On Saturday, we had a wonderful hike with temps in the 50s
and 60s. as we started the hike at Barker Camp Road trail head of the
North Chickamauga Creek Gorge State Park.
Sunny with ten eager hikers, we walked the 1.3 mile connector trail to
the CT and turned east to head toward our destination at Stevenson’s camp and
waterfall. We stopped at Panther branch
overlook and admired the view of the gorge with the North Chick creek tumbling
hundreds of feet below Shortly after, a
new bridge over Panther branch made the water crossing easy. Prior to descending into the gorge, we
stopped to read a new park sign about the trail-dangerous and rugged. A Challenge – let’s go! Down, down we trod on the side of the bluff
on switchbacks, until we reached the rocky banks of the Cooper creek. The first spring Hepatica flowers greeted
us. A new bridge over the creek assured
us of dry boots. Stevenson’s camp and
waterfall were just around the corner.
Time for lunch, rest and trepidation about hiking back up the bluff. Three hikers chose to do a thru hike and
continued to the main trailhead at Montlake road. The rest of us returned as we had come,
logging 8.5 miles with an elevation gairn of 1381 feet.
If you would like to see some great pictures taken during this hike, click here or on the picture to the right.
Why did the ghost go into the bar? For the BOOS!