Sun, Feb 26 2017 - Smithgall Woods State Park (View Original Event Details) Trip Leader(s): Victor, Russ Participants: Victor, Russ, AngelaP, Linda H, Joyce T., Mtn Mike, Allison B., Heidi W., Thomas W., Paresh, Christine G, Phyllis

Great fun was had today hiking at the beautiful Smithgall Woods State Park. We started the hike on the service road with a good pull up a nice hill to get the heart pumping. It was a good 2.5 mile hike on the road to get to our first trail. I particularly liked that we could spread out wide on the the road which led to great group conversation while we walked. And everyone tolerated my "Russ Jokes" very well today :)

Our first trail was the Cathy Ellis Trail, leading us to the beautiful two tiered Chanunee Falls where we explored and then and chowed our lunch. Then we did an about face and began our return trek. As we backtracked, we explored the Martin's Mine trail, containing interesting man made features of the abandoned gold mine and an impressive waterfall in its own right, then we made a quick walk through the Wetlands Loop (nice and flat trail). Finally we ended the last 2ish miles with a nice uphill, lung driving, climb to the top of the Laurel Ridge trail with an awesome view of Yonah Mountain, which, if I was told correctly today, means "Bear" Mountain. After our final decent back to the visitor center, we all congratulated and complimented each other on how well we hiked and I believe how handsome and beautiful most of us looked after it was all over!

Thanks for sharing the hike today. And we have to go back there someday.

Here is a link to the photos that Joyce took today:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10155617506415260.1073743056.540275259&type=1&l=d6eff6d0bc

- Russ