Stone Mountain State Park

 Several weeks ago Bobby, Andy, Elizabeth, and I went on a hike in the Blue Ridge Mountains. We visited Stone Mountain State Park and hiked one of its more vigorous trails which ended up being around 5.5 miles of up and down climbing. It was probably one of the most intense hikes I have ever been on, but it was also one of the most beautiful hikes I have been on in years. It was worth the soreness the next day and the pure exhaustion when it was over. 

It is nice to live in a state that has relatively easy access to both the ocean and the mountains. I am reminded again and again when I visit these places how healing nature is for me and also how much I need nature to be a constant part of my life - especially the older I get. 

The trail head

This picture does not do it justice, but it was so cool to be surrounded by hill after hill of tall trees towering (east coast style) overhead. 

The beginning scenes of forest fire damage. 

All those pine cones just waiting to fall!

I find it neat to think about what life was like for the person who used this fireplace to heat their home and also what the area looked like when there was an actual house on the spot where I was standing. 

Fire damage

This rock formation was HUGE. It went all the way down the mountain in one contiguous piece. I was not about to go near the edge to take a picture though because I am very afraid of heights. 

My crew. 

A piece of burnt wood among the forest regrowth. 

Elizabeth almost stepped right on this guy as he slithered across our path and into the forest floor. 

This trail was one of the best marked trails I have ever been on. 

A forest trying to regrow...

That rock actually had a ton of water coming down it. There was a river at the top of this gigantic hill that flowed down over the rock formation and into a river bed below.  (It was about 25 flights up stairs up - no joke. It was grueling - especially at the end of our hike)