Activity

"Still recovering from our trip to Virginia, Gina and I had to take a slow walk to Nimblewill Creek to check on the lady slipper and trilliums. The trilliums are thriving and multiplying, but the lady slipper, though open, is looking pale." — davidensley • Apr 17, 2024

"Hiked Bear Creek Trail along Bear Creek to where it joins the Pinhoti Trail and continued NOrthBOund on the combined trail to Gennett Popular and back. Crossed three streams on stepping stones both ways without getting our feet wet." — davidensley • Jan 3, 2024

"Hiked from Nimblewill Gap Road to Nimblewill Creek and back to check the water level after 4.6 inches of rain over the past two days and found it significantly higher. Three photos today and one from several days ago for comparison." — davidensley • Dec 27, 2023

"Peppermint and I scouted Benton MacKaye Trail heads west of Ducktown, Tennessee. First we hiked from trailhead parking through Thunder Rock Campground. Then we drove All Wheel Drive up forest road 45 to a BMT crossing at a hairpin turn. Continuing up 45, we turned left onto 221 to another BMT crossing. Finally, we drove back up 221 past 45 to a non-BMT trailhead on the edge of Big Frog Wilderness." — davidensley • Dec 7, 2023

"Parked All Wheel Drive before the end of FS-816 due to all the vehicles. No cars made it past the rough road near the end. Gina and I hiked the rest of the road to a connecting trail to the Benton MacKaye Trail to and across the suspension bridge over the Toccoa River. Gina got dizzy with the bridge movement and wished she had her trekking poles for the final descent to the bridge, but neither bothered me. " — davidensley • Nov 24, 2023

"Scouted winter bushwhack to Black Mountain peak. Started up the ridge where an old trail may have gone, but found it easier to stay on the Appalachian Trail Approach Trail as the woods are fairly open, and the slopes are not too steep." — davidensley • Nov 5, 2023

"I hiked to Nimblewill Creek where others soon joined me. Ivy fed the fish, and we actually saw fish this time. I took the side trail on the return and moved the small blowdown off trail." — davidensley • Aug 19, 2023

"With no prominent peaks for miles around, Dee took Gina and me on the Chickasaw Trail in Shelby Farms Park in Shelby County Tennessee (Memphis). We did an out-and-back, but I forgot to resume the recording when we continued after reaching Chickasaw Lake. We saw the bison while on the Shelby Farms Greenline trail before turning back." — davidensley • Jul 16, 2023

"Too sick yesterday to check on the orchids, and today only well enough to get to the gap between Peak 2040 ft and Peak 1968 ft. The pair is still not showing signs of blooming. The tallest of the trio is continuing to bud, but the shortest of the trio is bent over at the neck." — davidensley • Jul 10, 2023

"Scary hike to Nimblewill Creek where Gina fed the fish. First warning was the biggest broken branch I ever threw from across the trail. Minutes later a loud crash high on the side of Peak 2040 ft. Near the end of the hike a smaller crash so close that I jumped back. Rain fall this week 3.5 inches. Wild orchids unchanged but Lady Slipper broke her neck. Rhododendron blossoms becoming more numerous as they wax and wane." — davidensley • Jun 22, 2023