Believer Falls on Rush Branch

Above:  if you want to see Sweet White trillium  Rush Branch is a good place to look 

Believer Falls on Rush Branch 

Dana Koogler solo hike  

1/2 mile round trip 

March 23, 2023  Thursday 

Photos are here:  Rush Branch 

   I had a long list of things to do Wednesday and Thursday.   One of the errands was to go on over to the visitor center in Townsend for my parking pass for the Smokies.   I finally bit the bullet and did it.   The lady at the visitor center was super helpful. The process was simple and easy.   Living close I like to be able to pick  up and go on a whim. I decided I did not want the worry of trying to purchase and print a day pass each trip.     I got it and put it on the windshield and went my way.

 At the end of this blog entry I will include simple instructions on the process.

        It was 3:30 p.m. already, but I wanted to get out and hike a little while I could.  It had been a few years since I hiked up Rush Branch to Believer Falls.   I figured that was as good a place as any for a short hike.   I parked  by the sign for the GSMNP at the end of Townsend and set off.

         

Above: Long spurred violets on the mossy rocks on the far side of the stream.

Above: sweet white violets growing on the side of a rock among the moss

Above: The stream near the first crossing. It is always a shallow rock hop.  

Above: Lots of this today.  Trees have come down over the usual way up to the falls.   I had to go around, over and under trees most of the way.  It is time consuming. 

Above: The most open terrain of the day was where I went up and around to avoid the first batch of downed trees.  

Above: Yellow trillium was out and very pretty back here. 

Above: Rue anemone was out today as well. It is an early bloomer. 

Above: Blue violets were out today as well. 

Below: Another pretty spot in the creek at the second crossing of the day.

Below:  I am looking up the slope because I feel like I should be moving along up high, but the way is so obstructed with downed trees either high or low doesn't make much difference. 

Beautiful sunshine sparkling down into the holler at 3:45 in the afternoon.   Shown above. 

Below:  I looked down and saw this pretty slide in the stream that I had not noticed before.  

  There is no official "trail" to Believer Falls.  It is a narrow holler in Townsend and you just have to make your way up through it the best way you can.   The trek is 95% on the far side of the stream so once you cross you stay over there.  There is one other spot where you find the terrain pinches you so you have to re-cross briefly and once over that is it for crossings.  

     I found the stream flowing decently.  I saw a few early wildflowers such as bloodroot, rue anemone, sweet white violet, yellow trillium, blue violet, hepatica and sweet white trillium in bloom.    The day was unusually hot especially for March and at 3:30 in the afternoon.  It was a full, sweltering 80 degrees!   Honestly it was too hot and snakey for me to be out hiking off trail, but I was watching closely the whole time.   It is hard to do when you are plowing through dog hobble and going over and under trees.   

     I checked out the pretty spots in the stream along the way and enjoyed the blue skies.

I had not much of a breeze down in that hole.   I remember the first time I ever went on that hike. Gretchen and Annie and myself went. I think it was us three anyhow.  We stayed up high on the bank and once within sight of the falls worked our way down to them.   I have watched over the years as the way changed.  Trees falling have altered the track.   Now the path of least resistance is down low.   I had brought my water shoes with me thinking warm as it was I might just get in the creek and wade upstream.  Downed trees presented a problem in that regard as well.  That plan wasn't going to be carried out.  

          

Below is a video of the hike from the start.  I narrate it starting at 25 seconds describing the difficulties and the changes and showing how it was.  

Above: I loved this Go Pro shot that gives a perspective of how deep down in a hole you are in this holler.   It is dramatic and pretty at the same time.   You can see the falls tiny in the left hand of the image.  

Above:one of the better glimpses of Believer Falls in its entirety 

Above and below are a couple examples of more of the downed trees and debris cluttering both the trek and the creek/falls area.  

Above: a view of the falls taken standing in it right at the base.

Immediately above:  My first full look at Believer Falls is from up high. 

   I made it up to the falls ever so slowly. I doubted myself several times along the way, but a look around let me know that I was going the best way available to me.   I   would catch a break now and then with a slightly more open patch of ground.   

    Being down in a deep cleft in the earth with towering hills around me and blue skies above me is a powerful reminder of my place in the universe.   It is very humbling.    The stream murmuring past amid all that green moss was so nice.   It felt good to be out today even if it was plowing through underbrush.    I was very careful on the way TO the falls.    Remember I said that.   It will count on the test later.

    I finally made it up to the falls and once I was looking down upon it I had to figure how I was to get down there.  I checked out a couple spots, but they both looked risky. I decided to stick with the slightly more circuitous, but safer way down.  I could still see the cut in the ground where the faint path leads down from the old "road" or manway or whatever you want to call it.  

It takes a long time to get from point A to point B when you are having to consider each step carefully.     Finally I got down there and decided to cross back over the creek.  That terrain looked more manageable than the side I was on.   It was, but only just.  Once again, there is no good way or easy way.  Just bad and worse.       I had to watch out also for poison ivy and oak all around.    I figured I stood a fair chance of ending up with a case by the way I was wallowing in the brush. 

     The falls was pretty and it was worth the effort to arrive.  I stuck around and enjoyed it for awhile.   The death of the hemlocks and their corpses are playing hell with the forest.  How I wish we'd done something to fend this off much earlier.   

 

       

Below is a photo of a pair of sweet white trilliums in the area near the stream.

Above: a pretty cascade I stopped to admire on my struggle back toward the road.  I was looking for any excuse to be still and rest and stop floundering in the rough.  

Below: Directly across from this crossing was this mouse hole tree. It was a huge dead  hemlock with a hole in the trunk like a mouse hole!  Someone's little home.

  Once I got going on my way back with that first crossing done I got to feeling pretty good about life.  I had the worst over with.  I always get in trouble when I get turkey-fied and start loping about the woods.   I get careless.   I got to the second crossing and went stupid.  I tried walking down a sloped rock that was dry as a bone.  I figured it would be ok. I figured wrong!  I fell and hard!  I busted my butt and about halfway knocked the wind out of me.  I knew I was going to have a massive bruise from this.   (That's gonna leave a mark!)    I picked myself up, dusted myself off and much more carefully proceeded toward the jeep.    I was glad to see flat ground and the vehicle.  It took a good while to hike that short distance.    It was worth it though.  

        Even a rough day in the woods is better than a day stuck indoors or on the couch.  

   Parking Pass Info: 

You can pick them up at any visitor center.  You can buy them online. 

They are non transferrable from person to person or vehicle to vehicle.  

My jeep tag is not ok to use on my truck.  

   I heard it was not going to be enforced, but that is not true.  The park service may not be able to enforce it 100% of the time.  Just like the law may not catch each and every speeder... they will still get some.  They are going to cite offenders. .   They have put a lot of time, energy, and money into improving the parking situation.   A drive home from Cherokee NC through the park showed Kenny and I how this is going to work and why it is needed.   We had got to where we dreaded driving Newfound Gap Road.  Like the frog in the pot of water where the temperature is gradually increased... we did not realize how bad the situation had gotten.  We were petrified and annoyed trying to get through areas like Laurel Falls, but especially near Alum Cave trailhead. 

People milling about in the road which is the ONLY place we have to drive.   I was just sure someone was going to get hit.   That day on the way home from visiting family we passed through those areas and it was magnificient!  No huge crowds.   No people in the road.   Is it worth the price?  It is to me.  

Get your parking pass.  Write your license plate number on it.   Display it on your right side of your windshield whenever you park in the Smokies.   The volunteer who helped me had a good piece of advice I am heeding.  I kept the original paper it came on.   It is a window cling.  It stays via static.    The problem with those is they can bake onto the glass in the hot sun.   You have to take them off with a razor blade then.  They get brittle.   I do as she suggested and put mine on, then when I am done I remove it and put it back in the glove box.    I don't want to have to scrape it off my windshield.   

          Gene Johnson put things in perspective for me in a good way.  I leave you with his take on it here.  It is a good thing to ponder. This is from his quote on Gosmokies.

"These discussions about the new parking fees in the Smokies inspired me to revisit how this great National Park came to be.  Unlike many of the National Parks out west the land that makes up the GSMNP had to be purchased from six thousand landowners, many of whom were resistant to selling their land, especially the large timber companies.  Donations to buy land for the park came from every strata of society and included the pennies of school children, the dollar bills of hotel bellhops, and the hundreds and thousands of dollars pledged by regional elites.

No one individual, group or governmental agency could have overcome all of the obstacles that park supporters faced in the seventeen-year struggle to bring a national park to the Smokies. The successful establishment of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park serves as a testament to what can be accomplished through the combined and cooperative efforts of private citizens and local, state, and federal government.

Why shouldn’t We the People who use the Park that has been given to us not help preserve and maintain this great gift from the People?"~~Gene Johnson  1/27/23

Below: a cell phone snapshot of parking at Laurel Falls the same day driving back home from Cherokee.   

 

Meigs Creek Cascade Hike

 

First violet of the Spring 2022 season.

Meigs Creek Cascade Hike

Saturday March 5, 2022

Dana Koogler solo 

3 miles RT 

  I got up Saturday morning and had made up my mind to go hiking.

I had several scary rattlesnake experiences last Summer followed by one scary human encounter.  I have done only one solo hike since then and that was a super short one. Even that day turned out to be weird and creepy finding that abandoned camp at Harmon Den.  I knew I had to force myself to prove I could go alone again. The snakes are out, but the weather was going to be really nice.  I would get out to enjoy the day.   

 

  I had not hiked to Meigs Creek Cascade in a long time.   It is a good leg stretcher without being too extreme.  I have been experiencing a fair amount of joint pain and stiffness so I knew better than to try to overdo it.

This hike would be just right. I got an early start so the parking lot wouldn't be full.   I arrived around 9:15 a.m. to find only one vehicle in the parking lot at The Sinks.    I got out to hike the old ox bow of the river by the parking area.  I had read pawpaw blooms should be there.  Either I looked in the wrong place or it is still a bit early for them.   I hiked out and back and stopped to gather my gear.    

      I hit the trail and enjoyed the fresh air, the warm temperatures, blue skies, and the songs of hundreds of spring peeper frogs!  I saw quite a few critters today. A bright red cardinal, a raven with a twig in its mouth, a squirrel, a butterfly, a  salamander,  and later on... a bat!    I also put together the way the old abandoned ox bow of Little River really went.  It began by the parking area swing in a wide curve around and comes out in the bottom lands where the trail dips down low after the steps.  The spot is a low, muddy seepage. The river used to flow around this bend and back into the main river bed.

I was on the look out as I climbed the trail for Spring blooms.  I did not see any to begin with, but at last I saw my first one of the year.  A tiny violet bloomed all alone by the trail.

  The reality of a hike and the Dana's inner workings version often fail to line up.   Time goes by and I skip all the twists and turns and unless they are killer hikes/bushwhacks they all tend to fall in the "Oh that's easy" category.

Today I knew I'd have a creek crossing, but I believed it would only be one.  Oh how I lied to myself.   I knew the start went gradually upward, but I edited out fifty percent of it.   The lack of leaves on the trees yet allowed for nice partial views of the surrounding mountains and forest.  Far below I could see The Sinks and Little River.  

    The pine forest was quiet and the breeze rustled the trees a bit.

I enjoyed the bird songs this morning.   I was making good time and had thus far not encountered a soul.    I  saw a couple long spurred violets just getting started.   

long spurred violet

        

  It wasn't long until the trail leveled off and then began to trend downhill.

I knew at the bottom of this hill I'd meet with my first stream crossing.  I did get that part right.  I had already decided today that I'd simply wear my boots to wade the stream.  It was not cold and I wanted the additional traction with as unstable as my knees have been lately.   I  would simply change to dry stuff when I got back to the vehicle.    The stream was running pretty high, but nothing scary or dangerous.   I hadn't gone any distance until I met with another stream crossing.  Meigs Creek Trail snakes its way back and forth across the stream a multitude of times.  Once I came to my senses and realized I was going to have more than one crossing I did remember that the first several are one after another.  If  you are wearing water shoes don't bother taking them off until you are done with the first four or five. .... or six.. 

     The hike takes you along past some very scenic small cascades and pretty green pools of snow water before you get to the falls.   I was pleased to see that the scramble down over the bank to the falls was a lot easier than I recollected.   Someone has done some improvements to the way down.

I was grateful for that.  I believe today was the most water I've ever seen on this falls.  It is quiet pretty.  It is an eighteen foot high cascade in a mossy, pleasant spot.  A rocky area at the bottom provides a good spot for photos.

First glimpse of Meigs Creek Cascade today from the trail

Above: turkey tail fungus

Far left of the cascade looks like this. Can't get it all in one photo from up close.

Above: I am directly in front of the falls and there is spray on the lens!

Above: best shot of the cascade

        

Below is a short video of the falls and a small, pretty cascade and hole of water just below it.  

    I enjoyed the visit to the falls.  I took a few minutes to sit down and have a drink and a quick snack.   I packed up all my gear to begin the return hike.  I had made up my mind to climb down the bank to get photos and video of a very pretty low cascade and green hole of water.     It turned out to be easy and worth the stop.

While down there two things happened. I saw my first other hikers of the day and waved to them.    I saw a very large butterfly downstream from where I stood.  I thought it seemed a bit early in the year for butterflies, but there it was just the same.    I took my photos and video and enjoyed the scenery along with the sound of the stream.   Here came the "butterfly" back toward me.  It was big and erratic in its flapping around.  That isn't a butterfly... it is a bird? No... I got a closer look.. it was a bat!  Out in the daytime and behaving like a tiny kamikaze pilot.  I have seen bats like this before near streams.  They are always sick with white nose syndrome.  Just like that I was done! I put my gear away keeping a close eye on Mr. Bat.   He lit in the branches of the rhododendron nearby.   I got out of there quickly.   I don't mess with bats.   🦇

Above and below:  a nice cascade along the trail 

  The hike back was much easier since I had the majority of the uphill on the hike in.   Once I got the creek crossings behind me I cruised on back at a leisurely pace.  I encountered several more groups of hikers. I saw a total of seven other hikers all day.     Not a heavily traveled trail.   I also spotted some hepatica blooms on the way out. Either I missed them the first time or they opened while I was at the falls.    

Above and below: some examples of the hepatica blooms I saw

 Once I got back to The Sinks the parking lot was full as expected. It was quite crowded with visitors.  I stopped to video tape and photograph a group of creek kayakers run The Sinks.  It has a reputation for being a dangerous hole of water. 

A fourteen year old boy drowned here several Summers back after an incident of foot entrapment if memory serves.  These folks made picking the line and running it look easy.  

Below is a series of action shots of the kayakers who I did not know. 

Above: The Sinks... despite the reputation for danger I still go swimming and jumping here now and then.  I just don't get around the falls.  There is a very tranquil, deep hole of water with a good rock for jumping down below this. 

Below is a video of the kayakers.  Very exciting to watch them!  

All in all it was a good hike.  I felt great and was pleased I got it done with no eerie encounters aside from the little snafu with the bat and in my book that doesn't count.  

Bull Sink in Early Spring

Rue Anemone was blooming today but not a lot of it.

Bull Sink in Early Spring

4/1/2021

Dana Koogler solo

   I got out today for a little while.  It was cold, but late in the afternoon I took time to ride over to Townsend.  I thought it would be nice to ride back into the back of the national park to check out Bull Sink.  I was seeing all kinds of wildflower photos from various persons and areas.  I hoped that I'd see some flowers today.   It only got up to 49 degrees today and though it was sunny I knew this wasn't very promising for flowers.   I climbed higher in elevation as I went and that caused me to realize that I wasn't likely to see much.  I had hoped to see some good flowers at the sink.  I was also planning on hiking the old logging road that runs below Rich Mountain Trail. Boyd had suggested that to me in the past and I had yet to do it. 

      I pulled into the parking spot and got out of the jeep.  I am always very hot natured, but I was freezing!  I put on my coat which thankfully I had in the back of my vehicle.   I wasn't seeing much, but since I was here I'd go ahead.

I walked down the manway to the sinkhole.    It was about as bleak as I've ever seen it in April.   It was still pretty with the green beginning to show.

A few purple dots and blue dots here and there from wild geranium, blue phlox and one or two deep purple dwarf larkspurs.   Buttercups. Rue anemone.  Hepaticas were up, but just in bud, not opened.  I saw one very newly opened yellow trillium.  It was supposed to be trillium luteum, but it was green as grass through and through.   

       I walked down toward the cave.  The stream that flows into it was as strong as I have ever seen it.  It was making a nice waterfall today.  I very carefully edged my way closer and found a position where I could photograph it safely and get some video footage.   It was really the high spot of the sink today.    Not much else going for it.    

    It was still good to get out and have some fresh air and exercise.  Still grateful not to be in pain also.   I hope I get the chance to come back to see this pretty spot again when and if the flowers ever emerge this Spring which has been very, very slow to arrive.   I know East Tennessee has some crazy ass weather, but this is ridiculous.  Maybe this is the Spring of Deception or Third Winter? 

  

Above: a vignetted look at Bull Sink.. I'm going to call it Bleak House

One lonely little wild geranium

a lone blue phlox

a few dwarf larkspur blooms

Blue skies over a chilly and deep Bull Sink

Beautiful little stream flowing down into the cave in the golden light of evening.

A side long glace at the pretty waterfall formed as the stream descends into the cave.

Above:  The cave and the stream dropping into it.  Love all the green and mossy surfaces.

Below is a short video of the waterfall at the cave

Flat Creek Falls and Heintooga Tailgating --Autumn Colors & Elk !

 

Purple Fall asters along the path to the Masonic Marker

Flat Creek Falls and Heintooga Tailgating 

--Autumn Colors & Elk ! 

Sunday Oct. 18, 2020 

Dana & Kenny Koogler

Photos are here starting with current frame

(Album is a combination of various trips in different seasons.

start with current frame and click arrow right to advance)

Flat Creek Falls on Tennessee Landforms 

** The waterfall is off trail.  I'm not providing anymore directions for that than 

the waypoint.  

   We wanted to get out to see some Fall colors at high elevations.  We talked it over and decided to go to the Smokies.  We'd go hit the Blue Ridge Parkway and Heintooga.  We figured that area is usually far less crowded.  It will close in a couple weeks for the season.  It will remain closed until May or so of next year. 

It is a particular favorite for me, but I don't like to go there alone as much.  I prefer it when I have some company especially Kenny.   We packed up our stuff to have a picnic.  I know how the park service has been especially with the Rona so I made sure we had contingency plans for the picnic.    We were blessed with perfect weather for the day. Blue skies. Sunshine.  A cool start to the day with the temperature at dawn being 38° and warming to 67° by midday.   We knew the temperatures at the higher elevations would likely not warm up quite that much.

We went prepared with various layers of clothing.    The drive over was pretty and the traffic was surprisingly light.  We saw the usual crush of vehicles and people at the Laurel Falls trailhead and the Alum Cave Trailhead.  Kenny expressed that he was glad he had hiked LeConte several times because with the vast numbers of people he was not willing to subject himself to that mess. I had to echo his sentiments.   Too many Hoo-mans!

       We got up into the area just past Newfound Gap and heading toward Cherokee.  We were seeing some Fall colors, but were a little surprised how much green was still about.   It shouldn't have come as a shock since we've only had one good cold snap and that was this past Friday.   Peak colors are a little ways off yet thankfully.   I needed a mercy call so rather than deal with the crowd at Oconaluftee Visitor Center I told Kenny to pull off at the Collins Creek picnic grounds.   The restrooms were open and there were very few people around.We were able to get going again quickly.   We looked for elk on the way through Oconaluftee, but saw none this morning.   

       We saw no one hiking Kanati Fork trail and far fewer hiking Kephart Prong than usual.  The visitor center parking lot was jam packed already as we passed by.

Kenny was trying to get his bearings and asked me "Do we turn and get on the parkway?" I started paying attention more closely so I could navigate for him.  I have been to this area much more recently than he has.    Once you turn onto the Blue Ridge Parkway it is still eighteen miles til you come to the spur road. 

Below is a view from the spur road into Maggie Valley.  Beautiful Fall colors!

      I told Kenny to please stop at Black Camp Gap.  We have driven by there many times, and not once have I ever stopped to see the Masonic marker.  I was going to fix that today.   We pulled up to two or three vehicles there already.  It is a super short walk to the monument.   Maybe 100 feet.  It is fully wheelchair accessible. 

Ramp heading up to the masonic marker. 

Below: a description plaque for the marker.  

Below: a close up of a detail on the masonic marker.

     

      I found this very touching on the inscription.  I think today with all the political division and strife in the world I find it very comforting to see things like this.  I believe the Freemasons are becoming ever more relevant.  They were begun for a variety of reasons. Some of the reasons were mistrust of organized religion and extreme mistrust of governments.   Politics and organized religion working together to enact the "will of God!" is a terrifying thing.  They had to have someone they could trust thus the brotherhood of Masons.   Things are cycling back round to the need for more of that.

    

  I talked to a gentleman named Vic here at the monument.  He was a refreshing and interesting person to encounter.  He is a smart man who thinks for himself.  Critical thinking is often in short supply these days.  It gives me much hope for the world and our country to meet folks who like myself... don't want to be told what to think and believe.  We want to think for ourselves and figure things out.    I think he is a little like me in the contrarian department just maybe.   I found the masonic marker to be well worth the stop to see. The area is extremely peaceful and pretty.

The sentiments and craftsmanship expressed in and on the marker are very moving.   Universal benevolence is a fine thing we should all aspire to regardless of religious beliefs or political stance.  One of the things we noticed at the Masonic marker parking area was a sign saying "Picnic area closed". There is one picnic table at the monument lawn.  It was not in use, but we couldn't see why it would be closed over corona especially if there is only one table.  

       

    

Below is another example of some of the best Fall color we saw today.  Looking toward Maggie Valley.  

View of the mountains from Heintooga

   We saw some elk cows along the road today.  Below is photo of two of them.  

Look closely. Click the photo and it will enlarge to full size. Easier to spot them. They are on the slope grazing. The photo below that shows one that was by her lonesome down in a gully grazing. 

Below: Lone elk cow grazing in the gully below the road. 

  We finally arrived at the end of the spur road.  The first indicator the picnic area here was closed was a group of folks sitting in the grassy parking lot in the sunshine.   

See photo below. 

  

  The beautiful picnic grounds here at Heintooga were closed already for the season. I don't think it had to do with the corona virus, but the preparations for the end of the season.  The road will close at the end of the month or sooner if the weather turns bitterly cold.   Restrooms and picnic grounds closed.  I know it was open for awhile this past Summer.   I don't know if the facilities were ever opened for use.  The campground at Balsam Mountain.. both the one for the park service as well as Mile High Campground which is privately owned were all closed.  It was irritating to find them closed for use, but we came prepared.  We had our own grill which is far faster and easier to use than charcoal grills.  We brought along a table cloth and just sat out in the sun on the grass.  

Above: Closed picnic area.  Another example of the national park service and their frequent mentality of "An empty stall is easy to maintain"... our tax dollars at work.  (Proverbs 14:4) If the road is open til month's end the picnic grounds my tax dollars pay for ought to be accessible til the end of the month.  Grrrr!

Above: Kenny the grill master . We're tailgating it today!

Below: our checkered table clothe for our picnic.

 We had some burgers on the grill that were delicious and very satisfying.  Good thing cause we were going to need the energy.  The upcoming hike was a tough one energy wise.  

Above: our lunchtime view 

Below: trail from parking area out to a view point and some benches.  It is at the back of the picnic area.  It is the Flat Creek Trail that runs from here all the way back do the other trailhead along the spur road.  

Below: I hiked all through the picnic grounds while Kenny was grilling. I helped him prep the stuff and since we weren't both needed to do the grilling I took off.

Below: Viewpoint from the Flat Creek Trail at the rear of the picnic area.

Below: a charming view of the picnic area.  Lord willing, we will get back up here next May when it reopens for a cookout and group hike. I'd love that.  I want to hike the Flat Creek Trail through as a shuttle hike in Spring.   

  Once we'd picked up our lunch stuff we set off back in the direction of the Flat Creek Trailhead along the road.   We passed it on the way to the road's end and it was full.  We arrived back to find only two vehicles there.  One couple pulled up just as we did.   They set off just ahead of us.  I couldn't help wondering if they were hiking it through?  I doubted anyone else would attempt to take the manway down to the falls, but you never know for certain til you get there.  

    Below: A section of the Flat Creek Trail 

Above: a partial view of the mountains from Flat Creek Trail on the way to the falls

  We enjoyed the hike on the trail through a gold and green forest of tall trees.  The streams were easy to cross, but flowing well enough we knew there would be plenty water on the falls.   Most folks if they even make it to the creek take a look at the eight foot high cascade and think that is Flat Creek Falls.  It is not.  Flat Creek Falls is two hundred feet high in its entirety.  It does not count the numerous cascades that continue down the mountain below the main falls.   Here below is a video from a trip in 2015 that includes the cascades below the main falls.  I somehow failed to take photos of those. I expect it was because by the time I got there I was worn out, and still had to climb back out of that hole. 

  Below is a view of a little Autumn color in the off trail section.  It was rough, but at least it was pretty. 

  We hiked further out the trail today than I ever had before.  It wasn't because we were so ambitious or motivated. It was because neither of us had ever seen the manway in Autumn and had trouble recognizing exactly where it was.  The up side is we got to see another 0.30 miles further out the trail than we had before. Flat Creek Bald is rather pretty.   We backtracked and found the manway right where we left it.  It was easier to notice coming this way.  I think primarily because I had eliminated all other possibilities at that point.   

      Down the short manway we went.  It was nice that this time of year it was not knee high, thick grass.   It is unmaintained and is very snakey during warm weather.  Spring is not so bad.   So now we've hiked this in three seasons.  Spring, Summer, and Fall.   We managed to fight our way through the rhodo and over and under downed trees to make our way gingerly down the steep slope to the falls.

We took time to visit each section of it.   I was astonished when I got to the bottom and realized that I was already there! I had in mind it was another 0.10 mile or so to the base.   Kenny helped me get positioned in the middle of the creek for taking pictures and video.   The base of the falls is shaped like a fan or a scallop shell with fingers of water splayed out across it.  Above that is a long, tight stream of water disappearing into the surrounding trees and shrubs.  Click on the photo below to see a full sized image of it. 

  The glowing leaves of gold, rust, copper and green around the falls were beautiful.   It is a lovely spot on the planet far as I am concerned.   

We were tickled that though we are eighteen years older than the first time we visited here, we can still get 'er done!  

Below is a video of the falls from the top down.  I am sure the video isn't as inclusive as the one in 2015.  For one I did not climb down to include the lower cascades.  Another thing is that having been multiple times before I was not as focused on each aspect of the chute leading down to the base.   Still pretty.

It is worth mentioning that the night before we were to go I got curious.  I did a search of Facebook to see what popped up about Flat Creek Falls?  I was real specific too since there are a couple other waterfalls with the same name.  I made sure to search the correct one.   My own material came up.  A few other folks came up who hiked the trail, but did not visit the falls.  One person came up who went to the creek via the manway. Only one person came up who had actually visited the falls and been down to the bottom. Brett Haas!  He's the man! I liked his photos and video on Facebook when I found them.  I later got a friend request from him and of course accepted!  

Below is a little bit of a vista through the trees of the surrounding terrain and color.

Below is a photo of the falls from about halfway down.

Above is a shot of Kenny through the mess we had to walk through and down.  This is actually a good spot. Otherwise I'd probably not have even bothered taking a photo at all.  

    The climb back up was very slow and deliberate with much bellyaching on my part.   At one point the Drama Queen here was flopped on her face on the dirt.  Kenny lay beside me minus his face in the dirt... laughing at me.  Laughing at two old folks who still think we're the schiznit.  Right.  No, no we're not.  

Once we got back up toward the top we had happen exactly what happened to me one other time when I was alone for this adventure.  Off trail it is easy to get confused about exactly where you crossed the creek or climbed over or under something.  It all starts to look the same cause for the most part it IS the same. 

We passed our original spot where we forded and had to hunt it.   It made me feel drained.  I got myself out of that mess by simply getting in the stream and started climbing and walking IN the creek. I knew the stream came out beside the manway on up. I probably hiked 1/4 mile in the creek that day, but it was Summer then.

Today that would have been possible, but I sure didn't want to do that.  

Hot as I was it would have felt good though. Kenny dived down toward the creek and found we'd missed our spot by fifty feet.   

   Once back on the manway we trudged back to the trail. Once on the trail we trudged slowly back to the truck.   It is a forgiving trail since it is not much uphill especially on the way back.  You have the horrible steep climb back up from the base,the climb back up the manway to the trail, and once on the trail a few gentle, gradual ups and downs til you get within 1/4 mile of the trailhead.  Once there it is all uphill, but on switchbacks.  It helps that the scenery is gorgeous the entire way.

It is like a narcotic for the pain if I have something pretty to see.  

     I stopped to take one last photo before we wrapped up our hike for the day.

It was of a lone copper beech tree beside Bunches Creek.   It made for quite the scene.   It looked to me like a fairy story.   I always think of James Taylor's song "Copperline" when I see one of these trees.  The lyrics mention copper beech in them.   It is a mellow, happy song that has an Autumn sound to it.

I'm including the video here because it is a favorite. I hope those who read this trip report will enjoy it as well.  

     

Even the old folks never knew
Why they call it like they do
I was wonderin' since the age of two
Down on Copperline

Copperhead, copper beech
Copper kettles sitting side by each
Copper coil, cup o' Georgia peach
Down on Copperline--James Taylor

   

        

   Once back at our truck I took a deep drink of water.  I changed shirts and put on some clean gear.   Tidied myself up a bit.   I got out an apple, but never ate it.

We headed back out toward home in the truck.  I had brought my blanket and used my wonderful neck pillow.  I began drifting off to sleep even before we got to Oconaluftee.  I woke up long enough to see a bull elk on the road.  I saw a bunch more in the fields near the visitor center.  There was an elk jam, but it moved right along.  The park service has figured out how to allow folks to enjoy seeing the elk without totally clogging up traffic.   I didn't much care though. I was that tired. I dozed most of the way home.    Once home I forced myself to eat a cup of yogurt.  We went to see our grandkids, but I had to come on home pretty quickly. I was in bed at eight p.m.   The sheets and my pajamas felt so cool and comfortable.  I went to sleep with a cat laying on my back purring.  I slept til 6:15 a.m. the next day.

I woke up feeling ready to whip a wildcat!    

Below: Kenny's beautiful new truck.  I was sure glad to see it when we got done.

Above: huge herd of elk at the visitor center. 

Above: nice looking bull elk along the road