8-2-16 Dukes Creek Falls and Brasstown Bald Mountain:

Time to play tourist again!  When we had gone up to Helen back in June, there was a scenic drive and a couple more water falls close to there that I thought would be nice to see.  So we headed back up that way.  Nice that it's only about an hour from our place.  Nice being able to ride on state highways and get away from Atlanta traffic.  

 The scenic drive starts a few miles before Helen just off 75A, coming up from Cleveland, Ga.  I knew it was going to be a nice day right from our first scenic pull off!

Within 10 miles or so we were at the Dukes Creek Falls trailhead. 

 It started out nicely paved and smooth.

 But it didn't take long until we were on a dirt trail with lots of rocks and tree roots.

 From time to time there were boardwalks and steps, but most of the time we were just on a bumpy sloping dirt trail.

 After a couple switch backs, we were able to see the river for awhile. 

 Unlike Anna Ruby Falls trail where you hike along the river most of the way, Dukes Falls trail was mostly a walk in the woods without a view of the river.

The occasional glimps of the river was a treat.

 When we weren't by the river, I noticed other things--- like the way this tree root grew into this stone.

 It was only about 85 degrees up there, but it was quite humid.  Fortunately it was shaded most of the way. 

 There were also a few mushrooms. 

 and odd little flowers.

 Apparently this is the place of Queens!

 The trail was a little over a mile each way. 

 Finally reached the bottom.  This was just one of the many falls near the end of the trail.

 This one was to the left of the one above. 

 There were 2 viewing platforms---an upper and a lower one.

 Looking back towards the right from the upper platform.

 looking to the left at the taller falls.  Too bad there wasn't a good view of the falls near the top!  It split into about 50 smaller waterfalls and funneled down to this one.  The little falls really looked neat, but too blocked to get a good picture of.

 another look to the right close to where it met the falls on the left.

 The river below the falls.

 some wild blackberries growing near the falls.

 one more view to the right.

 trying to get the many falls on the upper part of the left falls.

 Unfortunately we had to leave and make our way back up the 380 feet of elevation.  But I was able to find a few more interesting things along the way.

 a very yellow mushroom.

 another mushroom.

 Ken leaving me in his dust again.

 We managed to make it back to our car---very sweaty and thirsty.  Then we decided to continue on the scenic drive.  There was suppose to be another waterfall that was suppose to be close to the road.  Somehow we missed it.  I guess it wasn't impressive enough for them to even put a sign up for!  But we did come to a couple more scenic pull offs.

 Love being able to see so many mountaintops.  Too bad it was so foggy.  Or is it the gas given off by all the decaying foliage in the Blue Ridge Mountains (for which it gets it's name)?

 I love that the mountains are low enough that trees cover the tops of them.

 Someone's artistic contribution to the scenic pull off.  I think I'll call it the Piasa Fish.

 views from the road.

 another view from the road.

 A working windmill?

 farmlands

 these are truly lucky cows.

 Ken mentioned he had read that the highest point in Georgia was around here and I noticed it was just off the scenic route, so we decided to check it out, too.

 It even has a gift shop which we checked out later.

 Ken's senior pass got us into the park, but we still paid $2 @ for a shuttle ride to the museum/viewing/interpretive center on the top of the mountain.

There are 360 degree views from the viewing platform.   Supposedly you can see 4 states from here.  At an altitude of  4,784', it is often covered with clouds.

4,784

4,784

 We didn't seeing much when we first got there.  It even rained a bit. 

 The shuttle driver told us that the highest temperature here was 84 and the lowest was around -24. 

 There is even a comfy seating area outside the little theater where a 15 minute video about the area is shown.

 The interpretive center and little museum are under the viewing platform.  As a quilt fancier, I thought it interesting that they had 3 quilts hanging up.  A lot of work went into them!

 there was even a small Climax locomotive engine.  Between 1875 and 1878, Charles Scott, a mechanically creative lumberman, operated a logging tram road with a locomotive that he made.  Scott even decided to produce and sell his train, but he let a relative by marriage,  George D. Gilbert, help with the patenting.  Only problem with that was Gilbert listed the invention as his.  Later Scott fought him in court, but by then there wasn't a lot of use for the trains anymore and he was left broke.

 The clouds started to lift, so I ran around the 360 degree platform again and took a bunch more pictures.

 This was towards Tennessee.

 love the way the clouds were hanging in the valleys.

 towards the West.

 towards the north.

 The parking lot.  Not many people here today!

 It was a very comfortable upper 70's or so day up there today. 

 Could have gazed at this much much longer!

 This was looking South.

 Another Southern view.

 I hope we can get back up here on a clear Fall day when the trees are in peak color!

 More info on Brasstown Bald

 Another look at the museum/interpretive/viewing center at the summit of the mountain.  It originally started out as a fire lookout tower and still is used as one (I assume from the turret building since it was closed off from tourists).

 The shuttle driver also told us to look for telephone poles on our way out of the park that have been scratched up by black bears.  He said they do that to mark their territory.  I believe this is one of those poles. 

 By the time we got done on Brasstown Bald, it was about 4pm and we were starving.  We continued on the last few miles of the 45 mile scenic drive and ended up just West of Helen, so into Helen we went for dinner.

 Had to check out the river again.  Maybe it was because of the time of day, but there weren't nearly as many tubers today as when we were there in June.  There were even a few empty inner tubes going by.   Wonder how many inner tubes get lost each day?

 Neat area to watch tubers go by.

Ken had bragged so much to everyone about the Clucker sandwich he got at Big Daddy's in June, that we decided to go back there today.  He got another one.

This time I got a blue cheese burger

  and the beer special.  Dinner was great again!  Too bad this place isn't closer to Buford!

After dinner we were homeward bound.  Don't know if it was the hiking without water or too much direct sun (which didn't seem like we had much of), but I wasn't feeling the greatest that night.   Lesson learned---take water on our mountain hikes,even though they may only be a couple miles long, and a little towel (I sweated up a storm)!  But it was worth it.  Can't wait until our next journey into the mountains!  Next time I'll be better prepared!