Raven Cliffs 3-24-18

Since the weather has been so gross on the weekends lately (not kidding, it will be sunny and 65 all week when I'm working and as soon as the weekend arrives it's raining and cold), I've had no choice but to try to get out even in rainy weather. We've had what I call "Seattle weather" pretty much all of February and March, where it's cold (but not freezing) and there is a constant, light, misty rain. Using an umbrella is pointless because the water just surrounds you and you feel wet no matter what. So at that point, it really doesn't matter anymore. 

Last weekend, James had a bachelor party at a cabin in Cleveland (jokes about going to the Cabbage Patch hospital commence), so I decided to drop him off there and let him hitch a ride home with a friend. Since I was in in a great hiking area, I decided to make the best of it, despite the usual rainy weather. Fortunately, the rain actually let up around noon right when I dropped James off. I had 2 options nearby- Yonah Mountain or Raven Cliffs. As much as I like Yonah, I didn't feel like doing that by myself and thought Raven Cliffs would be better for a solo excursion. I stop every 5 minutes whenever I hike Raven Cliffs and take a million pictures, so it's kind of a pain to go there with me. 

I've been to Raven Cliffs three times in the past 3 years (once in Fall, once in summer, and now spring). Previous post about my first trip can be found here and I never wrote about the second one (it was in 2016 during my sad, nearly post-less year). Spring, in my opinion, is the best time to visit.  The trees are still somewhat bare, so it's easier to see the water and catch some of the smaller falls along the way to the main attraction. But some flowers are blooming already and everything starts to feel more alive after the grey-ness of winter. The weather is still cool (so maybe not ideal if you actually want to jump in the water) and on a rainy day, there are fewer visitors. 

Just to summarize some basics, the Raven Cliffs trail is 5 miles long total (out and back) and mostly flat/easy to hike. The trail head has a developed parking area, pit toilets, garbage receptacles, and is extremely easy to access due to it being just north of Cleveland, in close proximity to several other recreation areas. All that adds up to a lot of visitors, so please please please LEAVE NO TRACE (specifically directed at the girl who left her black, lace Victoria's Secret panties on the trail). There were signs posted in the parking area advising of a $5 fee implementation this year, which I honestly have no problem with given the amenities and number of visitors. Other places nearby with such as Dukes Creek Falls charge a fee, so I think it's reasonable at Raven Cliffs as well. 

Simply put, Raven Cliffs is probably my favorite place in the state of Georgia. If I had to choose my favorite places in states I have been recently, Raven Cliffs would be right up there with Sedona and Joshua Tree. There is just something about Raven Cliffs that is so magical. The leaves seem more green, the moss more vibrant, the water more clear, the trees more graceful. It's probably just my imagination, but everything just seems more heightened and vibrant. I literally feel like I'm walking through a fairy tale forest. I'm hardly a religious person, but Raven Cliffs is truly a spiritual experience.There are times when I want to leave the state of Georgia (most of the time, honestly) but then I remember we have places like Raven Cliffs. Now if only I could figure out a way to live in the forest full time...

Mount Yonah 1-17-16

• Distance- short
• Terrain- moderately difficult
• Location- Cleveland (White County)

Last Sunday was a stunningly beautiful sunny day so we chose a iconic NEGA (Northeast Georgia) mountain for our hike. Strangely enough most days we hike, it is cloudy and we rarely get a clear blue sky as a back drop. 

Mount Yonah is a very popular mountain. In fact, I might even call it a "party" mountain. There were definitely more people there than we have ever seen on other hikes. So if you are looking for solitude and peace, this is not your mountain. We encountered several large groups of teenagers and very young adults along the way who were quite noisy. Yes, I'm an old curmudgeon who prefers silence while I hike.

Mount Yonah is also a training area for the Army Ranger School and there are certain times of the year the general public should not visit. Reference this handy, grammatically questionable sign for further information. 

Mount Yonah is a very rocky mountain and large stretches of trail are covered with boulders. It makes for an interesting hike, especially with dogs since mine think they are mountain goats and like to just bound over the rocks.

The trail is one of the more difficult ones we've experienced due to some steep inclines and the rocky path. It is also mentally challenging because you can see the summit of the mountain throughout the whole hike and it just looks so far away.It's really not a long hike though, at about 4.25 miles up and back. 

The summit is very rocky and can be dangerous, so don't get too close to the edge while taking those selfies! Unfortunately people have died falling from the rocks on Mount Yonah. We also encountered ice near the summit due spring water coming out of the side of the mountain along the trail. This section also happened to be incredibly windy, so be very cautious on cold days.

There are several spots great for picnicking or camping and judging by the amount of people we saw with overnight gear, it seems Mount Yonah is very popular for camping. 

Unfortunately I did observe more trash on the mountain than other places we've been recently and also a still smoldering but unattended fire. The previous campers had put a rock over the ashes but this actually created a draft which kept the ashes smoldering. Don't worry, Ranger Cara was there to put it out!! 

Despite the gorgeous views and interesting trail up Mount Yonah, it's things like this that make me stick to less traveled wilderness areas typically. I just like being the only person on the trail (well, I'll let James come along too)

I don't understand why it's so hard for some people to follow the mantra "take nothing but pictures; leave nothing but footprints". Like if you are interested in nature enough to go on a hike, why would you leave garbage?? Regardless, Mount Yonah was beautiful and I'm happy we got up there on a sunny day. 

Raven Cliffs Wilderness 11-11-15

I had Veteran's Day off this past Wednesday and the weather was gorgeous so I took a solo trip to Raven Cliffs in Cleveland. James had to work and I didn't know if I could wrangle both dogs, so it was just me. It had rained here for the ~10 days prior, so I had to take advantage of the sunshine and high of 70 degrees. 

The Raven Cliffs Wilderness is about an hour and a half north of where I live and because most other people were at work, was a quiet drive and hike. It is about 5 miles roundtrip but I spent several hours there, just looking around. It was one of the most beautiful places I have been in Georgia.

The trail is very easy to hike and goes right alongside the water almost the whole way to the falls. It is very peaceful. The water is crystal clear and at the beginning of the trail there is a lovely swimming hole type area, as well as some picnic tables.


There are two smaller falls before you reach the main fall at the end of the trail. All are equally interesting and impressive in their own way. I could have spent hours at each one just watching the water and climbing around.

There were so many spots I thought would be perfect for just sitting and reading a book or relaxing (or, you know, climbing trees which I totally did a few times to get good pictures). 

The entire place feels like something out of a fairy tale, not to mention the whimsical name "Raven Cliffs" to boot. It makes me think of something out of "Game of Thrones. 

At the end of the trail, at the largest waterfall, you can continue to climb up onto a rocky bald face that is opposite the waterfall. This does involve climbing up some rocks, over fallen trees, etc and requires caution. 


Once atop the bald, there is a nice panoramic view of neighboring mountains and the waterfall. The sun was directly over the waterfall when I there so I was not able to get any good pictures of the waterfall from that height. 



I will definitely be returning to Raven Cliffs with James and the dogs. Actually, I'd like to camp overnight (really, I'd like to just live here). There are several campsites along the trail and I think falling asleep alongside the water would be awesome.