Cherokee Falls

The closer of the two falls (1/2 mile hike) on the Waterfalls Trail at Canyonland Canyon State Park is Cherokee Falls.  Although this one is a bit smaller than Hemlock Falls, it is more accessible.  The rocks are a bit slippery but many people venture out in and around the base of the falls here.  I personally, like this one better of the two.  Maybe it’s because the boulders are a little smaller and you get a less obstructed view of the water at the bottom.  I guess it doesn’t make much difference if you stay up on the observation deck but, I like this one none the less.

Cloudland Canyon State Park
Rising Fawn, Georgia, USA

Nikon D7100
Vanguard Altra Pro 263 AT tripod
Tamron SP 16-300mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC
31mm @ f/18 – 1/4 sec – ISO 200

Hemlock Falls

One of Cloudland Canyon State Park’s biggest attractions is the Waterfalls Trail, a 1 mile hike that includes a 600 step, 400 foot descent to get to the two main falls.  The further one down the trail is Hemlock Falls, shown here.  You can hear the falling water from the top of the trail and it echoes off the mountainsides as you walk down.  Rushing water flows through the gorge making beautiful scenery all the way down.

Hemlock Falls is a 90 foot drop of  Sitton’s Gulch stream into a boulder-filled pool.  There is a nice observation deck where you get a good view of the falls but to get down to the spot where I took my image, you have to scramble over slippery rocks and boulders.  It’s not all that bad a climb but certainly not a well-groomed path.

Cloudland Canyon State Park
Rising Fawn, Georgia, USA

Nikon D7100
Vanguard Altra Pro 263 AT tripod
Tamron SP 16-300mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC
16mm @ f/18 – 1 sec – ISO 100

Cloudland Canyon Overlook

Joyce and I finally got our Canyon Climbers Club cards filled in!  We drove up to Cloudland Canyon State Park and hiked the stairs down to see the two waterfalls that are major attractions for the park.  We had visited this park once before last Spring but at that time, we were not aware of the Canyon Climbers program and failed to get our cards punched.  After having done some of the parks more than once over the last 2 years, we finally got it finished.  Now we can send in for our official t-shirts – Woo hoo!

This view is from the Main Overlook located behind the Interpretive Center.  It was a bit hazy when we arrived but the view from Lookout Mountain was great.  It is really amazing to experience the beauty of the North Georgia mountains.  I’m going to have to start working on 4-seasons views of these areas to see the changes that happen.  Hopefully, we will get a chance to return in the Autumn and see what it looks like in fall colors.

More pictures to come soon.

Cloudland Canyon State Park
Rising Fawn, Georgia, USA

4-frame panorama merged in Adobe Lightroom
Nikon D7100
Vanguard Altra Pro 263 AT tripod
Tamron SP 16-300mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC
16mm @ f/16 – 1/15 sec – ISO 125

Little River – Townsend, TN

With all the rain we’ve been getting here lately, I was reminded of our recent trip to the Smoky Mountatins and photographing the Little River in Townsend, Tennessee.

This is a beautiful area just outside the Cades Cove portion of the National Park.  Townsend is known as the “Quiet side of the Smokies” as compared to Gatlinburg which has much more of the tourist attractions and traffic.  I think it can still get busy in Townsend but it is not as built up in comparison.

Little River
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Townsend, Tennessee, USA

Nikon D7100
Vanguard Altra Pro 263 AT tripod
Tamron SP 16-300mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC
w/Polarizing filter
16mm @ f/18 – 1.3 sec – ISO 400

Morgan County Courthouse

For some reason, my visit to Morgan county, where my daughter and son-in-law have just moved, had me focusing on the local architecture.  The most prominent building in downtown Madison, Georgia is the Morgan County Courthouse.  The  neoclassical revival structure was built in 1905 and is believed to be the third county courthouse that has been constructed.

It was nice to get this image just a few days before Independence Day since the town square, including the courthouse was decorated with American flags all around.

Morgan County Court House
Madison, Georgia

Nikon D7100
Tamron SP 16-300mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC
26mm @ f/8 – 1/1250 sec – ISO 800

Revolutionary War Hero

Morgan County, Georgia is named in honor of Revolutionary War General Daniel Morgan.  Morgan was well known as a military tactician and is most celebrated for his victory at the Battle of Cowpens (South Carolina) which is considered to be the turning point of the American Revolution in the South.

Morgan County was created from Baldwin County in 1807.  In 1809 the town of Madison was incorporated and named the county seat. Until 1818, when Walton County was created, Morgan County was a part of the western frontier of Georgia—all lands to the west of it being Creek Indian territory.

General Daniel Morgan statue
Madison Town Park
Madison, Georgia

Nikon D7100
Tamron SP 16-300mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC
35mm @ f/8 – 1/500 sec – ISO 640

Dixie King Cotton – Shed House No 3

I only got to look around for  a little while at the buildings from Dixie King Cotton company that still stand along the main street in Bostwick, Georgia.  Cotton was truly king throughout much of the South and was the main contributor to the establishment and growth of this town.

Small portions of the cotton business continue to operate in Bostwick but the original company started to diminish around the period of World War I and never recovered.  I need to get back here when I have more time and really explore.  It is a great little piece of Georgia history.

Dixie King Cotton Shed House No 3
Bostwick, Georgia

Nikon D7100
Tamron SP 16-300mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC
50mm @ f/8 – 1/320 sec – ISO 200