Georgia Sampler Day 1 : Blue Ridge Mountains (3/20/2014)

Lily, Ilene, and I had an uneventful trip from Fargo to Atlanta via Grand Forks (cheaper tickets) and Minneapolis. We got to the Drury Inn by the airport about 11:30 PM and headed to bed. We were on the road after breakfast: a narrowing road which over the course of the day went from a 10 lane freeway to a 4 lane freeway to a four lane road to a 2 lane road to a gravel road.

Our first stop was Tallulah Gorge State Park which had some similarity to the grand canyon of the Yellowstone in Yellowstone National Park. We hiked 2.6 miles along the canyon rim, passing on the 1100+ steps and a bridge to go across the canyon. There were 10 scenic overlooks with a maximum canyon depth of 950 feet.

Next up was a short drive to the town of Clayton where lunch was eaten at a little place called Fromage. Our meal consisted of a variety of salads, sandwiches, and cheeses. Afterwards, we stopped at a grocery store to pick up some beverages and snacks for later in the day and trip.

There was a short drive to Black Rock Mountain State Park  where we hiked to the peak of Black Rock Mountain (elevation 3640 feet). While wildlife was limited to a few raptors and butterflies and while deciduous tress were without leaves, our March visit did yield unblocked views of the town of Clayton and other mountains. Only a couple other people were on the 2.2 mile trail.

On the Tennessee Rock Trail.

 At the summit.

View of the town of Clayton, GA.

Another mountain vista.

Our last hike of the day was at Black Rock Lake where Lily and I did a quick 0.9 mile walk around the lake. Back on the road, we drove to the German-themed town of Helen where we enjoyed a supper of schnitzel in onion gravy, spaetzle, and red cabbage at the restaurant Bodensee. Then it was back to the Country Inn & Suites for a restful night. It would have been nice to spend more time exploring the town, but tomorrow was to be a full day.