Gee Creek Rematch Hike with Michael 

Friday July 25,  2025 

Dana Koogler and Michael Lindsey 

Gee Creek Photos Are Here 

Gee Creek Directions are HERE

  My grandson Michael asked me what I was doing on Friday? He has been dating, working, and busy now that he is driving.  He wanted to spend time with Nanny and I was all for it.  We planned to go hiking.   Originally we were going over toward Cherokee and Alarka Falls.   

Some things occurred that made me think better of it.   I asked him if he'd like a 'rematch" with Gee Creek?  Back when he was nine we hiked there.  He fell and blacked his eye. It took five years off my life he hit so hard.  The trauma nurse in me was afraid he'd broken his orbital bone. Thankfully he just had a nasty black eye and it hurt.   He agreed that yes, he'd like to have a do over.   We planned to hike to the falls and swim.  

     We stopped off for an early lunch at 11 am at Midway Milkshake in Etowah.  It was our first time trying it and it was good!  We got there at 10:45 so we had fifteen minutes to kill before they opened.   We walked over to Starr Mountain Outfitters to look around and shop.   We each got a tee shirt and I got a sticker for my water jug.  We walked back to the jeep to stow our new purchases then went to order lunch.   Midway Milkshakes is worth a stop.  It is a burger joint and fast food, but it is such a nice setting and the food is good.   They have clean restrooms around the side of the building.   This place is cool. Starr Mountain Outfitters is always worth a stop also.

  They have constructed a mini golf by the outfitter store called Midway Mini Golf. All this is along Hwy 30 west 3 miles out from Etowah on the way to Athens.  

    Once we had  lunch over with we headed on down Hwy 411 south to Wetmore. I did good this time and hit the turn onto Gee Creek Road with no problems.   We had to stop and wait for the Hiwassee River excursion train to finish passing before we could continue to the trailhead.  

   Our day was overcast and it drizzled rain on us just barely two or three times today.   It felt great since it was hot and humid.   We arrived at the trailhead to find two other cars there ahead of us.    We passed those folks on their way out as we hiked in.   My new knees functioned great, and I did fine with my breathing and oxygen levels despite the uphill climb and the heat.   

   No one fell today. Matter of fact at age 16 Michael helped ME negotiate the terrain safely.

He is far more savvy now than he was then.  He recognized the spot where he fell and laughed calling it the "shit eating spot".   I laughed so hard I had to stop so I didn't fall.  The stream was flowing awesome.  One thing I noticed was the almost total lack of any flora along the trek.  

I had seen numerous cranefly orchids there in the past, but today none were out. I felt sure we were a good two weeks early for those.   We passed the ruins of the old quartz and silica mine, but opted to visit those on the hike back out.  

    Before I knew it we were at the falls.   The obstacles I'd been dreading were behind us safely and simply.   It was hot and the water looked and sounded amazing.   I put my backpack and trekkers aside. I donned my water shoes and took a few moments to take photos and video.   Then we both got in the pool at the falls and swam!

Below is a photo of the main falls of Gee Creek.  It is a little less than a mile one way to reach it. 

above Michael hasn't gotten in just yet 

Below:  I am in the water with the Go Pro taking photos and video. He has found a good sized fish he's looking at. 

Above: I am swimming on my back with the blue skies above.  This is one of my favorite things to do.

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Above and below: Michael in the plunge pool 

 

         Below: underwater shot of the pool. It isn't perfectly clear, but it is clean, healthy and feels great! 

  On Thursday evening before this trip I was very depressed.   I was having a sense of hopelessness and loss.   Today's hike along with the companionship of my grandson, the exposure to nature at its finest really put the spark back in me.  It was exactly what I needed. I remember exactly the second I recaptured that inspiration and vitality.  Grandchildren are my link to the future and help make me feel alive.  They bring me so much joy.  Just as nature does.  Putting the two together is a perfect combination.   

         I had a moment of seeing the deep green moss, verdant forest canopy, blue skies, sunshine, sparkling, cold water on my skin.   It returned me to center.  I do not worship the creation, but the Creator and this is where I find closeness to Him.  Seeing my eldest grandchild still wanting to spend time with me and sharing the experience was quite satisfying.  Michael told Kenny once we got home about "Nanny didn't want to leave today!" meaning he had to drag me out of the woods!  It made us all laugh.  Some things ..the essence of who we are at our core never change. 

I am the one in the family who loves the water the most.   I am a Leo for my zodiac sign.  The lion with the sun as its ruling heavenly body.  A fire element. Maybe I need the water to balance me out.   Kenny is Cancer which is a water sign, but  he hates water more than everyone in the family!  He needs my fire.  Maybe Zodiac signs are just nonsense. 

               Below is a video of swimming at Gee Creek Falls that really turned out good. 

It is shot with the camera and the Go Pro in the water!  

           

       Once we satisfied our swimming at the falls we discussed what else we wanted to do today? I was no longer interested in going up to Starr Mountain flower looking since I was early.  We decided we'd be satisfied exploring spots downstream we passed on the way in.   That is what we did.  I was so proud of Michael. At age 16 he helped ME navigate the tricky spots and it was so much easier.   The "shit eater" spot where he took a spill he handled like an old pro. I had been dreading it and instead it was over before I realized it.  He instructed me exactly how I should do it to be safest.  It made a big difference.  My new knees work great, but they will never again be as flexible as the ones the Lord gave me to start with.   The hike out was a piece of cake.  We took plenty of time to stop and look at whatever we chose.      

   He was fascinated with the old mining sluice so we focused on that.   He wanted to crawl through it.

 I was against it at first, but upon studying it I found it looked doable and sturdy.   I had a head lamp and the Go Pro lights it up. I offered to do it with him, but he turned me down.  The drop off on the other side is no joke.   If we ever do it it would be best to start on that end and come out upstream near the cascade.   

      It was odd that the first cascade we stopped at to get in another pool of water was way warmer than the water at the main falls!  It was bathtub warm! 

Above and below: another small cascade with a pretty water hole we enjoyed.  It was very warm. 

Below is the old mining sluice box.   This shot was taken with my Canon camera. 

Below: I am standing at the sluice looking up at the above ground part of it 

Below: this cascade sits directly in front of the sluice and is the water source to flush things through.  It would be very dangerous to stand near it during high water.  

Below: this shot was taken with the Go Pro.  It really lights up the interior despite how tiny it is!  You can better see the interior walls and the water. 

Below: a close up of the stream.. an isolation shot of the creek just before it enters the sluice

Below: water from the stream flowing into the sluice tunnel. 

  We played around here. Michael went to the far side. Lay down on the end and waved back at me through the tunnel. It is on the video, but is hard to see. 

Below is a video of this part of our experience.  It was playful and fun.  

    

    We had such a great time today.   I am happy that my grandson still wants to spend time doing things with me.   Here is how we started out. 

Below is an image of when Michael was about nine months old. I toted him on my back to take him hiking.  I had to take a bottle, diapers, wipes, his "dissy" blanket, and "Dopsy" was the name he gave his pacifier.  I carried that little Sumo wrassler baby on my back many a place.   He was adorable then and turned out to be a tall, slender, handsome young man. 

Here is a trip report to one of my visits to Gee Creek Wilderness where I was solo and went up as far as the uppermost falls.   It is in sequence and really shows what's up there and it is worth a look.   

  We hiked out like a breeze. It started to drizzle rain on us, but felt great.  We got back to the jeep and there was only one truck left in the parking area. It was directly behind my jeep.  Michael got his dry clothes and changed in the front seat.  I stood under the hatch and changed.  I looked all around and studied that truck. I could not see a soul in it.  I believed it to be empty. There is another trailhead there at that spot and I assumed they must have gone up Starr Mountain Trail. We didn't meet anyone else on the way in as we were leaving.    I dried off and draped a towel round my shoulders.  I tried to hurry up. It does seem like being naked is an invitation for someone to roll up on you.   I was uneasy so I laughed and told Michael I'm just going commando ( no under pants) no one will know but us. We're just going home."  He laughed and I jumped in the vehicle and we fired it up to leave.  As I was turning to pull out the truck behind us started up and turned its lights on.  Hells Bells!  This is pretty much par for the course of my life.  Nothing for it now.  In the words of Larry the Cable Guy "Lord, I apologize!"