4/21/09 Tennessee Rock Trail – GA

HIKERS – John Bellamy, June Bellamy, Karen Brown, Terry Doyle, Dave Hinson, Jack Jacobi, Dick Metzgar, Leigh Ann Miller, Bruce O’Connor, Don Preece, Donna Presley, Tony Presley, Joe Raguckas, Vic Robson, Dan Ross, Doug Russell, Lynne Saporito, David Whitaker and Geri Whitaker.

TRAIL INFORMATION – The Tennessee Rock Trail is a beautiful 2.2 mile loop trail that has beautiful mountain views along with nice rock outcroppings and a lush wildflower environment. The terrain is moderately hilly since this is the North Georgia mountains. We did a portion of the James Edmonds Trail West Fork which is a hilly hike that includes gushing mountain streams and a nice waterfall. We also did the Black Rock Mountain Lake Trail which is just off of the James Edmonds Trail. It is a very nice flat walk around the lake. There are a couple of nice boardwalks along with a gravel surface trail portion and a wood chip trail portion giving a loop of almost one mile.

Today’s hiking distance – 5.5 miles – moderate difficulty.

Directions: Black Rock Mountain State Park is located on Black Rock Mountain Parkway, 3 miles north of Clayton, GA off U.S. Hwy. 441. Look for brown directional signs in Mountain City. There is a parking fee unless you have a GA State Parks Pass.

Another great day for a hike! Partly Cloudy with temperatures ranging from the low 50’s to the low 60’s F.

FLOWERS IN BLOOM: Catesby’s Trillium, Purple Toadshade Trillium, Yellow Toadshade Trillium, Purple Erect Trillium, Halberd-leafed Violet, Lobed Violet, Yellow Round-leafed Violet, purple Violet, Star Chickweed, Mouse-eared Chickweed, Cut-leafed Toothwort, Mountain Vetch, Serviceberry, Fetterbush, Pussytoes, May Apple, Wild Strawberry, Bloodroot, Tall Buttercup, Hooked Buttercup, Flowering Dogwood, Silverbell, Foamflower, Robin’s Plantain, Yellowroot, Yellowrocket, Sweetshrub, Jack-in-the-Pulpit and Red Baneberry.

BIRDS IDENTIFIED: Oven Bird, White Breasted Nuthatch, Red Eyed Vireo, Wood Thrush, Carolina Wren, Titmouse, Blue Headed Vireo, Blue Jay, Black Throated Green Warbler, Phoebe, Hooded Warbler, Parula, Towhee, Pileated Woodpecker.