Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Hiwassee Area Waterfalls







Daffodils blooming on the banks of the Hiwassee River


Yellow Creek, Bullett Creek and Deer Horn Falls Hike

Dana & Kenny Koogler
Sunday Feb. 26, 2012
*Repaired blog 




     Sunday we headed down to Monroe County into the Cherokee National Forest, TN
to hike to some off trail waterfalls.  We were itching to get outdoors and  enjoy the pretty weather of early Spring.  We had comfortable temperatures, abundant, recent rainfall, blue skies and sunshine!
Spring flowers are popping out in the form of periwinkle, daffodils, tulips, crocus, forsythia and the maple trees are wearing bold red buds! 

        We parked and climbed down the steep bank to first Yellow Creek Falls.

Yellow Creek Falls on a subsequent visit.  You can see the sun shining at the top of the falls.






     Next we headed downstream to find Bullett Creek Falls which drops in to the gorge from the opposite direction from a separate stream.  It has a beautiful setting including a 
deep green plunge pool.


Bullet Creek Falls was thundering today!
Bullett Creek Falls with a rainbow on the right.

Last we turned and went back upstream to find Deer Horn Falls.  It is a long series of cascades in a tight rhododendron tunnel that empties into an aquamarine plunge pool.  The high cliffs here make it deep, dark and foreboding. Deer Horn Falls on Yellow Creek has a beautiful aquamarine punchbowl at the base.  Cherokee National Forest, TN

Deer Horn Falls aka Lower Yellow Creek Falls 

     We climbed back out of the gorge and ate a quick lunch in the jeep.  We took our time driving back to Reliance. I wanted to undertake something I'd been thinking of for a long time. I planned to photograph some of the pretty scenery along the way instead of just driving past it today. I'm very glad I did. I have begun a photo project titled Rural America that I will add to over time.



Grand old house along the Hiwassee River


Webb's Store in Reliance, TN on the banks of the Hiwassee River.


    We had an excellent outing! I was so happy to spend some R & R time with my husband.  It was good to not have much going on today. For all today's pretty weather we could not believe that the Daytona 500 NASCAR Race was rained out!