Hiking the North and South Rim Trails

Okay, Lotsa pictures today.  Judy and I walked both the North and South Rim Trails yesterday morning and will give you a photo tour of Tallulah Gorge State Park as can be seen from each of the Overlooks.  Be sure to use your cursor over the picture to read the captions. The first place to stop once entering the park is the Jane Hurt Yarn Interpretive Center where you can pick up trail maps and get information regarding the Gorge.Once you have your map in hand you’ll want to head for the North Rim Trail which encompasses Overlooks 1 through 5.  Overlook 1 gives you a view of the Tallulah River running through Tallulah Gorge with Oceana Falls as well as Bridal Vale (sliding rock) Falls in the distance.Overlooks 2 and 3 are right next to each other providing views to l’Eau d’Or (LaDore) Falls and Tempesta Falls.  This is, also, the North Rim entrance to the 331 stairs down to the Suspension Bridge which crosses over the river at the top of Hurricane Falls.  There are another 221 stairs leading down to the Gorge Floor. Following along the North Rim Trail to Overlook 4 provides you a nice view of the Tallulah Dam. Overlook 5 is sort of grown up but does give you downstream view of Tallulah Gorge.As you cross the highway bridge to get to the South Rim Trail you will have a view of the Tallulah River just downstream of the dam.  The South Rim Trail gives you much better views of the ledges as well as Tempesta and Hurricane Falls.From Overlook 6 you can see the Suspension Bridge and the top of the Hurricane Falls which is the largest set of falls in the Gorge, dropping 96 feet. Overlook 7 gives you the best view of the Tempesta Falls.  The South Rim entrance to the 346 stairs down to the Suspension Bridge is between Overlook 6 and 7.  There are another 221 stairs leading down to the Gorge Floor. At Overlook 8 you can see the very bottom of Hurricane Falls and great views of the Interpretive Center where you can see our “office window” – tough gig, uh?   Overlook 9 gives you the best views of Hurricane Falls from above on the Rim Trails.  For a full view of the falls you’ll need to go to the Gorge Floor which means taking all those stairs from either the North Rim (552) or the South Rim (567). Overlook 10 is the last overlook on the Rim Trails where you get a different view of Oceana falls from that of Overlook 1 (which is right across the Gorge).  There is a little cave at Overlook 10 with a little settee has been built into it so that you can just sit and listen to the water rushing across the many falls (very peaceful). Well there you have it.  A three mile hike and you didn’t even have to leave your easy chair.  But, we can assure you that these pictures don’t do it justice so if you are ever in northern Georgia, western North Carolina, or western South Carolina it would be worth the drive to visit Tallulah Gorge State Park.

After a short katt nap in the early afternoon, we continued setting up our patio so that we can sit outside and enjoy this nice Georgia weather (once it quits raining that is).  Rain is in the forecast for the next seven days – yuk!!

Today is another “work day”.  We have a group of school kids showing up so Judy and I will be working in the Interpretive Center assisting West with the movie, answering questions, and what ever else comes up (other than snake handling, that is).  So, we’ll See Ya Down The Road as we continue Wandering America.