The Noontootla Creek is a small mountain stream situated in the Chattahoochee National Forest in north Georgia. The creek has a healthy population of trout, which is why it's popular. They say this creek has some of the best fly fishing in North Georgia. Although I didn't see any fish. Had a fun hiking though!
We got there late in the day. It was about 86 degrees at our cabin, and when we got up to where we parked along the Forest Road and started down to the creek it was only about 82 degrees. Very pleasant. Here Gracie poses by the creek...
Obligatory creek pose of the Yo-ster, that's me :).
Gracie and I waded in the creek, me more than Gracie, cause I like the water.
We hiked up the trail a mile or so, then headed back and explored more. We saw this tree along the creek with fungi all over it, really caught Gracie's nose.
Noontootla Creek begins close to Springer Mountain at an elevation of 3045 feet above sea level. From there it flows northwest for approximately eleven miles where it joins the Toccoa River, which we have on our list to visit this Summer.
Obligatory creek pose of the Yo-ster, that's me :).
And we swam some...
I had to pose on this log that stretches clear across the creek. Mum had to call me back, I was going way over to the other side walking on that log, BOL!
Then we wandered along the banks up and down the creek before venturing on a short hike down the road. Love that moss! It was everywhere, all over this fallen tree.
Later we got in the car and headed further up the Forest Road to the Benton MacKaye trail.
From our car to the trail head we saw lots and lots of Black Eyed Susan's blooming away.
Once we got close to the trail we saw that someone left their camera, and another hung it up so they could find it. Really cool that it was still there, good folks those AT (Appalachian Trail) hikers :).
Near the entrance to the trail head there was a large fallen log. They cut out half of it so you could cross it more easily. Mum went that way and I just jumped on top of the log and down again. Can you say Agility Dog?!
The wild azaleas are just everywhere here. We found one still blooming (most bloom earlier in the year). Very pretty. One area of the trail was very narrow (most of the trails are narrow around here) and it was like a sea of azaleas on either side and as far as you could see. Amazing...
A little way on the trail we came to the bridge that goes over the Noontootla Creek, still rushing as ever after many inches of rain the other day.
Was a very nice afternoon. We plan on going back soon, because we discovered after looking at our map when we got back to the cabin, if we go left on the BM trail we'll find the Long Creek Falls! Can't wait!
Very cool. It looks similar to our places to hike.
ReplyDeletethese photos were just wonderful! I love looking at photos of all of the greenery. You just reminded me that i never posted the photos of the hike my husband and I took (without Dakota because they don't allow dogs at this park) on July 4th. Might have to share them on his blog one day soon
ReplyDeleteI love place names! I suppose it depends on what you're used to, but--Noontootla, Toccoa, Chattahoochee--so cool-sounding and so evocative of certain parts of the country. Indian names, I'm guessing.
ReplyDeleteI think we're going back tomorrow...want to see the Long Creek Falls that are very near this place.
ReplyDeleteWe like the names too...watched a PBS program the other night about the history of the Appalachian mountains...they are actually the world's oldest mountains formed by the continents colliding.
They were of course inhabited by Indians, Cherokee to be exact in this area.
Was a great program to learn more about our area. They had a big segment too about the gold rush here before the one in CA, thought you'd be interested in that too Ellen :)
Yes, I hadn't known about the gold rush there. We learn about the CA gold rush in school; it's such a huge part of what made california. Here's a quote from one page: "In 1848 before the discovery of gold, California had a population of some 12,000 Mexicans - including Californians of Mexican descent, called Californios - in addition to about 20,000 Native Americans and only 2,000 Yankee frontiersmen, soldiers, and settlers. In the next two years, thousands upon thousands of Easterners who might never have thought about migrating to such a remote territory would pour into the region. By 1850, there were more than 100,000 immigrants." By 1852, California was a state with a population of over a quarter of a million. Pretty transformative!
ReplyDeleteThat looks like a great hike. I hope the person who dropped his camera finds it!
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