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Off-trail caves, coves, and gravity-defying rock monsters
I've been on a few short hikes the past couple of weeks in a lightly traveled section of my go-to trail system. It's all or mostly in a state forest that surrounds a city park that's a popular hiking spot. I found an unmarked trailhead at the end of a cul de sac on the edge of the state forest and set to exploring. Some of the things I found weren't totally new to me, but this approach gave me access to different spots along a creek and an incredible view from above a waterfall that I'd only seen from below. Together with the vistas of the Tennessee River Gorge, swinging bridges, and waterfalls that the main trails already offers, this place offers an incredible range of hiking opportunities.
I don't usually pay much mind to cairns, but this is the biggest one I've seen in a while:
Wet weather in the cold always provides some solid icicles along the trail:
Usually I'd guess that a cave like this was an old coal mine. But this is on a pretty steep slope with no signs of old coal paths or rail tracks around. So who knows:
I've posted pics of this rock before but they'd been from one of my solo hikes. With a person in the frame -- that's me at around 6' 4" -- you get a much better idea of the size of this crazy-ass rock. My friend who took the picture was in awe. It's like being able to walk into and out of a photograph of a mountain collapsing.
This stretch of creek is awesome, especially with all the rain. The big, flat rock toward the back of the first pic is the same one that my friend is standing on in the second. Note how the creek actually flows behind and under the rock on its way downstream.
As great as all these places are, this spot is the high point. I'd only seen this waterfall from below before and this view is far, far better. Pics really don't do it justice.
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