Hiking the Dawson Forest Wildcat Creek Trail!

After days and days of gray skies, super cold, even some snow; the sun broke through the Sunday before last (before our second big snow) and it heated up to about 58 degrees making for an awesome hike with our best pal Rocco from To Dog With Love and his Mum.

We met up with our pals in Dawsonville and drove in one car to the trail. I have to say that it seems to always be a little difficult to find information on where trail heads are located from a variety of websites. We thought we were headed to Tobacco Road Trail, but ended up at Wildcat Creek Trail, so decided to hike this one and hopefully check out the other one another day.

And that turned out to be one of the best decisions we all made all day. It was a great trail. Very moderate, but very interesting and enjoyable. Just the type of hike we all needed that day since we got a bit of a late start.

We started off on the trail and immediate saw the river. We found out that along this trail the Wildcat Creek merges with the Amicalola River, right at the start of the trail. The trail goes along the Wildcat Creek where we stopped to enjoy some of the running stream.

 

We walked on and met some nice folks, gave them some licks and jumped all over them. They loved it and so did we.

Then we came up to the bridge that crosses the Amicalola River. Gracie was grateful this bridge didn't have grates and so was Mum!

Along the way we enjoyed nature at it's best in the winter of North Georgia. We were talking with Rocco's Mum and had the same thoughts...winter hiking is all about texture! From stray bamboo to wonderful fungi...

And from the grounding ivy to moss on a rock...

From the bark of the rhododendron to the shininess of the mountain laurel...

 

To the smoothness of the river rocks...

We walked on and found more interesting things. The five of us where looking down at the river, just then Mum turned around and whoa! There's a big tree up there, better move over in case it decides to let loose!

This trail was an up and back, and on the way back we saw things we didn't see on the way in. Including this little hiding place. Hey Yo! Is there a critter in there?

We posed for a few shots. Gracie is ready to move on. So am I!!!

Enough Mum! Let's go!

The best part was watching and listening to the the water rush!

On the way back Gracie and I really, really, really wanted to cross the river, but Mum wouldn't let us. Oh Mum!!!

 

Here's a bit of our hike! So fun!