Local favorites

Little Ridge Park

Due to my work schedule for most of 2017, I had free time in the mornings. It was great and it gave me the chance to exercise more often. So basically anytime the weather was nice, I went to the park. We are fortunate to live near a very nice park on Lake Lanier, which also happens to be free AND dog friendly! I spend so much time at Little Ridge Park, you would think I lived there. It's not huge but there is a nice trail through the woods and it is easy to access the lake from different parts of the trail. There's also a boat launch but that is about it (no bathrooms or pavilions or such). It's crowded on weekends and holidays but during the week, I only ever see about 2-3 people on the trail. Again, it's dog friendly!! There are a lot of parks on the lake that are not dog friendly. My favorite feature is this island that sometimes becomes a peninsula depending on how high the water level is. You can walk/wade out there and it's just fun to explore. It's very shaded and a good place to put a hammock. Little Ridge is an Army Corps of Engineers park so please review their rules before visiting!!

Bowmans Landing

My other standby has been Bowmans Island, which is part of the Chattahoochee National Recreation Area. It is attached to the Lower/Upper Pool Parks at Buford Dam, which is part of the Army Corps of Engineers. Different rules for each! Leashed dogs are allowed at Bowman's Island but not at the Lower or Upper Pool Parks. They all share an entrance at the Lower Pool Park and if there is an attendant at the gate, they will not let you bring dogs in. There is also an entrance at the Island Ford Unit and I am assuming you can bring dogs in this way, but I have never been to that location. Sometimes the gate is unattended and you simply put money in the box and get your parking permit and you and your dog can be on your way. Bowmans Island is also horse friendly but I have never seen anyone on horseback there. 

I love the Chattahoochee and Bowmans Island is an easy way to access it. That being said, this is not a swimming hole/day drinking locale. There are always people fishing and I try to not disturb them. There is a fairly extensive trail around the island and some of it goes along the river and some up into the woods. There are maps all along the trail and I just sort of meander each time I go there. I love seeing the changes in the river due to dam releases or rainfall. It looks different each time I visit. I took these pictures in early fall when the weather was still warm and the river looked particularly beautiful. 

So even if you think you don't have time for a hike, you can usually find a "in town" option near Lake Lanier and the Chattahoochee.

Preacher's Rock 2-3-18

In keeping with the spirit of the 52 hike challenge, we decided to go hiking this weekend despite the weather being cold/overcast/possibly rainy (or snowy- it is Georgia). I figured since we went on a hike on New Year's Day, we started off on the right foot to do 52 hikes (at least). We are not officially committing to the 52 hike challenge because let's face it, I don't keep commitments. I started the 4000+ challenge in 2015 and have only done a handful. I'll probably never complete the 4000+ and I know this. Furthermore, while it's great to be outside, I also work out A LOT. I do indoor exercise at least 5 times a week and sometimes my body needs a break. So whatever form of fitness or hiking fits for you, do that.

Anyways, back to the hike! This week's hike needed to meet several criteria due to time constraints, possible weather issues, and other factors. It needed to not be terribly far away, not a terribly long hike, "hard but not too hard" (James' request), and something in the mountains. So we chose to hike the small stretch of the Appalachian Trail from Woody Gap to Preacher's Rock. It's less than an hour from our house, it has easy parking/access from the highway, it's short, and in my opinion, it's not hard. Afterwards, James actually said he wanted something a little more strenuous. It also has the added bonus of being right outside Dahlonega, so you can grab lunch or dinner once you're done!

We got to the trail head around 10:15 am and it was a lovely 26 degrees outside. The weather forecast called for "partly sunny" skies but the mountain mist seemed to have set in. Fortunately it wasn't windy. I rarely hike if the temperature is below 35 degrees but it actually didn't feel that bad. I think I wore just the right amount of layers to feel comfortable. Hats and gloves make a huge different! We left the dogs at home for this one, because I knew Nova would freeze to death, but saw lots of other folks with dogs on the trail.

The area near the trail head is pretty nifty with some large rock formations that almost look like a small quarry. I think it would be a neat place to camp. We saw lots of icicles of various shapes and sizes in this area. After poking around here for a little, we moved onto the trail. The rock formations and boulders continue along the trail with some rocks serving as stair like features (really suffering from rock formation withdrawal after being in California). Parts of the trail can be ankle twisting, so watch your step.  

Sooner rather than later, you come upon Preacher's Rock, which is a large, rounded rock face with a lovely view of the valley below. It seriously is large enough to accommodate a small congregation. After sitting on the rocks for a while James was like "is that it"? So we continued down the trail to Big Cedar Mountain, which is just a little ways further, and then headed back to the parking area. The total round trip mileage is about 3.4 miles but honestly, it doesn't seem that much. Most other websites rate this hike "moderate" or "more difficult" but I think it's on the easier side. When the weather is warmer, I'd like to do an overnight trip to Blood Mountain from Woody Gap, which is 9 miles each way.

Overall, I wouldn't say this was the most earth shattering hike ever but again, I am currently suffering withdrawals from 70 degree sunny weather and other worldly scenery. What's important is, we got out and enjoyed what is essentially our backyard. After the hike, we ate lunch at Gustavo's in Dahlonega because they make an awesome pizza without cheese on it and they never question why you are ordering a pizza like that. We've been eating there since they were literally a hole in the wall with no liquor license and one table to sit at. Happy to see their success!