This year was a little different for the Wandering Dawgs. Instead of traveling to far away places, we had many memorable adventures by staying close to home in 2017.
The teams take the field for pregame practice before a night game in Sanford Stadium
And when we were home we when for boat rides and walked on the beach whenever we could.
Small island in the Georgia salt marshEarly morning at the beach
My Wandering Around America One State at a Time blog project was really fun to do. As I worked on the post for each state I loved going through old photographs and reading my hand written trip journals. With each state I was flooded with many fond memories of places we had been and the wonderful people we met.
Where do you think we will wander next year? Stay tuned…
But only as far as the suspension bridge 80 feet above Hurricane Falls.
Suspension Bridge over Tallulah Gorge Hurricane FallsHenry crossed to the other side of the gorge
With my fear of heights I could only go a few feet on the bridge. I did manage to see the top of Hurricane Falls.
View of Tallulah Gorge from the suspension bridgeLooking down on Hurricane Falls from the suspension bridge
I handed Henry the camera for some better pictures.
Looking down on Hurricane Falls from the suspension bridgeLooking down on Hurricane Falls from the suspension bridge
I took a picture of the falls from the stairs.
A view of the top of Hurricane Falls from the stairs
And one of Henry looking down from the bridge.
Henry on the suspension bridge above Hurricane Falls
We posed for a selfie before starting back up to the top.
We were smiling before we started back up the stairs to the topIt’s time to go back up the 310 stairs
We made it back to the top after stopping at a few landings and resting on every bench.
I was finally able to capture some fall colors on top of the trail
Younger, braver, and more fit people can cross the bridge to the other side and go down 221 more stairs for a view of Hurricane Falls from the bottom. There is also access to the south rim trail on the other side of the bridge. For us, we are glad we made down and back all in one piece!
The almost 1,000 foot deep Tallulah Gorge is a spectacular place in the Georgia mountains for hiking and seeing waterfalls. The hiking trails range from easily accessible rim trails with overlooks of the gorge to a strenuous hike to the gorge floor requiring a permit. After entering the state park we went straight to the Visitor’s Center for a trail map before beginning our trek on the North Rim trail. We stopped at two overlooks with views of the gorge.
Looking down at the suspension bridge above Hurricane FallsAn overlook on the south rim trail on the other side of Tallulah Gorge
On July 18, 1970, tightrope walker Karl Wallenda walked across the gorge from this overlook on the north rim to the south rim.
Tightrope walker Karl Wallenda walked a tightrope across the gorgeWallenda Tower used by Karl Wallenda in his tightrope walk across the gorge in 1970The Tallulah river at the bottom of Tallulah GorgeView from one of the North Rim overlooks at Tallulah Gorge State Park
Inspiration Point is the highest point in the park and the trail to get there was was a quarter mile uphill hike. When we got to the top we were happy we decided to do the trail.
On the trail to Inspiration PointOne of the waterfalls as seen from Inspiration PointView from Inspiration PointView from Inspiration Point
The good news was it was downhill to return to the North Rim Trail from Inspiration Point. With more waterfalls to see we continued along the north rim to two more overlooks.
L’Eau d’Or Falls in Tallulah GorgeL’Eau d’Or Falls in Tallulah Gorge
It was way past lunchtime by then so our last adventure at Tallulah Gorge would have to wait until the next morning. It was time to head back to Dillard for some delicious southern cooking at the Dillard House.
The Dillard House
The Dillard House
Dillard House dining Room
Bring your appetite when you go to The Dillard House
After our late lunch we were done for the day. Stay tuned for our final adventure at Tallulah Gorge.
Before we bought our Titanium fifth wheel in 2006, we attended a rally of Titanium owners at the River Vista Mountain Village in Dillard, Georgia. We stayed in one of the cabins at the park and after meeting the owners and touring their fifth wheels, we made our decision to purchase a Titanium. It was one of the best decisions we ever made!
We returned to River Vista this October for a short fall trip. The RV park is a perfect location for exploring the surrounding area. While we were there I spotted another Titanium on our row. We first met the owners when we came to the rally in 2006 and enjoyed visiting with them before they headed for home. What a small world!
Our mountain adventures began in nearby Mountain City, Georgia at Black Rock Mountain State Park, the highest state park in Georgia. The views of Georgia’s Blue Ridge Mountains were spectacular and we crossed the Eastern Continental divide a couple of times.
The Eastern Continental Divide runs through Black Rock Mountain State ParkBlack Rock Mountain State Park
We decided on the spur of the moment to take the quarter mile downhill trail to see Ada-hi Falls. The view of the falls was worth hiking down the damp leaf covered trail.
Ada-Hi Falls in Black Rock Mountain State Park
Ada-Hi Falls in Black Rock Mountain State Park
Ada-Hi Falls in Black Rock Mountain State Park
It always pays to stop at the Visitor’s Center to ask about what to see when you are in a new place. When we asked about things to see, as soon as we heard “gravel road” we knew we had to take it to see Black Rock Lake.
We can’t resist driving on gravel roads and one took us to Black Rock LakeBlack Rock Lake
The next day our destination was to see three waterfalls in the Nantahala National Forest in North Carolina between Highlands and Franklin. The road from Dillard to Highlands has many sharp turns and steep grades and I wouldn’t recommend taking a big RV on it. Our first stop was the Sky Valley overlook in Georgia for a view before crossing into North Carolina a few miles later.
Sky Valley Overlook in Georgia on the road to Highlands, NC
Our journey took us to the outskirts of Highlands before turning onto the narrow, twisting Highway 64 towards Franklin. Bridal Veil Falls was the first waterfall we came to but we couldn’t stop because the parking area was full. We continued to Dry Falls in the Nantahala National Forest. The National Forest has built a good size parking area with pit toilets and a handicapped accessible overlook of the falls. To get a closer look at the falls and even walk behind them we walked down a series of stairs and short trail down to the falls.
Dry Falls near Highlands, NC in the Nantahala National Forest
Dry Falls near Highlands, NC in the Nantahala National Forest
Rainbow at the bottom of Dry Falls near Highlands, NC in the Nantahala National Forest
Behind Dry Falls in the Nantahala National Forest near Highlands, NC
Dry Falls in the Nantahala National Forest near Highlands, NC
Fall Colors above Dry Falls
Cullasaja River beneath Dry Falls
Our next stop was a few miles down the road at a small waterfall on the Cullasaja River. To see these falls up close we had to park across the road and navigate our way down a short rocky slope.
Small waterfall beside Hwy 64 between Highlands and Franklin, NC
In order to return to Bridal Veil Falls we had to drive down the narrow road a short way before finding a place to turn around. This time there was plenty of available parking. Walking behind the falls is allowed but cars can no longer drive behind them.
Bridal Veil Falls near Highlands, NC
Behind Bridal Veil Falls near Highlands, NC
Behind Bridal Veil Falls near Highlands, NC
After returning to Georgia we had one more waterfall to see. Sylvan Falls is located next to the Sylvan Falls Mill Bed and Breakfast in Mountain City just a few miles beyond the campground where we were staying.
Sylvan Falls in Mountain City, GA
Sylvan Falls Mill in Mountain City, GA
Four waterfalls in one day! All were easily accessible with no strenuous hiking involved.
Welcome to the last post in my series highlighting states we have visited throughout the years. I have only featured 45 of our beautiful United States because our wandering has never taken us to Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, Rhode Island or Vermont.
I will be featuring the states alphabetically. The next and final state of my series is
Wyoming
Wyoming became the 44th state on July 10, 1890. The Capital is Cheyenne.
Welcome to Wyoming
The Wyoming welcome signs feature the copyrighted symbol of a Bucking Horse and Rider that has been used on Wyoming license plates since 1936. According to legend the Bucking Horse and Rider is based on the early 1900’s horse Steamboat, “the horse that couldn’t be ridden”.
My husband and I are huge fans of the Longmire mysteries by Craig Johnson. I’ve read all of them except his latest The Western Star (I’m on the waiting list at the library). Set in the small fictional town of Durant in Absaroka County somewhere near Sheridan and the Montana border, the stories feature Sheriff Walt Longmire and a wonderful cast of characters. With beautiful descriptions of Wyoming and the Bighorn Mountains, page turning mysteries, and great dialog Johnson’s books are hard to put down. Boy Howdy!
Bighorn mountains in WyomingStorm over the Bighorn Mountains in Wyoming
Yellowstone National Park is the world’s first national park and is one of the most popular national parks in the U. S. The national park covers over 3,000 square miles. We spent several days exploring and as we drove through the park we stopped to explore the geysers, natural formations, hot springs, rivers, waterfalls, lakes and so much more.
Geysers, Yellowstone National Park
Hot Spring, Yellowstone National Park
Along Yellowstone Lower Loop Road
Mammoth Hot Springs in Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park
Old Faithful Geyser, Yellowstone National Park
Mud geyser, Yellowstone National Park
Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone is famous for it’s wildlife. Huge bison herds roam freely through the park and often stop traffic. Elk and many other animals are frequently seen.
Bison in Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming)
Elk in Yellowstone National Park (Woming)
Elk, Yellowstone National Park
Bison along Yellowstone Lower Loop Road
Elk beside a river on the Yellowstone Upper Loop
If you love waterfalls you won’t be disappointed in Yellowstone.
Moose Falls, Yellowstone National Park
Lower Yellowstone Falls in Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming)
Waterfall along Yellowstone Lower Loop Road
Waterfall along the Yellowstone Upper Loop Road
Waterfall along the Yellowstone Upper Loop Road
Our time was limited in Grand Teton National Park but we were able to take in the majesty of the spectacular landscape.
Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
Grand Teton National Park
On one of our trips we left the Black Hills of South Dakota and traveled into Wyoming to see the Devils Tower. As we drove along we could see the tower jutting up from the prairie. Our campsite at Devils Tower KOA had a great view of the tower.
As we took a hike around the base of the tower images from the movie “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” popped into my head. There were climbers on the tower and some had made it all the way to the top.
We stopped in Alladin, Wyoming on the way to the Devils Tower
The Devils Tower can be seen from the highway
We loved seeing the Devils Tower from our campsite
There was a car show going on just out side the Devils Tower National Monument when we arrived
Devils Tower National Monument
We watched climbers making their way up the tower
We passed a prairie dog town on the way to the tower
Devils Tower at sunset
Devils Tower at sunrise
We enjoyed our stay at Peter D’s RV Park in Sheridan on our way to Alaska in 2013 so much that we stopped there again on our return trip. With a view of the Bighorn mountains, a historic town to explore, and dinner at the Wyoming Rib and Chop House it was a worth a return visit.
Buffalo Bill Cody stayed here when he was in Cody
Beautiful Sculpture in front of the Sheridan Inn
Mule deer walking through the campground in Sheridan, Wyoming
View of Bighorn Mountains from Peter D’s RV Park in Sheridan, WY
On our return trip from Alaska, we drove south from Sheridan through the high plains where we saw ranches, several herds of pronghorn antelope, and prairie dogs beside the road. We spent a night in Casper, Wyoming at Ft. Caspar RV Park where we visited Fort Caspar on the North Platte River.
