Hike 15 was Alum Gap and 16 was Horsepound Falls, both on the camping blog
at eopapaver.com
CCC was our planned first of the month hike.
It was Matt's Friday off and Karen and Michael came with us!
We had such a good time!
Our first stop was The Waterfall
Then The Point
We opted to take the Steep Trail down to Linden Meadows
It passes through the boulder garden, which is a scattering of room sized boulders with a crop of wildflowers growing in the soil on top.
Saxifrage
Phlox
Trillium
Vetch
Foam Flower
We crossed the creek and stopped at Linden Meadows for a quick snack and bathroom break
Our next stop was at The Narrows, then Blue Hole
2 years ago this very same day, I took this same shot and Phoenix and Chan were swimming through that gap!
Bluebells! The only ones in bloom were across a rather marshy stretch, so this is as close and I got
This used to be the trail to Karen's Falls!
We rerouted uphill on the Devil's Hollow Trail and we are SO GLAD we did!
Mayapple bloom
Chickweed
Both streams in this shot have falls on them, my camera just is not wide enough to do it justice.
Laurel Falls
If you cross the top of the falls, that trail goes into Deloney Hollow, which is a new spot for us-we have not been yet!
Good thing the trail is flagged, mayapples ate it! We walked so carefully through there!
I was taking shots of Matt crossing the creek and HE FELL IN. I laughed so hard I missed the action shots.
anole
Fire Pink
Wood sorrel or oxalis
Greek Valerian
Karen's Falls
Crossvine
Mayapple FILLED TO THE BRIM with poison oak
Both sides of the trail
we took the Steep Trail out as well
We stopped at the house and chatted with the Lacefield's when we got there and as we were leaving. I have another hike planned with the homeschool group for this month, so excited to go back so soon-so much was budding!
The drive home:
