June 1 - A Threefer! Arabia Mountain, Panola Mountain 12/47, and a Monastery

I wanted to get to a park for National Trails Day and my daughter suggested we check out Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area since it wasn't terribly far from her house. We also stuck our heads in Panola Mountain State Park, since it was just up the road, as well as the Monastery of the Holy Spirit cause why not?

Arabia Mountain was frankly strange, a lower version of Stone Mountain with nary a vistor's center or gift shop within view. It was tough to tell even where to park! We found our way to the Nature Center and walked to the 'start' of the 'trail' up the mountain. The 'trail' is kind of a "Choose Your Own Adventure" where the permanent cairns that mark where to go are "more like guidelines". We pretty much had the place to ourselves Saturday, which was nice. Weather wasn't too bad, sunny and hot with a nice breeze.

The mountain itself was a moon scape of weathered granite with occasional 'shallows' that had scrub plants growing in them.

Panola, it turns out, is the location of the Parks and Historic Sites headquarters. I thought that was neat. The only way up the mountain itself is with a guided hike, which was a bit disappointing, but the surrounding area was very nice and wooded and apparently quite popular.

The Monastery is impressive. We poked around a bit and visited the shops, museum, and small bonsai garden they have. We looooved the bonsai and felt very inspired! Our favorites were the boxwood bonsai.

April 28 - Moccasin Creek 11/47

I decided to go up to Moccasin Creek State Park having forgotten everything about it from last time. Got there and went, "Oh right, this place." It's the oddest park, being little more than an RV campground and fish hatchery on Lake Burton. Here's the thing, if you wanna go hiking at Moccasin Creek, you actually have to leave the park.

But Hemlock Falls is worth it.

The trail is across the highway on USFS land. The first 1/4 to 1/3 of the trail is... unfortunate. Garbage is everywhere. People camp where they like. And flies, at least when I went, were in abundance. Once you get past the yuck part, the trail becomes a real gem.

 This snake was so still, I feared he was dead! But he was more afraid of me than I was of him.

 Not sure on the type of snake here. I didn't hang around to find out and neither did he.

 The CCC ruins are barely there. I can only guess where the buildings were placed in the clearings.

April 25 - Tallulah Gorge 10/47

Wasn't feeling so spectacular today, but I still wanted to take advantage of the nice weather so I headed up to Tallulah Gorge State Park, one of my favorite spots in Georgia. I quickly realized I wasn't up for doing the stairs so instead ventured down the road to the south side of the gorge, an area I haven't spent much time at. It's definitely a different perspective on the place!

 I walked under the old bridge and looked at the graffiti and kind of abandoned atmosphere the area had. It was a bit surreal.