as choosing between dentists for a root canal. No matter your choice, you’re going to hate being there for at least 90 minutes. But, once you leave, hopefully it will be better. 

The sign reads, “We’re Glad You’re Here!” But picking Midway over O’Hare is about the same as choosing between dentists for a root canal.

If you get the impression that Midway Airport is not my favorite airport and you’re prepared to endure a bit of teenage-style whining from a 65+-year-old experienced airport traveler, read on. Otherwise, I encourage you to select our BLOG option and find something else.

Midway’s short runways require a final dive like a hungry bird of prey in pursuit of a tasty snack. Before the wheels touch the ground, give your seat belt a firm tug and lock your hands to your armrests.

Here are the best things I can say about traveling through Midway Airport. First, it’s closer to downtown Chicago than it’s big sister O’Hare. That makes it faster and cheaper to access the lakefront and Miracle Mile locations we generally associate with the Windy City. Second, Midway has a sort of rough, chip-on-its-shoulder functionality that is perfect for Chicago’s reputation as “The Second City.” And third is Southwest Airlines, the primary carrier at Midway.

Chicago Midway Airport concourse
For pre-flight exercise, we walk down the hidden concourse to gates 4A and 4B, enjoying the solitude and Chicago photos.

Then there are the worst things about Midway Airport. First is Southwest Airlines, which once kept airfares low and flight announcements fun. But here, the “fun” of Southwest’s cattle-car chic simply amplifies all the airport’s sardine-can characteristics.

Second, is everything else, and that includes:

  • Bone-jarring, tire-squealing, nail-biting landings. Midway’s short runways require pilots to glide on a long path, then make a final dive like a hungry bird of prey in pursuit of a tasty snack. Before the wheels touch the ground, give your seatbelt a firm tug and lock your hands to your armrests otherwise the reverse thrusters and full brakes may give your face a fast introduction to the seat back in front of you.
  • Close calls in crowded airspace. No one will tell you this officially, but nearby O’Hare – the nation’s second busiest airport – seems to get all the good air routings. Thus, Midway flights often make twists and turns around that other traffic, resulting in some interesting routes, sightseeing and opportunities to make new friends. I’m sure it was my imagination, but one flight seemed so close to a larger plane that I could have reached out and shared the much-better in-flight snack from the equally-shocked international first-class passenger.
  • The Orange Line. The walk from Midway Airport terminal to the Orange Line station is a long and winding path, mostly through a parking garage. Then you experience the joy of the Chicago L, with it’s aging, noisy, rickety cars and uncomfortable seats. Experienced Orange Line travelers often take the 20-minute ride to Roosevelt Station, then get a taxi to avoid the northbound turn and slow clockwise travel around the elevated loop from which the L gets its name. And if you want to join the local argument about L versus EL to refer to the train system, the CTA provided the definitive (or debateable) answer.

Now, if you’re feeling a bit stressed out about having extra time at Midway, here are five things you can do to kill time (rather than yourself!) and enjoy some relative quiet if you’re stuck in this purgatory between the city and your origination or destination:

  1. Experience the Battle of Midway. No, it’s not a scuffle among passengers about line position at the Dunkin’ Donuts kiosk, though that is a thing, too! Midway Airport’s name memorializes the World War II Battle of Midway, which occurred June 4-7, 1942 in the immediate aftermath of the attack on Pearl Harbor.  A well-conceived and informative display on the walk over to the A Concourse commemorates the battle. The multi-media display provides some little-known information about Chicago’s role in the naval preparations for the Pacific campaigns. If you thought Navy Pier was just a catchy name for a lakefront entertainment complex, stop here to learn how it once was home to Lake Michigan aircraft carriers where farm and city boys trained to become heroic pilots. The display is easy to find, next to the Douglass SBD Dauntless dive bomber, now suspended from the ceiling after being pulled from the bottom of Lake Michigan, the result of a training flight crash.
Chicago, Midway, Airport, MDW, Southwest Airlines
Down Concourse C and away from the main gate traffic of Southwest Airlines, you’ll find peace, solitude, the USO, and mother’s lounge, the airport chapel and even a yoga room.

2. Peace, Solitude and Yoga. TSA Pre-Check users exit security on Concourse C, and nearly all make an immediate left turn toward the hectic hubbub of Concourse B and Southwest departures. But turn right and it’s like escaping to an archipelago of near-deserted islands on this lesser-used concourse.  If it seems as quiet as a church, you may have found the airport chapel, which indeed is located here, too. Ditto the Yoga Room, part of a 2014 airport upgrade that keyed in on a growing interest in fitness travel. Next door, a Mother’s Room offers privacy for nursing moms. And a few steps further down, a USO lounge is a home away from home for traveling military and their families.  I once used Concourse C as my near-private traveling office, but now Frontier uses these gates.

Chicago Parks, Chicago, Gardens
Kayaking in Lincoln Park, the Garfield Park Conservatory and a south-side view of the Museum of Science and Industry from Jackson Park are featured in the collection of Chicago photos on Concourse A. If you’ve never visited these locations, I highly recommend all of them.

3. “In Case You Missed It” Photo Tour. Over on Concourse A, beyond the Battle of Midway exhibit and hidden off to the left just beyond the restaurants is a small hallway that leads to the almost-secret gates 4A and 4B. Along the way is a great photographic collection of Chicago city landmarks, attractions and scenes, some of which I had never seen until walking this concourse. With a few extra minutes to flight time, you also may discover some of hidden Chicago to put on your visit list for a return trip.

4. Chicago Food Scene Refresh. A Covid-time restaurant refresh brought new options to Midway. Hometown McDonald’s is gone. Harry Cary’s occupies a mid-concourse space in Concourse A. Updated hometown offers include Cafe L’Appetito, imported from downtown and Lakeview. There’s Southside-based Home Run Inn Pizza. James Beard award winner and former Michelin-starred restaurant owner Takashi Yagihashi is the force behind Tabo Sushi, where you can watch your order be prepared. My favorite remaining option is Reilly’s Daughter, a sit-down Irish pub in the center food court area which doubled its size during the airport refresh. Plus, we usually get our carry-on popcorn at either Garrett’s or Nuts on Clark, where the lines are shorter than in-town stores. I also find the mid-concourse counter service locations to be both convenient and — well, ok, just convenient. But those locations also squeezed concourse traffic more, which affects the following activity.

For our onboard dining pleasure on Southwest, we usually grab some carry-on popcorn at either Garrett’s or Nuts on Clark

5. Terminal Walking. Before we get on flights, we like to work off our energy with a brisk walk. Since Midway is a small and often-crowded airport beyond security, walking takes some ingenuity and determination. Our favorite walk avoids the most-crowded Concourse B. Instead, we walk up Concourse C, then track back to Concourse A. We turn left and walk down the hidden concourse to gates 4A and 4B, then return to the main Concourse A, and turn left to the end. One round-trip is just over one mile, according to my Garmin activity watch. If you add a circle of the crowded concourse B, that tacks on an extra ½ mile, but you better have the peripheral vision and cutback moves of a first-rate NFL running back if you want to move through the slow-moving leisure-travel crowds faster than a mobility scooter.

Midway restaurants, Midway, Airport, Chicago
If you must have a sit-down meal in Midway, opt for Reilly’s Daughter, an Irish Pub near the airport center. With two bar areas and a large window seating area, it’s the best of bad dining options.

More on Midway Meals

While I’ve noted the food refresh, just be aware: Midway is not a food destination. Making a decision on any food outlet simply is hoping you choose the best of the bad options. While the outlets all have different names, they are all managed by a single catering company which seems to specialize in hiring grumpy people and then converting them to full-blown angry through bad practices and horrible management.

Chicago once was the home of the now-closed Ed Debevic’s, a 1950s themed restaurant where eternally-insulting waitstaff was part of the shtick.  And along the Chicago River near downtown, Dick’s Last Resort remains as a themed dive where similarly-grumpy staff entertains with their attitude. By contrast, the attitude of Midway waitstaff at the sit-down restaurants isn’t an act – they genuinely hate their jobs and will let everyone in the restaurant know about it loudly and continually in the running exchanges they have among themselves and at your table.

Since Chicago is a great food city, if you can, eat before you leave the city or wait until you arrive there to avoid the long wait-monsters of Midway.

Curious about restaurant food and amenities? The QI-coded signs are a huge help, as is the order-ahead option for food. This was current in February 2023.

Chicago is a great food city.  Eat before you leave the city or wait until you arrive there and avoid the wait-monsters of Midway.

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Midway, Midway Airport, Midway Memorial, Chicago, Battle of Midway
Chicago’s Midway memorial at Midway Airport commemorates Chicago’s roles in WWII.

Inspired by the Winter Olympics? Get Outside Now and Enjoy

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Inspired by the Winter Olympics? Get Outside Now and Enjoy

If you’re inspired by the Winter Olympics, now is the time to get outside and enjoy winter activities. Though Georgia doesn’t offer most Olympic sports like skiing, bobsledding or luge, winter is a great time to reconnect with Georgia outdoors by hiking or walking.

We love driving to the North Georgia mountains for remote hikes. But pressed for time, many locations closer-in to Atlanta, Marietta, and Cobb and neighboring counties offer convenient access. And you’ll find diverse terrain and nature or urban walks sure to please experienced and new outdoors people.

Hiking doesn’t require a long drive from Atlanta or its suburbs. Many locations close-in to Atlanta, Marietta, and Cobb and neighboring counties offer convenient access, diverse terrain and great views, like this one at East Palisades.

With mild temperatures and sunny days, winter is a great time of year for Georgia hikes and walks. As you explore outdoor ideas, some of the included links may contain advertising where the website or  author may receive payments.

Dedicated and novice hikers agree on the many reasons to love winter hiking in Georgia. Here are a few examples of nearby hiking spots for those craving a winter outdoors experience:

Kennesaw Mountain

The most-visited national battlefield park in the US, the locals consider KeMo a premier hiking spot for mountain-top views, wildlife sightings and trail variety. Sunrise and sunset hikes feature colorful panoramas. Our favorite loop hike travels up KeMo’s backside, through “the big zig,” over the saddle and back down to the visitor center.

US Georgia Kennesaw Mountain sunrise hike
In addition to views of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the city of Atlanta, winter sunrises and sunsets at Kennesaw Mountain often are haze-free.

Marietta Mountain-to-River Trail

A multi-use recreation trail, we often bike this route. Around Marietta Square, walking is best, plus there’s lots of history and easy access to shopping and dining. Stop in at the Gone With the Wind Museum along the way for a break and some entertainment nostalgia. Plus, the on-trend food hall, Marietta Square Market, is adjacent to the trail, great for meals and snacks.

Sandwich meal at a food hall in Georgia USA
The on-trend food hall, Marietta Square Market, is a perfect drop-in for a quick snack or liquid refreshment when walking the Mountain-to-River trail.

Allatoona Pass Battlefield

If you’re looking for a flat trail through the woods, this is it. The trail follows an abandoned railroad bed, passing through a deep mountain cut and alongside Lake Allatoona. And, if you want some elevation, side trails climb the bluffs with lots of historical markers along the way. In addition to history, there are great views and some access to Lake Allatoona to cool your feet. Just across the water, you can enjoy winding walks in the woods at Red Top Mountain State Park.

Trees and lake with an osprey nest in Georgia
The main trail at Allatoona Pass Battlefield is a flat, abandoned railroad. Side trails climb the bluffs, while others offer lakeside access. In the spring, be sure to look for the nesting ospreys on the nearby platform.

Walking in Woodstock

No, not THAT Woodstock, but, rather Woodstock, GA. Located just up I-575, park downtown and enjoy the Noonday Creek greenway trail, a three-mile round-trip out-and-back walk. Or drop in at the Woodstock visitor’s center on Main Street in the historic Dean’s Store and pick up the map for a 1.7-mile self-guided history hike. If you choose to do both, you’ll want to leave time for refreshments in the wonderful downtown.

East and West Palisades

Part of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, these forested preserves straddle Interstates 75 and 275 in Cobb County. Paths at both East and West Palisades follow the Chattahoochee River, offering frequent views at riverside and from high above on the neighboring hills. Away from the riverbanks, hardwood forests and small streams are home to a variety of wildlife. A bamboo forest also is a hidden surprise at East Palisades.

Lullwater Preserve

Inside the Perimeter and tucked quietly between Emory University and the Atlanta VA Medical Center, nature blends with abandoned infrastructure in this natural oasis among urban surroundings. Walk along scenic Peachtree Creek to find a hidden suspension bridge and ruins of an abandoned powerhouse.

Skyward view in an abandoned building with no roof in Atlanta Georgia
Peer skyward through the open roof of the abandoned power house at Lullwater Preserve. It’s a hidden hiking gem inside the perimeter.

Stone Mountain

With trails ranging from under one mile to five miles, Stone Mountain delivers on family-friendly hiking experiences. The Walk-Up Trail is most popular, climbing nearly 800 vertical feet to the top of the granite monolith.  The Loop Trail circles the mountain, through the woods and along the lakes, delivering on great views with less climbing. For the least-adventurous, try the Nature Garden trail, a .75-mile route around creeks and gardens.

Even More Georgia Hiking Ideas

There are lots of summit view hikes within an hour of Atlanta. Kennesaw Mountain, Pine Mountain and Indian Seats are all great hikes within a short drive of the perimeter. For more hiking ideas farther out in the North Georgia mountains, check out the Georgia Small Plates section at OurTravelCafe.com. Other great hiking reference resources include the Atlanta Trails website and All-Trails.

If you’re a Facebook user, consider joining these groups for more Georgia hiking ideas:

Mountain summit view with peaks in the distance in Georgia
There are lots of summit views within an hour of Atlanta. Kennesaw Mountain, Pine Mountain and Indian Seats are all great hikes within a short drive of the perimeter.

On the Trail of a Hidden Quarry at Pine Log Creek

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On the Trail of a Hidden Quarry at Pine Log Creek
Trees reflect in a mountain pond in winter
We’ve visited Pine Log Creek in Fall and Winter, capturing photos at the abandoned quarry during both. These two photos give you and idea of the changing look and feel.

Easily accessible from I-75 or I-575 but just far enough out of the way to be overlooked, Pine Log Creek Trail near Rydal, GA, offers easy-to-moderate loop hiking trails through a protected forest. We made our second visit here near the end of January. We again had the trails mostly to ourselves on a mid-week visit.

Columns of light in a rocky forest
On a bright, sunny day, bright columns of light penetrated the colorful canopy to highlight the forest floor.

Our previous visit was in late fall when many leaves already were off the trees, but some late-season colors clung to branches in the canopy. Rays of sunshine penetrated to the ground, with bright columns reaching the forest floor to highlight colors of fallen leaves. Some warmer, wet weather also coaxed mushrooms from the decaying trunks of fallen trees and alongside the well-beaten paths.  Looking carefully deep into the trailside vistas, we stopped frequently to capture photos of the mushrooms and toadstools.

Red and white toadstools on a forest floor
During a fall visit, warmer, wet weather coaxed colorful mushrooms from the decaying trunks of fallen trees and alongside the well-beaten paths. 

Unplanned Adventures

That first visit proved to be a bit of an adventure, too. We carelessly forgot to take a picture of the trail map and had not downloaded one from All-Trails. Finding the small, abandoned quarry had been our reason for visiting. But we got confused on the East Loop and backtracked a bit before stumbling our way to the quarry. After visiting, we returned to the main trail, then missed the sharp turn on an uphill switchback. Instead, we followed a descending false trail to an unmarked dead-end, then backtracked uphill to find the main route again.

On our January return visit, we had none of those issues. We paused at the entrance map to consider our route, then took a picture of the map. After navigating the approach trail over Pine Log Creek, we joined the West Loop trail in a counterclockwise direction. We found the connector, then similarly took the counterclockwise route on the East Loop to the quarry.

Bridge crosses a forest creek
We followed the approach trail, crossing Pine Log Creek on the way to the loop trails. At the loops, we took the counterclockwise route to find the hidden quarry.

Streamside Serenity

Aside from the joy of walking on uncrowded trails on a sunny day, the highlights of our visits were the quiet strolls along Pine Log Creek and taking pictures near the quarry. The serene creek side is picturesque at its widest spots, and smaller streams trickle in with a musical sound. Several jagged jutting rocks rise from the quarry, framed by towering trees that cling to the upward slopes. Unlike other area trails like Cooper’s Furnace and Pine Mountain in Cartersville or Amicalola Falls, there is no high promontory point to gaze at the surrounding areas.

A small waterfall in a mountain stream
The serene creek side is picturesque at its widest spots, and smaller streams trickle in with a musical sound.

Although Pine Log Creek trail is near a wildlife management area, our only wild animal sightings were small birds, soaring hawks, and a few small fish in the quarry pond. On our first visit, we encountered several unleashed large dogs running far ahead of their slower-moving human partners. Long after their pets had startled and sniffed us, the unconcerned owners walked up to offer semi-apologies. We’re not dog people, and we have an experienced-based history that contributes to a healthy fear. If you are a dog person, please follow the rules posted on the highly visible signs at the trail entrance so we can ALL enjoy our walks.

Person reflects in a mountain pond
The abandoned quarry is a perfect location for literal and figurative reflection. Large rocks jut into the pond along the banks, while towering trees cling to the hillside.

Statistics and Gear

All of our technology was in working order on our return visit. My Garmin Fenix 5 watch recorded our hike at 2 hours, 31 minutes over 4.93 miles, with a total of 968 feet of vertical gain.  Our actual “moving” time was two hours, and we averaged a comfortable 2.5 miles-per-hour while walking. Most of our 30 minutes of stopped time was for creek-side and quarry-side photography. You can find more statistics from my Garmin watch and the Hike2+ app at the end of this post.

The temperature was a cool 37F degrees when we started, rising to the mid-40s by the time we finished near noon. Wearing a cotton Land’s End turtleneck, an Eddie Bauer fleece and a light Columbia windbreaker, I was comfortable on the trail. But I did break a sweat along the half-mile climb up the nearly 400-foot ridge to the summit of the West Loop. My hiking partner and wife’s outfit kept her warm while keeping her looking cool.

Woman sits on a boulder in the forest
With the temperature a chilly 37F degrees at the start, a stylish layered look was both warm and cool.

Trail Notes and Pro Tips

This hike can be shorter and less challenging if you’re not in the mood or condition for climbs. Simply make it an out-and-back route. Go RIGHT on the West Loop, then LEFT on the East Loop to the quarry. Return on the same route, taking most of the elevation gains out of the walk. For clarity, check out the map below where we’ve highlighted this easier route with a pink highlighter.

Trail map for hiking Pine Log Creek
For an easier hike with less elevation gain, follow the route we’ve marked with a pink highlighter. Turn right onto the West Loop, then take the left fork on the East Loop. This out-and-back route is the shortest ad flattest to the quarry.

There are no restrooms at Pine Log Creek trail, not even portable ones. We always make it a point to stop on the way in for a restroom break, either as we leave I-75 or in the small town of Rydal.

Similarly, there also is no running water, so be certain to carry a filled water bottle with you before setting out.

We often finish this hike around noon, then set out in search of a post-hike lunch. Based on our home destination, we most often stop for food in nearby Cartersville.  On our most recent trip, we stumbled upon the Allatoona Dam Food Truck Park and Beer Garden. It’s located just west of I-75 at exit 290.  We browsed the selection of sushi, grilled cheese, cheese steak, taco, pizza and coffee trucks during our visit, though the line-up changes daily.

Beer Garden and Food Trucks in Cartersville Georgia
A. Dam Food Truck Park and Beer Garden was our lunchtime stop after our Pine Log Creek Hike. Located at Exit 290 on I-75, it features a changing line-up of food trucks daily.

Nearby Activities and Attractions

Here are some of our other nearby favorites:

Tellus Science Museum. Our blog lists all the reasons we love exploring the regional treasure.

Panoramic Pine Mountain. Lookout to a 180-degree view to Kennesaw Mountain, Atlanta and more.

Cool Views at Cooper’s Furnace. Civil war history and a dam story all in one place.

Winding Walks at Red Top Mountain.  Lakeside views, hidden historical homesites and a nice walk in the woods.

We use our Garmin Fenix 5 fitness watch and the downloaded Hike2+ app to capture and follow our hiking statistics.

Downhill Biking for the Faint Hearted

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Downhill Biking for the Faint Hearted

When my family hears me say, “I’m going on a bike ride,” they are accustomed to my multi-hour, 40+ mile journeys. And these often turn into metric century endurance rides.

Thus, it was no surprise to me that they were less than enthusiastic when I suggested a family bike outing during a Vail, CO, summer vacation stop. I mean, the only thing worse for them than one of my endurance rides would be a super endurance ride at high altitude, going uphill.

But after some tireless cajoling and convincing, they agreed to join me for one of the best rides of their life.

Ready, Set!

Visiting one week before the peak summer season, we had a wide selection of trip options even at the last minute. We arranged for rental bikes at Charter Sports near the Lion’s Head Lodge. We were quickly sized and seated on our selected steads, then fitted with a protective helmet. A forty-year local resident assisted us through the process, and shared trail tips and scenic viewpoints blended with local lore. We were joined in the shuttle by three hung-over members of a bachelorette party, which made for entertaining conversation.

At the start, Black Lake is framed by the distant snowy peaks of the Ten Mile Range. Along the banks, we adjusted our gear and settled into our saddles for eight miles of downhill fun.

Our starting point was the summit of Vail Pass, elevation 10, 662 feet. Surrounded by snow-covered peaks of the Ten Mile Range that form some of Colorado’s most visited ski resorts, Interstate 70 climbs to its penultimate elevation here. Our destination: Vail Village, 14 miles away and 2,500 vertical feet below us.

Just after noon on a sunny and windy day, we posed for pictures overlooking Black Lake. Distant snowy mountain peaks formed a backdrop. Then we devoured our sandwiches before saddling up to head down the wide paved trail from Vail Pass.

Downhill We Go

On a straight section on the banks of Black Lake, we adjusted our gear. Then, we settled into the saddles for nearly eight downhill miles surrounded by mountain scenery, listening only to the wind in our ears. Occasionally, the path neared Interstate 70, always separated but close enough that friendly motorists honked and waved.

At Polk Creek, the trail makes a hard right turn. Ducking under the Grand Army of the Republic Highway – the formal name for Interstate 70 here.  The bike trail follows the deep, rocky valley where Polk Creek, Miller Creek and Black Gore Creek converge.  Above, I-70 curves and splits into twin spans bridging the crevasse. With waters from melting snow as a backdrop, it was a perfect pit stop for a selfie.

At Polk Creek, the trail ducks under the Grand Army of the Republic Highway, the formal name for Interstate 70 here. With waters from melting snow rushing by, it was a perfect place to rehydrate and take a selfie.

The bike trail joins a lightly-travelled road near Gore Creek Campground. We made a mental note to return later for a hike along the popular creek-side trail. Crossing under I-70 again, road traffic increases substantially along Big Horn Road. We picked up speed here on marked bike path that shares the road’s shoulder and a few bus stops. To our left up on the mountainside, Zen Falls and Murphy Falls plunged silently in the distance to join Gore Creek.

Along a busy section of Big Horn Road, up on the mountainside beyond the rental condos, Zen Falls and Murphy Falls plunge from the hillsides down to Black Gore Creek.

At Bridge Road, we crossed Gore Creek, left the busy road and joined the Gore Valley Trail. At 8,500 feet, most of the downhill section was behind us. Following the creek, we rode through rocky mountainside grasslands, spotted a cayote, and struggled up a few short inclines.  We pedaled alongside the fairways of Vail Country Club. Then the path rejoined Sunburst and Vail Valley Road for the final miles back to Lion’s Head. With the bikes available for the afternoon, we pedaled around the village for some leisure exploring and in search of sweet treats.  The latter was found at Rimini Gelato. We ordered up double cones for everyone and watched a wedding photographer capture shots of newly weds.

At Rimini Gelato, we ordered up double cones for everyone and watched a wedding photographer capture shots of newly weds.

Details and Statistics

We completed the riding portion of the excursion in just under two hours. That included nearly 40 minutes of stops for water, waiting, requisite family discussions and photos. My Garmin Fenix 5 tracker recorded 2,204 feet of total descent. Virtually all of that in the first half of the ride before we reached the flatter areas near Vail. My fitness watch also recorded these surprising data points:

  • Our average speed was only 10 mph. Despite a 2,000-foot, 6-mile downhill section, we barely averaged double-digits. Actually, our moving speed was 12 mph, but that’s still surprising considering the massive slope we descended.
  • We climbed nearly 300 feet along the way.  And while I used the word “climbed” intentionally, it’s all facetious. Best described as small elevation gains, all this came once we reached Vail, where the bike path and roads curved into residential and business areas.
  • Peak heart rate was on the downhill section.  I would love to report a high-speed descent akin to what racers experience in the Alps or Pyrenees during the Tour de France. Alas, my top speed was 30 mph, and that data point doesn’t correspond to the heart rate point. In retrospect, maybe I could have fictionalized this part of the story for better effect.
After six miles of steeper downhill riding, the path levels off around 8,500 feet and follows Black Gore Creek. Grasslands line the banks, giving way to trees along the mountainsides.

Final Thoughts

This was an enjoyable family outing for us, and that’s exactly what we signed up for.  If I were to do it again with the family, I’d do the longer eastern descent. That runs from Vail Pass back down to Frisco, then offers an option to continue into Breckenridge.  If you’re a serious cyclist, you can consider making this an out-and-back trip from Breckenridge, Frisco or Vail.  The roundtrip from Breckenridge measures 41 miles and includes 2,300 feet of vertical climbing.  That’s not for me, but you do you!  Happy Trails.

Other Biking Adventures

If you enjoyed this account, you may also enjoy these other biking adventures on our site:

Family Fun Rides in Marietta, GA. We detail our experience on several trails in this Northwest Georgia location.

Biking on St. Simon’s Island, GA. Find our five favorite forays on this island community, plus our bike trail account.

Southern Silver Comet Trail. We did a 42-mile winter roundtrip on the southern-most section of this rail trail.

With the bikes available for the afternoon, we pedaled around Lion’s Head and Vail Village for some additional leisurely exploring.
In Vail, we made a quick stop and revisit to the Betty Ford Botanical Garden. The small garden features a range of alpine plants in typical mountain landscapes.
Graphical representation of ride statistics
A graphic representation of our ride, from my Garmin Connect page. About 41 minutes into our 2 hour ride, we had completed our major descent. After that, the ride flattened, with occasional inclines in residential and commercial areas.

Walking in a Winter Waterfall Wonderland

DeanLand
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Walking in a Winter Waterfall Wonderland

(Originally posted, March 2021)

Since spotting pictures online of frozen waterfalls, I’ve been waiting for a prolonged Georgia cold snap to explore our own winter waterfall wonderlands. Mother Nature hasn’t been cooperative in 2020-2021, offering few consecutive days of below freezing weather for even the slowest-flowing Georgia waterfalls to freeze.

But around President’s Day, when many in Cobb County and other parts of Georgia already had flocked south during school winter break, we finally “enjoyed” enough subfreezing hours to produce and sustain outdoor ice. I intentionally put “enjoyed” in quotes, because while the Georgia weather was good for my waterfall photography purposes, the severe winter storm that brought it created misery, heartbreak, and hardship for many elsewhere in the country.

With few days of below freezing weather in the winter of 2020-2021, my hopes of pictures from a frozen waterfall were waning. So it wasn’t a surprise to my wife when I suggested on the coldest evening of the year that we head out on a waterfall hike the next morning.

Thus, it wasn’t surprising to my wife when, on the coldest evening in 2021, I suggested a morning visit to Amicalola Falls. Temperatures had remained below freezing the prior day, and overnight the mercury was predicted to dip to the lower 20s. But the morning was promising a quick warm-up, thus this was going to be a race with the sunshine to capture my pictures.

Racing the Sun

Approaching Amicalola State Park on GA SR 136, we saw only minimal traces of snow remaining on some of the nearest high points, and I feared I had missed the photo opportunity. But further up the road, while navigating a sweeping turn, we spotted the frosted trees surrounding the falls canyon and extending up to the peak where Amicalola Falls Lodge overlooks the surrounding valley. My hopes were rising, but so were the sun and the temperatures.

Spotting the frosted trees surrounding the falls canyon and extending up to the peak where Amicalola Falls Lodge overlooks the surrounding valley, my hopes were rising. But so were the sun and the temperatures, and this was going to be a race.

As with all hikes by us mid-60ish folks, this one started in the visitor’s center for a quick break before heading up to the top of the falls. Among other necessities, it was time to renew our Georgia State Parks annual pass, a bargain at $50 for anyone and even better with the 50% discounts for seniors.  But time was ticking.

After renewing our Georgia State Parks senior pass, then a quick pit stop at the lodge for other necessities, we headed for the falls-top parking area. The temperature now read 32F, and trees were quickly shedding their ice coats in the warming sun.

Observing the parkwide 15 mph speed limit and gawking at the plentiful icicles lining the road, we finally reached the falls-top parking area at 10 am on what was now a bright and clear day. Our thermostats read 32F degrees, up 5F from our departure.

Throwing Caution to the Wind

I raced for the descending stairs and started my downward trek. An early slip on the ice-covered metal of the first flight made me more cautious as I quick stepped down the remaining 400+ steps to the mid-falls overlook. I passed another photographer, already on his way up having completed earlier-morning shots. Tick-tock!

The falls tumbled from the promontory, cascading through a field of icicles glistening on the black and grey canyon rock face.

Reaching the overlook bridge, I entered a scene from Frozen, but without my princess who was far behind cautiously and safely descending those slick stairs. Above, the falls tumbled from the promontory, cascading through a field of icicles glistening on the black and grey rock face. All around, the frozen mist encased plants and rocks and trees, creating an icy landscape soon to disappear.

Looking down toward the lower cascades, the ice field ended and transformed back to a barren winter landscape. I could feel the warmth creeping up, amplified by the sounds of ice falling from the thawing tree branches all around.

Below the mid-falls observation bridge, the ice field ended and the forest transformed into a barren winter landscape except for a light coating of snow remaining on the stairs and rails. I could feel the warmth creeping up the canyon as I snapped furiously to capture any unique shot.

Snapping digital shots from several vantage points, I stretched, bent, knelt, and even laid around the railings and obstacles, trying to emulate better photographers who always find unusual or overlooked angles. Fortunately, the park was still deserted on this freezing weekday, so I was only annoying my wife, who had now arrived and was just shaking her head with disdain as she often does when I try to play photographer.

Mission Accomplished

With my photo ideas and knees exhausted from the effort, it was time to climb those 400+ stairs back to the top of the falls. Afterwards, we drove back to the small parking area at the mid-falls level, walking the rubberized ADA-rated trail back to the falls overlook while snapping a few more pictures of ice formations and the canyon scenery.

Walking on the rubberized ADA-rated trail, we spotted a few unusual ice formations, like this bird trying to go airborne from a frosty perch.
Our eyes translated this as an elephant trying to climb up a cliff face, pulling itself up with its trunk. Others saw a tiger sliding down, trying to slow itself with its tail. What’s your interpretation?

Finally, we returned to the car and drove home through Ball Ground, stopping at Les Bon Temps Louisiana Kitchen for a shrimp poboy and shrimp salad on this first Friday of Lent. As native Louisianians, we rarely eat at “Louisiana” restaurants outside our home state. But we’ve found on previous and this visit that Les Bon Temps is worthy of continued patronage even by us particular Cajuns, and we recommend giving it a try if you’re passing through.

Final Thoughts

If you’re an OurTravelCafe.com regular, you’ll recognize that we enjoy hiking year-round in Georgia. One of my posts lists the reasons we enjoy winter hiking and offers tips for others to try it. Another recent post documented our February visit to Sawnee Mountain and the panoramic views at the Indian Seats. And quite a few other posts in our Georgia Small Plates section feature winter pictures from a variety of our adventures.

From the bottom of the falls canyon near the trout lake, this zoom photo captures the barren winter landscape in the foreground while the upper falls is coated in misty ice.

That said, while we enjoyed this first frozen falls foray, I dare say it won’t be our last. But we’ll likely have to wait another year and travel farther afield if we want to capture a more fully frozen waterfall landscape. We have a December 2021 trip to Colorado planned, so maybe that will offer the best opportunity.

One thing is certain: when we find it, we’ll post about it here.

Two Tennessee Treasures, One Scenic Day

DeanLand
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Two Tennessee Treasures, One Scenic Day

With an unusual free weekend and feeling like some waterfall wandering beyond our normal neighborhood, we snuck out of the Northwest Corner of Georgia on I-75, then turned onto bucolic backroads in Tennessee for some new adventures. Our one-day destinations: Twin Falls at Rock Island State Park, then Falls Creek Falls, before returning to Chattanooga for an overnight.

Eschewing the fast lane in favor of the winding backroads made the journey as pleasing as the destinations, as we enjoyed the full fall palette of colorful foliage enroute to our planned stops.

Below is a short sample from the dashboard camera on Tennessee Hwy 8 near McMinville, as we drive down toward the Collins River Gorge.

Dashboard camera footage driving down Tennessee backroads, heading to the Collins River gorge.

Rock Island State Park

Since we’re often asked this question, let’s start with the fast answer: yes, at Rock Island State Park, you can view the main falls, lots of smaller ones and other scenery here without any strenuous hiking. In fact, the Twin Falls is visible from a small overlook parking area without any hiking at all. For those wanting a closer view, a trail and steel-plated stairs allow visitors to walk to the riverbank directly across from the falls.

An unusual feature of Twin Falls: they are man made, and don’t flow from a surface stream plunging from higher elevation. The falls were formed when the Great Falls Dam caused the Collins River to rise. The rising waters seeped into caverns on Rock Island’s south shore, and eventually erupted from the bluffs on the north shore to create the cascading falls.

View of Twin Falls at Rock Island State Park from the overlook parking lot, located off of Powerhouse Road. The falls are fed from the Collins River, through caverns in the porous bluffs, before erupting as cascading falls.

While we came for the falls, hiking also was on our fall agenda. After a 2.5 hour drive, we were ready for a walk and followed the water along the 1.5 mile lollipop-loop of Downriver Trail. Fortunately, we were prepared with hiking boots and poles, as we experienced rocky footings, downed trees and a few slippery mud patches along the way.

The trail meanders through waterside forest along a steep and rocky bluff above the river, offering colorful and expansive views of the river gorge. Passing the main falls delivered on a variety of photo opportunities in the ever-changing panorama of the bluff cliffs. Along the path, we caught glimpses of many small waterfalls created by seeps through the porous cliffsides.

Don’t put your camera away after the overlook view, because the Downriver Trail offers lots of new looks, fresh angles and colorful options for intrepid photographers.
All along the route, small waterfalls trickle down the cliffside from cracks and crevices in the rock.

Reaching the end of the lollipop stick portion of the trail, we chose the right-side loop of the Downriver Trail, taking us away from the river and through several picturesque glades full of fall flowers. Reaching the apex of the trail, we were treated to breathtaking views of rock formations and river rapids. As hawks soared high above searching for a mid-day meal, we paused for a water break while listening to the almost-musical sounds of the river rushing and tumbling over the rocky river bottom.

Almost as a reward for making the hike, we were treated to views of rock formations and river rapids at the apex point of the Downriver Trail.

On the return trip, the bluff trail hugged the river bank, with lots of promontories to peak over into the gorge below. Again, we were delighted by the many small falls springing from cracks, crevices and caverns carved into the cliffsides. As the trail turned sharply to the left following a river bend, we clambered over a few fallen trees to discover expansive and colorful views of the upriver canyon.

At a bend in the river, we paused for a break to catch our breath, while surrounded by views that took our breath away.

After returning to our vehicle, we drove back by Great Falls Dam, then into the park’s main gates for some vehicular sight-seeing. We made a few stops here, did a bit more walking, and explored the riverside near the ruins of the Great Falls Cotton Mill. Our short visit just skimmed the overall hiking potential at Rock Island State Park. But, with GPS set to navigate more scenic backroads, we headed to our second destination at Falls Creek Falls State Park.

Falls Creek Falls State Park

Again, let’s start with the FAQs about falls viewing here: A bluff-top overlook provides a high-point view of Falls Creek Falls and the canyon below, with only a short walk from the parking lot. Continuing along the canyon rim trail also delivers stunning vistas of colorful foliage and rock formations before the trail takes a sharp, downward plunge toward the canyon floor. For the distance, mobility or balance challenged, we’d recommend sticking to the canyon rim and avoiding the treacherous trek down and strenuous climb back up.

An observation deck view of Falls Creek Falls offers a look down into the canyon at the highest free-falling falls in the eastern US, with a 256-foot vertical fall.

We’ll also note here that our visit was limited only to hiking to the main falls. Within its nearly 20,000 acres, Falls Creek Falls State Park is home to several water falls, nearly 20 main hiking trails, mountain bike trails, camping areas, a resort lodge, a golf course and lots more. While we came for hours with one specific goal of hiking to the main falls, others stay for days to enjoy all the activities and adventures available here.

Sticking to the canyon rim trail offers scenic views. Dropping down to the canyon floor means treacherous footing on the way down, and a strenuous climb back up.

As the afternoon began to wane, we walked from the observation deck, around the rim trail, and plunged down the steep trail toward the base of the canyon. The path surface was a mix of dirt and protruding rocks, then changing to an all-stones-and-rocks route that required careful steps. Visiting on a Friday, the trail was often crowded with some large, slow moving groups interspersed with individual and younger hikers. At several points, we stepped to the side to allow faster hikers to move past us, just as we also stepped around some of those slower groups. And we were happy to be wearing our hiking boots, but regretted the decision to leave our hiking poles in the vehicle.

Stairs, dirt, leaves, sharp rocks and large boulders made our descending canyon walk a challenge. Ascending was breathtaking, but for reasons very different than the falls view.
The falls path passes stunning rock faces and huge overhangs. Groups often stop for photos, creating traffic jams and tight squeezes on the narrow footpath. Don’t plan for this to be a fast-paced excursion.

Reaching the bed of the canyon provided amazing views of the plunging waters. Despite crowds on the trail and a line of people at the main trailhead, we sought out unobstructed spots and good angles for our photos. But unlike Rock Island where we enjoyed quiet solitude and the sounds of nature, the soundscape at Falls Creek was more like a cacophony of voices and accents.

Large crowds and lines along the trail made it difficult to capture great photos. Extra work, patience and creativity often were required to avoid the need for software-based photo gimmicks.

Traversing Tennessee Backroads

Sharp curves and hilltops revealed postcard-perfect rural scenery all along our journey on Tennessee backroads.

On our trip out to Rock Island and Falls Creek Falls, then back to Chattanooga for an overnight, and finally back to Georgia the next day, we travelled on beautiful backroads through forests, fields and mountains. Sharp curves and hilltops often gave way to stunning vistas and postcard-perfect rural scenery. Fortunately, the days of film and developing are long behind us. So we snapped away freely unconcerned about limitations on cyber storage space. Many of those images now rotate effortlessly and regularly on our TV screen saver with other travel photos, all driven by Google Photos and the PhotoView for Google Photos app on our Roku player.

After filling our mugs with Saturday morning coffee, we enjoyed a few hours driving around the twisting mountain roads near Lookout Mountain.

Before heading home from Chattanooga on Saturday, we filled our coffee mugs, connected our travel tunes, and enjoyed hours of scenic driving on the mountains and byways around Lookout Mountain. From the tumbling waters near Rock City, around to the fairy-tale named streets on Lookout Mountain and down Battlefield Parkway, we soaked in the views as a light rain soaked the surrounding landscape. With no specific timetable to meet, the meandering drive was the perfect end to our quick adventure.

From Chattanooga, past Lookout Mountain, down Battlefield Parkway and back to Northwest Georgia, we soaked in the views as a light rain soaked the landscape on our drive home.

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