Sun, Jun 15 2008 - ** Fort Mountain Hike (View Original Event Details) Trip Leader(s): Steven K Participants: Steven K, Heather M, Greg Friel, MaryAnn Moss, Terry, Gayle, Jennifer Rush, John Christopher, Adriana, Yuling, Charlie Cottingham, elise a, Bob Drakes, Sunnie, david nunnally

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Write Up:
You could not have asked for a better day in June to have a hike. A front had just moved through the day before, visibility was excellent and temperatures in the mountains where we hiking were in the seventies. For the first part of the hike we went through the two miles of the old fort area at Fort Mountain State Park. Here we climbed down about 50 or so steps to a platform which had a magnificent view of Chatsworth and the valley below. Next we had a snack at the old fort area, which according to the signs at the park nobody has quite figured who built it or when it was built. After hiking about two miles a so we went back to our cars and drove a short ways to the Cool Springs Overlook. This overlook was much different as we could only see the Cohutta Mountain Wilderness from here.

We then drove to other end of the park for the second part of the hike. After walking a short distance on the Big Rock Nature Trail, we then did about 30 minutes on the Gahuti Trail, which continues for a about 8 miles around the park. Then we went back on the Big Rock Trail where we spent some time around a little waterfall, enjoying another snack and taking some pictures. After that it was a short walk back to our cars. But we were not finished. Being that it was summer time (or technically just a week away), the beach at lake at Fort Mountain was open. So those that remembered to bring swimsuits went in a few a minutes. There was also a stand that sold shaved ice, hot dogs and other less than healthy snack items. After everybody was cooled off, the last car left Fort Mountain a little after 4 PM.

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