April 16, 2013
| Today’s hike was on two trails in Union County, GA. The Sosebee Cove Trail is a very beautiful short trail in an old growth forest featuring one of the richest wildflower habitats in the southeastern U.S. The Coosa Backcountry Trail is nearby and is a 12.7 mile loop beginning and ending at Vogel State Park. We accessed the trail at Burnett Gap and hiked an out and back portion to Wolf Creek.
HIKERS – John Bellamy, June Bellamy, Bill Hunt, Bob Magee, Donna Presley, Tony Presley, Vic Robson, Geri Whitaker and Carole Wintle. TRAIL INFO. – Sosebee Cove is a beautiful short trail in a botanical paradise that was last logged in 1903. It is a memorial trail to Forest Ranger Arthur Woody. Woody loved the north GA mountains and created the first wildlife management area in the South. The trail features huge trees and a wide variety of wildflowers and plants. The nearby Coosa Backcountry Trail is a 12.7 mile loop that begins and ends at Vogel State Park. Our portion today was from Burnett Gap to Wolf Creek and back. Directions: Take highway 129 N. out of Cleveland, GA and continue past Neels Gap and Vogel State Park . Just past the entrance to Vogel State Park, turn left (west) on GA Hwy. 180 and travel 4-5 miles. Look for the Sosebee Cove sign on the right. Next, we accessed the Coosa Backcountry trail back down the road about a half mile toward Vogel State Park. The trail crosses Hwy 180 here at the start of a Forest Service Rd. Another great day for a hike! Cloudy to Partly Cloudy and cool with temperatures ranging from 62 to 72 degrees F. Distance hiked – 5.8 miles. Difficulty: Sosebee Cove – Easy – Coosa Backcounty – Moderately Strenuous due to elevation change. FLOWERS IN BLOOM: Dutchman’s Breeches, Trout Lily, Tall Bellwort, Sessile Bellwort, Star Chickweed, Mouse-eared Chickweed, Squaw-root, Yellow Violet, Sweet White Violet, Purple Violet, Halberd-leafed Violet, Long-spurred Violet, Purple Toadshade Trillium, Foam Flower, Bellwort, Meadow Rue, Field Buttercup, Hooked Buttercup, Pussytoes, Robin’s Plantain, Cinquefoil, Rue Anemone and Barren strawberry. BIRDS IDENTIFIED: American Tree Sparrow, White Throated Sparrow, Worm-eating Warbler, Chipping Sparrow, Common Yellow Throat, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Pileated Woodpecker, Eastern Phoebe, Tufted Titmouse, American Crow, Robin, Black Throated Blue Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, Black and White Warbler, Chipping Sparrow, Vireo, White-Breasted Nuthatch, Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Blue Jay, Pine Warbler, Towhee, Oven Bird and Junco. |
 Our first trail for the day. |
 The day started out cool and misty. |
 One of the largest Yellow Buckeye Trees in the Southeast! |
 Sosebee Cove is a lush wildflower habitat. |
 Purple Toadshade Trillium |
 Dutchman’s Breeches |
 Tribute to Arthur Woody. |
 We move down the road about a quarter mile to the Coosa Backcountry Trail. |
 Beautiful cascading waterfall. |
 Nice mountain views along the trail. |
 Arriving at our destination at Wolf Creek. |
 Beautiful Wolf Creek. |
 Lunchtime on the Coosa Backcountry Trail! |
 The OFHC gang for today’s hike. (l-r) Carole Wintle, Bill Hunt, Geri Whitaker, Donna Presley, June Bellamy, Vic Robson, John Bellamy, Bob Magee and Tony Presley. |