hiking

I am not sure what the bigger draw is to this park. The ruins or the rapids. Both are pretty impressive. I have been trying to get to this park for a while. It did not disappoint.

The plan was a short hike to the ruins and back but we ended up doing 7.5 miles instead of 2.5 and spending a good part of the day exploring trails and creatures. It was tails on trails day so we encountered tons of dogs and even a cat on a leash. Looking back I should have photographed all the great dogs we stopped to pet and featured a whole post on that. Maybe next time.

The trail was very rocky and slick along the creek.

I wished I came years earlier before the fenced off the ruins. There is a way you could easily get inside but you would get wet and there are signs posted everywhere with numbers to text and asking for pictures if you see anyone inside the ruins. I love my state parks too much to chance being on the Georgia State Parks most wanted list.

The perks of winter hiking ... no bugs or sweating and you can see so much more when the leaves are bare.

There was a very young ranger collecting specimens along the banks and beds.

We learned about citizen science and how we could volunteer to dig up and examine creatures to help determine the state of the ecosystem and environment.

After working up an appetite we headed back the the nature center where I bought some patches and got the info on joining the Park Paddler club. The center was covered in local taxidermy. I will shred a whole post just on that. The park is only a few miles from downtown Atlanta but feels like it is a million miles away.