Crawders Mountain State Park-Pinnacle Trail

The Pinnacle trail is labeled  "strenuous", but as you start out there is no indication of the struggle that lies ahead.

The closer you get to the summit the rockier the trail becomes.

The Pinnacle Trail has an elevation gain of 800 feet and 600 feet in the last half mile.  At the very end, there is a 40-foot rock climb that isn't overly difficult.

A view from King's Pinnacle

On this 90-degree day, the breeze on top of Stone Moutain's King"s Pinnacle was a much-needed relief.  I lingered there for 20 minutes chatting with others and taking in the view 2305 feet gives.

New River State Park-Fern Nature Trail, Running Cedar, River Run, Hickory Trails

New River State Park is broken up into five sections along the New River. I first visited the US 221 Access and hiked the River Run and Hickory Trail.

  Two short trails around the back of the New River State Park Visitors Center connected me to the River Run Trail.

 A few hours later we will be at this trail junction again coming from the opposite direction.

 

You can hear the river before you can see it. Through the trees my first glimpse of New River and the small rapids that are the source of the sound. 

 After about a 20-minute walk, the trail enters a small open meadow that has evidence of an old homestead with its chimney and part of a wall still intact.

The River Run Trail ends at a boat landing. 

From the boat landing, we crossed over the parking area and started down the Hickory Trail. The Mountain Laurels were in full bloom.

A 30-minute drive on US 221 South then left to 16 South/88 East took us to the Wagoner Access where we hiked the Fern Nature Trail, and Running Cedar Trail. 

Before we reached the Fern Nature Trail, we pass by a chimney from an old homestead. 

The Fern Trail takes you through a thick, dense forest. 

A large boulder covered in moss catches Gypsy's attention.

The  Running Cedar Trail runs parallel with a steep embankment, but in a slight downward direction towards the river. We are traveling in an upstream direction. 

We make a sharp hairpin turn then began follow the river downstream along its banks.

After crossing the Wagoner Access Road, the Hickory Trail begins and took me through a forest to where we met up with the river going in a downstream.direction.

All four trails totaled just under 5 miles of hiking.

Stone Mountain State Park-Stone Mountain Summit Trail

I parked at the picnic area and followed the signs that brought me to this intersection. From here you can go straight for a short distance and view the waterfall or turn right and hike 1.4 miles to the Summit. 

Most of the hike up to the Summit looks like this. A steady upward incline then a turn then another steady upward incline.

   Certain portions of the trail as you approach the Summit becomes rock.  The Park Service painted orange dots on the rock to help hikers not lose the trail.

A view of the Summit from about the halfway point of our journey.

We finally arrived at the Summit. A family and their dog were already enjoying the scenery.

There are no fences, and you can go as close to the cliff edge as you dare.

Rhododendrons flower along the path. 

You descend 296 steps to reach the bottom of the 200-foot waterfall.

Crystal clear water and sparkling gold stones.

With an elevation gain of 570-feet, this hike is rated strenuous. From the picnic area parking area to the top of the Summit is a 3.6-mile round trip hike.