Fall was showing off, & it was a feast for our eyes! Everywhere we looked, we saw leaves of red, orange, yellow, and every shade in between. It was like walking through a fall wonderland!!
We weren’t
expecting fall to be on full display this late in the season, but that’s
exactly what we experienced at Fort Mountain SP! We also threw convention out
the window by hiking on a Wednesday instead of a Tuesday. It was a super rainy
day on Tuesday, so we figured one day later was sure better than no hike at
all!
5 hikers
started our day on the Cool Springs & Mill Creek Falls Loop Trail. The
trail began on the well-known Gahuti section then turned onto another trail
that led us beside Mill Creek as it flows down the mountain. It rained the day
before, so water was falling everywhere! We stopped for lunch at the beautiful
Mill Creek Falls. After lunch, we finished the hike with a long, challenging
climb back up the mountain that taxed even seasoned hikers. When completed, the
loop trail was 5.5 miles with right at 1,400 ft. of elevation gain.
Our day
didn’t end there. Being an ambitious group of hikers, we decided to hike
another mile to see some historical sites & an incredible overlook. The
first notable site is an ancient rock wall believed to have been built between
400-500 AD! No one knows for sure who built it. Theories range from the Native
Americans, a legendary Welsh explorer, and more mysteriously, the “moon-eyed
people” from Cherokee mythology. Next, we made our way to the CCC fire tower
constructed in the 1930’s. The group had fun searching for the heart-shaped
stone that was built into the structure. Finally, we headed out to the overlook
that offers views of the small town of Chatsworth, Georgia & beyond in the
center with views of the mountains on both sides. One word… spectacular!
Hikers
included: Jennifer Davis (hike leader), Tammy Hendrick, Tom McElhone, Betsy
Darken, and Carl Westman.
If you would like to see some really beautiful pictures taken during this hike, click here or on the photo shown above.
My relationship with whiskey is on the rocks!