May 1, 2012
| Today’s hike was on two trails near Helen, GA. First the Raven Cliffs Trail followed by the Dukes Creek Falls Trail. 7.2 miles total hike.
HIKERS – John Bellamy, June Bellamy, Phil Brownrigg, Greta Driggers, Jim Driggers, Pam Euliss, Sam Hay, Bill Hunt, Scott Knecht, Jeanne O’Connor, Don Preece, Bob Presley, Donna Presley, Tony Presley, Vic Robson, Dan Ross, David Whitaker, Geri Whitaker and Carole Wintle. TRAIL INFO. – The Raven Cliffs Trail is a 5 mile round trip hike along beautiful Dodd Creek. The destination is the massive rock wall split by Raven Cliffs Falls. Most of the hike is on the creek with several sets of smaller waterfalls and roaring rapids before the cliffs. This is a very popular hiking trail with a nice trail-head parking area with information boards and restrooms. The Dukes Creek Falls Trail is a 2.2 mile round trip hike to the falls. Portions of the trail are asphalt and there are some boardwalk areas and observation decks at the falls. Trail difficulty is easy to moderate. Directions: Take GA 75 north from Helen for 1.5 miles. Turn left onto GA 356(75 Alternate) and travel 2.3 miles to the Richard B. Russell Scenic Highway. Turn right and travel 2.8 miles to the trailhead and parking area on the left. The Dukes Creek Falls parking area is about a mile before Raven Cliffs on the left. Another great day for a hike! Fair and mild with temperatures ranging from 64 to 78 degrees F. Distance hiked – 7.2 miles. WILDFLOWERS IN BLOOM: Lyre-leaf Sage, Sweet White Violet, Purple Violet, Yellow Violet, Meadow Rue, Robin’s Plantain, Catesby’s Trillium, Vasey’s Trillium, Indian Cucumber, Cinquefoil, Blackberry, Buckberry, Foamflower, Barren Strawberry, Flowering Spurge, Jack-in-the-Pulpit, Tall Bluet, Solomon’s Seal, Solomon’s Plume, Rattlesnake Weed, Cow Wheat, Galax, Oil Nut, Maple-leaf Viurnum, Sweetshrub, Mountain Laurel, Honeysuckle, Blue-eyed Grass, Yellow Star Grass, Micheaux’s Saxifrage, Indian Physic and Partridgeberry. BIRDS IDENTIFIED: Blue Jay, Phoebe, Vireo, Tufted Titmouse, Pileated Woodpecker, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Acadian Flycatcher, Black-throated Green Warbler, Oven Bird, Black and White Warbler. OTHER FAUNA: Ribbon Snake and a Red-headed Skink. |
 Our starting point today. |
 Our special guest today was Dr. Sam Hay. Sam is the founding member of our group as he started it in 1989 after retiring from medical practice. Here are some hikers who hiked with the group before Sam and wife Dot moved to Davidson, NC several years ago. (l-r) Dan Ross, David Whitaker, Sam Hay, Bob Presley, John Bellamy and Tony Presley. |
 Headed for Raven Cliffs! |
 Beautiful views and sounds from Dodd Creek all along the trail. |
 Vasey’s Trillium. |
 We spotted a large Barred Owl! |
 Beautiful cascades along the creek. |
 We arrive at Raven Cliffs after 2.5 miles. |
 Raven Cliffs Falls! |
 In the parking lot for the Dukes Creek Trail, we can see Yonah Mountain. |
 The start of the trail. |
 The left portion of Dukes Creek Falls! |
 The right fork of the falls. |
 The nice observation decks provide awesome views! |
 The OFHC gang for today’s hike! (l-r front) Donna Presley, Geri Whitaker and “Gabby”, David Whitaker and “Nugget”. (l-r back) Bill Hunt, Phil Brownrigg, June Bellamy, Sam Hay, John Bellamy, Bob Presley, Dan Ross, Vic Robson, Jim Driggers, Carole Wintle, Jeanne O’Connor, Don Preece, Pam Euliss, Greta Driggers, Scott Knecht and Tony Presley |