Chau Ram Camping Trip

Close up view of a Yellow Fringed Orchid growing near Long Creek Falls

Chau Ram Camping Trip

Kenny & Dana Koogler

Thursday August 2 thru Sunday August 5, 2018

Pix are here starting with frame 40 

   We finally got a chance to get away for a long weekend just us as a couple.  It was much needed.

I had a serious jones to get to work on my waterfall 100 list as I had only five left.  I had originally 

believed I could complete all four of the South Carolina waterfalls in a weekend.  It could be done, but  something else we both needed was some rest. Uninterrupted sleep at night comes at a premium

when you have a toddler.   We had checked around on the South Carolina Facebook group and gotten

a good tip on a spot for RV camping.  We took the new Küg-Mobile and down the road we went.

It was suggested we try Chau Ram County Park for RV camping.   We had been there in the past

for a day hike, but that was our only experience with that park.   

    I slept nearly the entire three hour drive down to the campground. I was not much company for Kenny, but the extra rest did me a world of good.  We arrived and weren't shocked to find that on a

Thursday afternoon the place wasn't packed.  We made the fourth camping group in the park.

We got set up and as late as it was we doubted we'd get any hiking done today.  We went to a fifth

wheel camper and it has been an adjustment for both of us.  We don't know where anything is. 

Lots of things we don't know how they work.  It will be awhile before this camper feels like home

away from home.    It was a rainy afternoon so we drove down to Westminster and

the nearby town of Seneca to see what was around. Walhalla, Westminster and Seneca  have all

grown up a lot since we were last in the area. All are big enough now to where you can find what you need.  Last time we were through there it was difficult to find gas stations, places to eat, or anything!

We rented some redbox movies and did some shopping in Seneca.   

          We planned to tackle Long Creek Falls the next day to clear one falls from my list of three.

We also planned to visit Brasstown Falls and drive down to Toccoa Falls.   Long Creek Falls is only
a 3.2 mile round trip hike rated as moderate.  I was using Waterfalls of Upstate SC for my guide info.
It seemed very straight forward and easy to understand.   The rain from the night before had stopped, and the morning was beautiful.  It was about seventy degrees and clearing.   We were going to have a good day.   I'd had this nagging feeling about Long Creek Falls that perhaps I'd been there before ,but
did not recall it?  I told Kenny and he laughed. He said he had the same feeling and wondered if when
we got there to see it .. all of the memory would come rushing back to us?   We passed the trailhead
for Oppossum Falls on the way.   I knew for sure we'd visited that one and Sid's Falls on the very same day.    New Years about 2008 or so. 

Above: yellow fringed orchid looking healthy and newly bloomed.

     The distant mountains looked beautiful and blue with wispy clouds surrounding them.
We passed a cluster of yellow fringed orchids. Kenny stopped to let me take pictures.  They were
the first ones I'd seen this season.   I also saw rattlesnake orchids, lots of cranefly orchids and later
Carolina lilies today! 

Close up of Cranefly orchid

Distant mountains of the Upstate.  

Pair of Carolina lilies--first ones of the season for me. First time ever seeing them in SC.

   We drove to the end of the road and parked.  The road sign for the trail continuation was snapped off at the ground!  I found it only by taking a close look into the weedy ditch where the remaining signs stood.    Lots of sundrops bloomed around the parking area. Pale pink frilly Joe Pye weed

was just getting started blooming in the area.    We loaded up our gear and headed down the trail.

The first problem came when we encountered an intersection not at 1/2 mile, but in about 1/10th of a mile! The left hand side had flagging tape tied off, but we guessed our best and kept with the right

side.   The ground was very soft and muddy in places.  Our directions mentioned a trail sign twenty-

five feet past the intersection.   We didn't see one.  No matter. We kept going.  We came to a spot

where the road had obviously been maintained within the last month or so.  Red dirt was torn

up and pushed into a berm and the trail seemed to disappear.   We began looking around.  

I found that on the right side the path could be picked up again while Kenny went left here.

Both side trails ended up the same place.. at an info kiosk.  We'd finally come to the intersection

mentioned in the book... at the big dirt berm.  Twenty five feet beyond it sure enough was a sign.

We hung to the right as the book indicated.  Now we were having serious doubts about the accuracy

of the directions.  We soon saw a spot where it was possible to head down and left toward the river.

We managed to avoid that spot for someone had placed a huge rock arrow on the ground indicating to keep right and continue.   

Above: Stone arrow point the way.  We obeyed this one.

     We came to another spot where it was possible to go down and left.  The distance we were to have hiked out was getting close to right.   We saw another small arrow pointing to keep going. Downed trees barred the way here.   I walked out about another 1/10th mile in an attempt to make sure we weren't wasting our time.  I did not see any more spots to go downward or left.   We headed down

down the steep, slick, muddy slope toward the sound of water.   I began to get the feeling we were

messing up bad.   We got to the bottom and I could see that the water was just the muddy roiling

Chattooga River.  Kenny was ahead of me and told me to wait a minute. He thought he saw something.  I had a brief moment of hope that perhaps we'd come to the intersection of Long Creek with the Chattooga and could at least go back the proper way?  Nope.  Here he came again.

Back up the slope we struggled.  I was very downhearted.  My heel began to hurt like crazy. I was 

so out of shape I fretted that I did not know if I'd have the energy to go down and back up even one more time after this?    We finally got back to the trail from our foolish mistake.  We should have

minded the arrow.   I lay down on the ground and rested.  I had a snack and a drink. I cooled off.

While we rested I asked Kenny if he had a phone signal? He said yes a good one.  I asked him to pull up Rich Stevenson's NCwaterfalls.com index and look up Long Creek Falls.

    Kenny did pull up the site and read the directions to me.   Rich's directions were spot on.

Why I had not printed them off and brought them to start with is a mystery to me.  I guess I trusted

the directions in the two guides I had.  I shouldn't have bothered with the books. They are bulky

and in this case misleading.   Rich is a real person and knows how to give directions in a most

excellent fashion.    We pressed on another 0.3 miles or so and the trail ended and the only

way to continue was down!  It was a much easier task to go down a trail and back up it than

a slippery, super steep bank holding onto trees and roots.    Long Creek Falls was there and we

found it at last.   It was murky and muddy from all the rain.  It was not as bad as the Chattooga,

but pretty bad.  We also could not get close to it because Long Creek as well as the Chattooga were at flood stage.   A slip while wading flooded Long Creek up to get a closer view of the falls could easily have meant getting washed into the Chattooga and drowning.    

Above: Not a very good looking Long Creek Falls.   

Above: a very flooded and muddy Long Creek joins the Chattooga.   Standing here  so close to that

roaring river was spooky.   We were in Deliverance country for sure.  I did not tarry long. I was ready to leave.      We went back up the trail and once again I sat down to rest.  It was humid as could be.

I was just tickled to have finally made it and be able to cross that one off my list. I could tell that

the visit to Riley Moore Falls over the next couple days was going to be a similar experience. It would be muddy and ugly  while we were in the area.  I had planned on swimming at Riley Moore Falls.  It was not going to happen.  I figured since the visit to the falls would be perfunctory let's just

go ahead and do it today. Get it over with and checked off the list.   
Above: blazing star bloomed all along the road to Riley Moore Falls
   Kenny questioned whether I'd be ok with hiking an additional couple miles. I told him I thought so.
My heel was hurting some, but I figured if I took my time I'd be alright.   We  headed in the direction of Riley Moore Falls.  I saw some pretty blazing star blooming along the road.    We parked and there was only two other cars there aside from us.   We read that the road was probably passable for high clearance, four-wheel drive vehicles.  Kenny chanced it with the truck.  It was in good shape and we were able to knock off quite a bit of the hike by parking closer.   It was a small consolation for the fact the falls were as muddy as I'd imagined.   Two other groups were down there.  We gave one man and wife a ride back up to their vehicles with us.    I want to go back and revisit this falls again if we
are in the area. I'd love to see it when it is clear and pretty.  I was disappointed about not getting to go swimming.  The Chauga River was brown and murky and running very swiftly. 

Muddy Riley Moore Falls. Only 15 feet high, but 100 feet wide.  I hope to return to see it when the water is clear.  It is a nice area.

     It was hot and we were tired and not in the mood to fool with anything more today.
We headed back to the camper to get cleaned up and relax.    I was thrilled to be able to say now
I had only three waterfalls left on my list!  We would get Lee Falls hiked tomorrow, and possibly
some of the other falls if we were up for it.

    We slept until 9 am the next morning so we were 10-10:30 am leaving to go hike.
We enjoyed the drive out to Tamassee Knob area to hike Lee Falls.    It was supposed to be a 3.2 mile hike rated as difficult.     Today I had read Rich's directions ahead of time and shared them with Kenny.   We had the book only as a back up source of info.  It closely paralleled Rich's directions though his were still spot on.    He didn't miss a trick in pointing out potential spots to get mixed up.
I hoped the hike today would be less confusing and a little easier on me.   I do better when the hike
has the climb up on the front end when I am fresher.   We saw only one or two cars in the parking area for Lee Falls. 

    We crossed the four fields one after another.  We made all the fords of the creeks with dry boots.
We were able thanks to Rich's directions to avoid making wrong turns.    We were surprised that today's hike was indeed easier and simpler than Long Creek Falls.   The forest was beautiful and smelled fresh and green.   The deep shade of the forest was much appreciated for its coolness
on a sunny Summer day.    We got to the part of the hike where the trail steepens and the climb through the boulders begins.   We knew according to Rich that it shouldn't be much further to the falls.  We encountered the first two hikers of the day.  Two fellows of retirement age sat eating lunch by the trail.  They asked us for assistance in navigating saying they'd tried to proceed straight ahead only to be turned back.  It was apparent to us that the trail forded the stream and went around a blown down tree that now blocked the way.   We told them we'd give a holler and let them know if it was correct or not.  We didn't go another 50 yards until I got a glimpse of the falls glistening through the trees. I hooted out for the men below us to know it was the way. 

   Lee falls stood before us white and beautiful surrounded by a dramatic cliff face and the deep
greens of Summer.   It was flowing thunderously.    Worth every bit of the effort required to get there.
We shared the experience with the two gentlemen who caught up to us.  We also saw a group of three
hikers who arrived just after we did.   Everyone was very laid back and thrilled to get to enjoy the sight of this majestic falls.   We climbed around getting different views of it.  It will forever be a favorite of mine.   It was a real highlight of our trip.   I was now down to two falls left!
I told Kenny "Lord help me if you ever get a list of things you want to work on!" He burst out
laughing at the irony.  You know I'd HAVE to go along because of how much he has put up with off me!   

Lee Falls in all its glory.  It looks very lush and tropical. 

     We took our time and ate lunch at the falls. We were the final ones to leave the area.
The hike back was fun and I got in the creek and splashed around to cool off.  I waded the creek in my boots not caring how wet I got or how muddy.   The creek felt marvelously cool and refreshing.
It made the hike out so much more pleasant.   We encountered one other hiker on his way in as we got near our halfway back point.

Above:  painting on a building in the historic district of Westminster
    The hike back through the fields was a treat for the senses.   I have always waded through deep grass in farm fields as a kid and later as an adult.   It doesn't bother me.  The sight of the fields framed
on all sides by deep green leafy trees and fence rows filled with vegetation.  The edges of the fields were bursting with bright yellow leafcup.   The spicy scent of the grasses as we trod them down.
It was a nice way to end the hike.   We were tired, happy and very muddy and sweaty.  We drove back to the camper for showers and a rest.   We both loved the roomy shower in the new camper.
We both slept soundly in the bed all of these things help make an RV grow to feel like home.

Old door on a building in the historic part of Westminster.
   I had gotten online and found a great looking restaurant in Seneca called the Copper River Grill.
We tried it for dinner. It was really good.    We went back to the camper and watched the new Tomb Raider movie with Alicia Vikander.  It was enjoyable.  We stopped in Westminster on the drive back to the camp ground and attended an old car show.  They had good music and some awesome old cars.
I am always a sucker for American Muscle Cars.  We had a fantastic Summer evening strolling around checking out the old cars.  Listening to oldies tunes.   The old buildings of historic
Westminster are amazing.  I felt like we'd gone back several decades.  We so needed a date night like this.   Soft Summer air cooling down with a nice breeze.   The sun starting to sink to dusk. Etta James singing Stormy Weather.   We finally made it back to the Chau Ram County Park.  We spent some time hiking on the grounds.   The Chauga and Ramsey Creek were both flooded and brown.
The setting is still pretty and we took full advantage of it.

   Video at the Car Show 

 GTO at the car show

 1971 Cuda --Westminster car show

 Loved the paint job on this old truck!

Thunderbird!  I loved this pimp mobile!

 Flooded Chauga River.. same river that Riley Moore Falls flows on.

Spurred butterfly pea.. these were the flower of the hour.  There were so many this weekend

they looked like lavender curtains in the forest!

    We had another good nights sleep.  All weekend long  the visitors to the Chau Ram County Park were sparse!  By Sunday morning we were the last ones!   The only thing we did not like about the campground?  The water stinks of sulfur and iron.  We used it to bathe and wash dishes, but drank bottled water and used bottled water for all else.   We plan to get one of those filtration systems

for the camper that will eliminate that problem in the future.   We couldn't help wondering why so few campers?  It could have been the forecast for the rainy weather.  It could also be that the 

smelly water keeps people from wanting to come back.  It won't keep us away.  It is a most convenient location and the facilities are very nice.   I did some reading before bed.

I read up on a couple magazine articles as to what can be done to make an RV feel more homey.

I read Dan Brown's novel Origin.    Another uninterrupted nights sleep!  

   Sunday we had to check out by noon.  We decided we'd hike to Brasstown Falls and Little Brasstown Falls and let it go at that.   The drive out to the trailhead was particularly pretty.

Lots of old buildings including a mill I'd like to go back and photograph on a subsequent trip.

We found one vehicle at the trailhead. A fellow and his dog were camped near Little Brasstown Falls.

Super nice guy who greeted us and advised us on the best way to ford the stream to see the falls.

In the previous two trips here we had NEVER visited Little Brasstown Falls.  It was really running great today and was clear and pretty for the most part. 

Below: Little Brasstown Falls

 Below: Brasstown cascade and veil..

We remembered hiking to Brasstown Falls.  Who could forget all those tree roots and exposed edge with drop offs?   The mist from the cascades and veil was so strong it made photography darn near impossible.   I did not bother with tripods and such.  The falls were murky as was the plunge pool.

We still enjoyed the hike and came away soaked from the spray!   

   Back at the camper we packed to leave. We were going to be about forty-five minutes late leaving.

Seeing as how we were the last ones there as campers we did not figure they'd fuss at us.   Kenny admitted he was dreading the three hour drive home.  I told him I'd be better company this time since I was rested and would be awake.   I also suggested we break up the drive home by making a few stops.    We did stop in Clayton Georgia to eat at The Wicked Pig for lunch.  Wonderful barbecue.

I loved their Lake Burton sauce.   Clayton is a nice little town.  We stopped a bit further up the road in Franklin and shopped and stretched our legs.   We found a new bedspread and sheet set for the camper.   We found some wash clothes and a piece of wall art for the camper and a door mat.

All things to make it our own.  These were good souvenirs from this trip and very useful.

All in all we had a good time and a much needed respite from our daily routine. 

The plan for the final two waterfalls?  We will  make another camping trip to the Hickory/Hendersonville area of North Carolina.  We'll drive down toward Caesar's Head and hike to Moonshine Falls.   We'll meet up with our friend Wally and hike to High Shoals Falls in the Morganton area and celebrate my completing the list with a meal at Scoggins Steakhouse in Rutherfordton.      I'd also like to hike to the Bearwallow Mountain tower site while in the area.

Lots to look forward to.

  I have a running list of things for myself to improve my blogging.  One of those things is to use

our Go Pro camera far more to make videos of a higher quality.  I think it is working out well. 

Easy to use and the video footage is far superior to my camera.   

Below is a video of Lee Falls.