25 July 2022
Monday
OK, I overdid it today. A few years ago I had determined my maximum distance in the mountains was around six miles. Today I did 8.8 miles in heat. I will admit most of the trail was shady but the “feels like” temperature was 93F. Even in the shade, that’s pretty hot. Again, not a dry stitch on me. Fortunately, the cottage comes with a washing and dryer and doesn’t require you to feed either with quarters.
I started the morning with a hike to Dukes Creek Falls. You can drive to within 0.5 miles of the falls but a trail just next to my cabin leads to the falls also but with a 0.9 mile difference. Like most trails to visit falls, you first go up and then you go down. It’s like a roller coaster.
The falls are just a little shorter than Anna Ruby, coming in at 150 feet. They have nice observation platforms for photos.
What goes down, must go back up.
The entire trail was in the shade and since it was early morning, once I returned to the cabin and cooled down a while, I decided to try Chunanee Falls, also in the park. I should have cooled a little longer.
Supposedly the Chunanee Falls are 2.8 miles from the visitors center but as you walked the trail, it kept getting closer and then further away according to the markers.
For most of the way, you walk beside Dukes Creek.
At approximately 1.7 miles you came to a covered bridge. On the other side of the bridge was a gravel road.
I would say approximately 50% of the trail is paved road and the rest is gravel road. Only 0.5 miles up and then down to the falls is actual trail. You walk next to Dukes Creek but what makes the falls is the Alabama Branch which joins Dukes Creek at the falls.
One point on the actual trail to the falls was interesting to me. Some rhododendron formed into some unusual shapes.
The falls are only 20 feet high but they are impressive with their width.
The elevation gain was 676 feet, not too bad but I think I did that three times on the hike. According to my “computer” that burned 2, 293 calories. The entire hike took 3 hours and 12 minutes. I stopped at the falls for 25 minutes and had lunch. Not a bad lunch spot!
Those 6.8 miles round trip took it out of me. While I washed clothes at the cottage, I headed to the hot tub after taking two Advil. I will be sore as hell tomorrow but the good news is my hips didn’t bother me other than just typical soreness I would have gotten from the hike. At least I got my money’s worth with water falls this trip.
Just to give you a little perspective, Amicolola Falls is 729 feet and the tallest water fall in Georgia. These two falls were pikers in comparison but they were worth the hike.
You might want to check for my blog tomorrow. I may be dead from exhaustion.
Up until this point, the trip has been interesting but not great. These two days at Garden Cottage and hiking the trails to the water falls has made it an outstanding trip. I really don’t want to leave the cottage. I wonder if Helen has Uber delivery?
Tomorrow I head for Laura S. Walker State Park outside of Waycross, Georgia. Stay tuned!
