Widow's Creek Trail - Stone Mountain State Park

Okay, this was truly fat hiker hell.  We set off on a wild goose chase for Dogwood Trail (2.5 mile strenuous).  However, we couldn't find it and the woman at the Visitor Center had no idea which one we were talking about.  The only one on the list with that description was Widow's Creek Trail (Widow's Creek Trail: This trail is entered from the back country parking area. The trail follows Widow's Creek for 2.5 miles to the different back country sites and stops. To view Widow's Creek Falls, park just beyond the Widow's Creek bridge and walk a short distance upstream.).


The trail started out IMMEDIATELY with some strenuous inclines.  It was fat hiker hell.  It never stopped!!  Or at least it felt like that.  At one point, I told Steve how frustrating it was to do all this climbing and still be incredibly out of breath, legs still felt like spaghetti, and not feeling any stronger.  It's frustrating after the few weeks we've been hiking to hit something like this and be based of all your accomplishments.

He assured me that this wasn't an easy hike. He was out of breath, too. It was going to take a while for strength to really build up. I knew this, but hiker heffer really is getting tired of feeling week.

S on the trail on
the way back down.

S out on a log
while HH rested her feet

There wasn't much scenery.  It was a very pretty creek with tons of rhododendrons.  Man, they were TALL!  There were several fir trees, too.  There was a small waterfall when you come to the first backpacking campsite, but we decided to check it out on the way back. 

The trail went up and up and up. I swear it never ended until the trail ended. I think we went up around 400 ft in 2 miles? I'm not sure. I didn't get signal to be able to track this trek properly. We came to what we assume is the end as we ran out of blaze markers.

And now the descent from the mountain we just climbed. I honestly though my feet would be more sore. This time, I tried a new strategy. I leaned back, took shorter steps, and concentrated on the heel stepping first. This weekend to work for a while. We only had to stop once on the way down.

 

 

 The waterfall was neat.  it wasn't very tall, but was cool.  Our arrival was announced by the two dogs staying with the backpacking couple camped out at the falls.  They were so cute!  One came up and licked my face.  *giggle*

On the way back, my eyes tend to wander and find interesting things to photograph.  I found this cool looking moss type fungus type thing.  It reminded me of air plants?  You remember those, don't you?  A bromiliad type mini plant?  Anyway, it was too cool NOT to photograph. 

 

 

 

I'm sore.  I'm tired, but I didn't give up!