This lollipop hike was highly recommended by my friend Andy, who hiked this a few weeks ago. The biggest attraction is the magnificent Buttermilk Falls, where the
hike begins and ends. The first and last time we were at the falls was when we visited (by car) after hiking Tillman Ravine on
July 2, 2008. On that day, the falls was just a tiny trickle (scroll to the bottom of that set
for a look). But today, after a few days of intermittent rain showers, it was raging!
A complete description of the hike can be found here. In addition to what is described there we also followed a 10 minute spur trail along the brook at the top of the falls (as suggested by Andy). It led to an interesting cave and some closer views of upper cascades not visible from the Buttermilk falls trail. From the cave, we took a higher spur back to the main trail, which eliminated a tiny, but very steep, stretch of the Buttermilk Falls trail. But 99.99% of the ascent remained of this somewhat strenuous hike which took us about 4.5 hours. (Click on the thumbnail to bring up a bigger image in a pop-up window)
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After days ... |
... of intermittent rain ... |
... the falls raged |
View from first platform |
Steps allow ... |
... for easy ascent |
View from second platform |
Second viewing platform |
An upper cascade [photo by Laura] |
Gorgeous ferns |
Upper cascades from spur trail |
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Cave at end of spur |
View from cave |
Ascending on Buttermilk Falls trail |
Tight squeeze here |
Off comes a layer |
Ferns line ... |
... the wet trail |
And mushrooms |
And more ferns |
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Spiky caterpillar |
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Partial views ... |
... north ... |
... northwest ... |
... and west |
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Woods road looking east |
Woods road looking west |
Woods road |
Amorous Six-Spotted Tiger Beetles |
Tick check |
Beaver damage at swamp |
Huge beaver dam ... |
... made this swamp ... |
... a pond |
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Mountain Laurel flowers at swamp |
Swamp with dam on left |
Drowned trees |
View from near dam |
View of swamp from Woods Road west |
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Hemlock Pond |
View from ... |
... eastern tip |
[Photo by Laura] |
Laura taking ... |
... this photo [photo by Laura] |
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See the wild turkey? |
Male scarlet tanager |
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On the AT |
Blooming mountain laurel ... |
... on the AT |
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Female scarlet tanager |
View from ... |
... Buttermilk Falls trail |
View west |
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Lots of growth on the trail |
Six-Spotted Tiger Beetle |
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Tiny toad |
Mushrooms |
A rocky descent on Buttermilk Falls trail |
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Back to the top viewing platform |
Steps down |
Photographing the falls |
They're still raging |
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Culvert at falls |
Photographs and content copyright © Dan Balogh Web design by Dan Balogh |