We also explored the Standing Indian River Basin. They had lots of fun hiking trails to scenic destinations.
First up, Big Laurel Falls.
Mooney Falls was the next stop. It was a very short and steep hike.
We ventured to another Fire Lookout Tower. The views were amazing. I didn't realize we were in an area that experiments with forestry verses watershed. They clear cut several areas of mountainside, then replanted each area with specific trees, some areas only evergreens, others deciduous trees. What they found is evergreen trees hold more water therefore not allowing as much into the watershed, whereas the deciduous trees allows for a greater flow. It was quite amazing to read and see.
This area was clear cut and replaced with all deciduous trees.
A look to the north. Not sure if that is Wayah Bald off in the distance or not. The highest peak does have a tower on it.
Our last stop was to Pickens Nose.
This hike was the most fun. Clif and I were trying to get pictures of each other on different outcroppings.
I decided to head over to the first outcropping behind Clif and get a picture of him from there. He was to get one of me standing on it from where he was, only all his pictures turned out blurry.
I eventually had to sit down because I was getting dizzy and didn't want to plummet down the mountain! In a couple more pictures you will see just how small and dangerous this outcropping can be.
Does that not look like a human's profile?
He decides to come join me and pretends to fall of the ledge. Needless to say, I didn't think it was very funny.
It was a great place.
On the way back to camp, I was in a zone that allowed dozens of texts to come through on my phone. As any traveler knows, this is short lived especially in the mountains. Why am I telling you this? Because in my endeavor to respond to some of them, we had to travel beyond our camp and head into Highlands.
On the way, low and behold, a bear comes out of the woods, crosses the street and heads straight towards us!
I was so excited, I could hardly contain myself let alone get the camera to take pictures!
It was amazing how it crouched down and crawled under the guardrail.
Come to find out, someone had thrown a bag of fast food trash onto the embankment. It didn't want to have anything to do with posing for a picture!
After that great adventure, I forgot all about responding to the texts!
We decided to head back to camp, being it was only a mile away, and let the camp hosts know. What we didn't know, is the bear had been visiting the campground nightly unbeknownst to us!
Can't see anything beyond the campfire anyway.
On the way back to camp, I was in a zone that allowed dozens of texts to come through on my phone. As any traveler knows, this is short lived especially in the mountains. Why am I telling you this? Because in my endeavor to respond to some of them, we had to travel beyond our camp and head into Highlands.
On the way, low and behold, a bear comes out of the woods, crosses the street and heads straight towards us!
I was so excited, I could hardly contain myself let alone get the camera to take pictures!
It was amazing how it crouched down and crawled under the guardrail.
Come to find out, someone had thrown a bag of fast food trash onto the embankment. It didn't want to have anything to do with posing for a picture!
After that great adventure, I forgot all about responding to the texts!
We decided to head back to camp, being it was only a mile away, and let the camp hosts know. What we didn't know, is the bear had been visiting the campground nightly unbeknownst to us!
Can't see anything beyond the campfire anyway.
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