2013 WATERFALLS and HIKING TRAILS

The following waterfalls and hikes are on this blog:

BLOOD MOUNTAIN CREEK (LOWER) WATERFALL HIKE

BLOOD MOUNTAIN CREEK (MIDDLE) WATERFALL HIKE

BLOOD MOUNTAIN CREEK (UPPER) WATERFALL HIKE

RAVEN CLIFF FALLS HIKE

SAWNEE MOUNTAIN NATURE PRESERVE HIKE

SUMMERVILLE/CHATTANOOGA GET-AWAY

BOGGS CREEK HIKE

LITTLE RIDGE CREEK WATERFALL HIKE

COW ROCK CREEK WATERFALL HIKE

PANTHER CREEK WATERFALL HIKE

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BLOOD MOUNTAIN CREEK (LOWER) WATERFALL HIKE 

5 January 2013

COORDINATES: Trailhead for lower falls: N 34º 41.87'  | W 83º 57.18'

Elevation: 1980'

Trailhead for upper falls: N3 4° 42.4'  | W 83° 57.3'

Elevation: 2260'

If the forest service road just beyond Dicks Creek Waterfalls is closed, then you must park across from Dicks Creek and hike up the forest service road (FS34).

This hike travels through scenic mountain climbs, steep, twisting switchbacks, and dirt roads high above the main road.

There are three falls on Blood Mountain Creek - the first two (lower and middle falls) are connected by cascading rapids in a deep cove a short distance from the forest service road.

The Upper Falls is about 2 miles above the lower and middle falls and is above an area of large boulders which can make it difficult to reach especially if the creek is swollen from a recent rain. 

DIRECTIONS to the LOWER and MIDDLE WATERFALLS:

From Dahlonega to the Lower and Middle Falls:

• Travel North on US 19 for approximately 13.7 miles.
• Turn left onto Mt. Pisgah Church Rd.
• (If you reach Turner’s Corner at the junction of US 19/129, then you have traveled too far).
• Travel for 2.6 miles to Dicks Creek Falls which will be on the left.
• Dicks Creek Falls Road becomes Forest Service Road 34 (FS 34).
• If FS34 is closed, park across from Dicks Creek and hike up FS 34 for about a mile in a half to the ford that crosses Crow Mountain Creek.
• If you cannot get through the ford by car/truck, there is a parking area to the right of the ford where you can park and hike the remaining distance.
• Continue for another mile to Blood Mountain Creek which passes under the road from the right.
• Park here for the lower and middle falls.
• Scramble up the side of the boulders to get to the lower and middle falls.
• The difficult un-maintained, but well used trail goes up the left side of the creek and reaches the lower falls about 100 yards from FS34 and the middle falls in another 50 yards upstream.
• The Lower and Middle Falls together with the intermediate connecting cascade have about a 50 ft. drop.
• The Middle Falls is about 50 yards above the lower falls and is reached by continuing on the trail past the lower falls.

Blood Mountain Creek Waterfall - Below the Lower Waterfall

We did not hike up to the middle falls on this particular hiking adventure; there were too many people on the boulders and yet we've been there before.

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BLOOD MOUNTAIN CREEK (UPPER) WATERFALL HIKE

DIRECTIONS TO THE UPPER WATERFALLS:

• Continue on FS34 approximately 1.3 miles beyond the parking lot in front of the lower and middle falls to the closed Forest Service gate and park here.
• There are three well defined trails.
• Take the wide trail beyond the Forest Service gate – (DO NOT hike the trail up the hill to the left of the Forest Service Gate and DO NOT hike the trail behind the blocking mound of dirt).
• Continue hiking for about 0.4 miles down to a huge open field where deer possibly graze. SEE PICTURE BELOW of the footpath to the left of the No Mountain Bike Marker.
• (If you veer to the right and the field is on your left, then you are going in the wrong direction – turn around).
• Look for the marker that has a picture of a mountain bike with a red line through it.
• On this well defined trail, follow Blood Mountain Creek upstream.
• When the trail appears to dead end into the stream, take a sharp left and continue upstream with the creek on your right.
• This trail will reach a field of large boulders in about 0.7 miles scattered about the creek bed and down the creek.
• The Upper Falls will be in sight once you reach the area where the large boulders are located.
• In order to photograph and/or obtain an ideal view of the bottom of the falls at the top will require some extra effort on your part.
• Cross the creek at the lowest point of the creek (where the trail basically dead-ends) near the larger boulders where a small cascade of the falls is gushing.
• Scramble up the steep slope on the right side of the creek.
• Cross over a 7 inch wide boulder ledge with extreme caution.
• WARNING: There is a 8 foot drop off beneath the boulder face.
• Once you cross the boulder, you can hike up to the front of the waterfall to capture a better view.
• GOOD LUCK AND PLEASE ALWAYS PUT SAFETY FIRST – this area is notorious for black bear sightings.

SUCCESS!!!

We made it to the Upper Falls of Blood Mountain Creek. We have been wanting to hike to this location for close to three years. The first time we tried to find it we were unsuccessful. Today, we finally found it!!!!  

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BLOOD MOUNTAIN CREEK (LOWER) WATERFALL HIKE 

12 January 2013

HIKE with the GEORGIA ADVENTURERS GROUP

Alicia, me and James getting ready to head out on our hike to the lower, middle and upper areas of Blood Mountain Creek Waterfalls. Jeffrey said I look like the Gordon's Fisherman in my yellow rain jacket that makes me also look like a Good Year Blimp. I'm not 'that' fat! 

(The above shot is hazy from all the fog).

Blood Mountain Creek (Lower) Waterfalls

This is an incredibly arduous hike in order to witness this view. There is a trail to the left of this (lower) waterfall that you can hike up to get this view. The trail is up a small embankment to the left of the parking area right where the lower falls goes underneath the road and connects with Dicks Creek. Once you begin hiking, the trail continually climbs a steep embankment; there are slippy areas and there is no rope to hold on to. The ledges around the steep embankment offer footing; however, it is best to take hiking poles so you can catch yourself should your footing slip. There are tree branches, trunks and tons of roots to help you climb to the best areas in order to view lower and middle falls; however, if you are an older person with bad knees, this particular portion of the hike is not advisable.

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BLOOD MOUNTAIN CREEK (MIDDLE) WATERFALL HIKE 

12 January 2013

HIKE with the GEORGIA ADVENTURERS GROUP

Blood Mountain Creek (Middle) Waterfall

The Middle Falls shown above is about 50 yards above the lower falls and is reached by continuing on the trail past the lower falls. Once you get past the lower falls, the steep slope of the mountain is still in front of you in order to get to the area where this portion of the waterfall is located. You can actually climb atop a monsterous boulder to view this waterfall best. If it rained the day before or is raining the day of your hike and the boulders are wet, please exercise extreme caution when hiking in this area.

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BLOOD MOUNTAIN CREEK (UPPER) WATERFALL HIKE

12 January 2013

 HIKE with the GEORGIA ADVENTURERS GROUP

There is a tiny trail on a tight ridge to the left of the creek bed that you can hike up to get this shot.

Alicia is tying her boots together so she can put them around her neck in order to be able to ford across the creek. James already made it across with Charlie. James actually did some boulder jumping to get to the other side of the steep mountain. You can see him in the top right corner of this shot on the other side of the mountain.

The thin, slippy, moss covered boulder face path we had to climb across to get to the bottom of upper falls. There is a 10 foot drop to the left of this shot that scared the LIFE out of me... The bottom of Jeffrey's pants are soaked because he had to stand in the creek to help me across. I'm not a huge fan of rapidly moving water - anywhere. Jeffrey is such a trooper though. :-)

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RAVEN CLIFF FALLS HIKE

19 January 2013

 HIKE with the GEORGIA ADVENTURERS GROUP

Photo by Edwin Wong

New hiking buddies: Max - the Shih tzu, Jim, Cindy, Teresa, David, Michele, Jeffrey, Kimberly, Alicia, Julie, Heather, John, Marilyn, Dean, and Rob.

Walking across the Big Rock Wiggles Bridge. This bridge is now Jeffrey's trail name - Big Rock Wiggles.

I love that Julie is taking a picture of me taking a picture of her.

John, Jeffrey, Teresa and David heading up to the main attaction.

This is what we came to see!

Jim and Jeffrey heading up to the 'hairy' area to get above the falls coming through the cliffs. NOT ME!! NOPE! NEVER will I go up there! Have fun men!

Heather, Rob and Julie had lunch on this boulder! Where was I? On the other side of this boulder having lunch near the rock face opening.

These folks are so much fun! We have new friends now!

L-R: Edwin, Dean, Rob, Heather, Jim, Kimberly, Julie, Jeffrey, Alicia, Teresa, David, Michele, Cindy and Max

Of course I climbed down an embankment (not far this time) to get this shot. This hike was so much fun and I'm incredibly honored folks joined us today. Mission Accomplished!

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SAWNEE MOUNTAIN PRESERVE HIKE

20 January 2013

We joined another hiking group for this hike and lo and behold they LEFT US BEHIND ON THE TRAIL! That was a little shocking, but we certainly made the best of this hiking trip that we raced to get to from our son's house in Gwinnett Co.

Regardless of being left behind, this area is so gorgeous at the summit of Sawnee Mountain in Forsyth Co.
I can see Blood Mountain, Brasstown Bald, Yonah Mountain, Pine Log Mountain, Cagle Mountain, Henderson Mountain, Sharp Mountain, Springer Mountain, Hawk Mountain, Greasy Mountain, Amicalola Mountain and several northern towns all from where I'm sitting. WOW!!!!

Jeffrey is in the Indian Seat.

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SUMMERVILLE/CHATTANOOGA GET-AWAY

25-27 January 2013

My best friend, Shannon who is a history teacher, and I stopped at the Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History Center in Kennesaw on our way to our mountain retreat. Shannon is getting a history lesson from a volunteer at the history center while I, of course, take pictures.

Shannon is reading about Ovid Wellford Smith who was one of the men on the stolen Civil War locomotive along with Union spy James J. Andrews and a group of 21 Northern soldiers who were disguised as civilians. These men boarded a locomotive called the 'General' in Marietta, buying tickets for diverse destinations to avert suspicion from their enemies. When the train made a breakfast stop at the 'Lacy Hotel in Big Shanty,' they seized the locomotive and several boxcars and fled northward to Chattanooga. The goal of these daring raiders was to destroy tracks, telegraph wires, and bridges behind them, thus cutting off the Confederate supply route between Virginia and Mississippi. You can read and learn more about the Great Locomotive Chase here: http://www.southernmuseum.org/

The far left panel of the monument above states, "Ohio's Tribute to the Andrews Raiders, 1862, Erected 1890."

Monument of the General Locomotive in the National Cemetery in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Confederate forces charged all the raiders with "acts of unlawful belligerency,"; the civilians were charged as unlawful combatants and spies. All the prisoners were tried in military courts, or courts martial. Tried in Chattanooga, James J. Andrews was found guilty. He was executed by hanging on June 7 in Atlanta. On June 18, seven others (who had been transported to Knoxville and convicted as spies) were returned to Atlanta and also hanged; their bodies were buried unceremoniously in an unmarked grave (they were later reburied at the Chattanooga National Cemetery).

At the Chattanooga National Cemetery

 At the Chattanooga National Cemetery

 At our weekend get-away.

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BOGGS CREEK HIKE

3 February 2013

HIKE with the GEORGIA ADVENTURERS GROUP At Boggs Creek Campground; Henry, Betsy, Michael, Jeffrey, Patty, Tim, Dean and Heather from the Georgia Adventurers Group. We are at Boggs Creek Campground. This shot was taken before we hiked up to Little Ridge Creek Waterfall, then on up to Cow Rock Creek Waterfalls.

We waded through tumbling creeks, roaring creeks, climbed mountainsides, saw deer and rabbit tracks, ate lunch at the bottom of Little Ridge Creek Waterfall, got wet more than once and then had dinner together. What an awesome day!!!

At Boggs Creek Campground; Henry, Betsy, Michael, me, Patty, Tim, Dean and Heather from the Georgia Adventurers Group.

Off we go hiking along Boggs Creek.

Jeffrey and Henry work together to assist Betsy in getting to the other side of the creek while Patty, Michael and Dean wait patiently. The members of the Georgia Adventurers Group (G.A.G.) work together as a team to ford through creeks and successfully we always make it to the other side.

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LITTLE RIDGE CREEK WATERFALL HIKE

3 February 2013

  This is God's Glory at Little Ridge Creek Waterfall!
Have you ever had lunch at the bottom of a waterfall? We did today!

Trees were down along the old logging road to get to this location and were across the creek bed, but climbing over or under was safe and nobody broke a leg.   

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COW ROCK CREEK WATERFALL HIKE

3 February 2013

 We even found Cow Rock Creek and trees were down everywhere over there, but that didn't stop us. Jeffrey, Dean and I hiked up to the waterfall to get closer shots. The hike was a little hairy going up steep hillsides with only roots to grab on to and shoving my hiking poles in the earth to get the best traction.

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PANTHER CREEK WATERFALL HIKE

10 February 2013

HIKE with the GEORGIA ADVENTURERS GROUP 

My gang from the Georgia Adventurers Group setting off across the street from the parking lot to begin our long 7+ mile hike to Panther Creek Waterfall.

The first creek crossing. Last time we were here, the water was filled with ice.  Nick, Julie and Henry fording across the creek to continue on down to Panther Creek.

Dean, Nick, Mike, Henry and hidden behind the small trees is Pam.

The bottom of Panther Creek Waterfall. This is the highlight of the entire trip. Once you are here, you will want to eat lunch and take in the scenery.

Julie sat on the boulder for quite a while soaking up the scenery and taking pictures. Dean was just finishing up his shoot of the falls and Pam was capturing as many shots as she wanted. We were in no hurry to get back to our cars.

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