A Weekend in the New River Gorge National River - Day Two

We awoke on day 2 to rain.  Bummer.  It wasn't supposed to rain at all.  But there it was, raining pretty hard.  We had made the plan for today last night.  Since we had hiked some of the gorge along the rim, and seen the gorge from several scenic overlooks, we decided to find a trail along the river, down in the Gorge.  Kerry also wanted to see Sandstone Falls after seeing a picture of them on a website.  Since they are located near the south end of the gorge, we decided to find a trail closer to the south end too.   Interestingly enough, the New River flows North, so the south end of the gorge is actually the start of the gorge.

We made our way to Thurmond, WV which is a ghost mining town that the New River Gorge National River staff maintain for the public to explore.  We headed south, to a small campground in the park, which also serves as the trail head for the Stone Cliff Trail.  It's a 3 mile long out and back trail (yep that is 6 miles total) and a pretty easy walk through a nice mature forest.  The trail follows the base of a steep ridge on one side and the river on the other.  Maples and hickories dominate along with the biggest tulip poplars I have ever seen.  The trail occasionally is rocky so you need to be careful not roll an ankle.

We were hoping for a little more exciting trail than what we got.  I mean, the other trails had spectacular views.  Not there is anything wrong with this trail, and it is pretty in its own right.  There are several places you can get to the river from the trail, but no water falls and few views of rapids.  I would imagine this trail would be spectacular in the spring during wildflower blooms.  Didn't see much in the way of wildlife, but we did glimpse a flock of turkeys fly from the other side of the creek then turn down the trail running off from us looking like a flock of velociraptors from Jurassic Park.

The maps and info I seen on the Stone Cliff Trail says that it is 2.7 miles long ending at a large rapids and rock bar.  We found the trail actually ends at 3 miles.  At about 2.7 the trail begins to climb again and moves away from the river.  It is at this point if you walk the 40 plus yards to the river, you would probably find the rock bar and rapids.

             

We opted for lunch at the end of the hike instead of the half way point.  Once we got to the car, we walked down to the campsites along the river for a shore lunch of peanut butter and jelly.  Peanut butter and jelly, food and drink in general,  never tastes better than after a nice long hike.  Sitting on a rock, with the best of company, watch the river flow.


After lunch we headed off to Sandstone Falls, which was about a 45 minute drive, and an adventure in itself.  The first part of that adventure was along the road back out of the gorge.  We had passed a small waterfall on the way in and there was a pull off.  It was one of my more favorable photogrpahic moments of the trip.  Thankfully Kerry has patience, it helps that she is a photographer too, even if she is not in the mood to shoot, she has patience to put up with me.  We spent about a half hour at the falls, Dunloup Creek falls.  Such beauty on the side of the road.  I could have stayed hours exploring that little creek.

       

We were on the road again.  Even the drives in this area are beautiful and fun.  The last 13 miles of the drive you, cross the river at Hinton, then back downriver, along a narrow road through the most interesting "neighborhoods".  You turn into a small parking lot, never guessing what lays a short distance ahead.  The falls themselves stretch the entire width of the river, about a quarter mile at this point.  they only drop 10 to 25 feet, but the sheer width of them is impressive.  There is an island in the river from which to view the falls, and a bridge to give you access.  The island itself is a rare ecosystem and has a small trail for you to explore.  Going off trail upstream and the far side of the island gives the best view of the falls.  Seeing them from the observation deck at the end of the trail is impressive, getting a closer look is awe inspiring. Well worth the drive.  Day two was in the books.

 

A Weekend in the New River Gorge National River - Day One

We had originally planned this trip for the late Spring/early Summer.  Five days of rain in the forecast changed our plans back then to head up to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.  Rain was in the forecast again for this trip, but we figured we would get a day and a half of decent weather and the fall foliage was on, so we went for it.  I was super excited as I had been to West Virginia only one other time... in February... and did nothing outdoors whatsoever.

Sunday morning we left Cbus for the Gorge.  Plan was to head right for Babcock State Park in Clifftop WV to get photos of the grist mill there surrounded by fall color.  Once we got to West Virginia, the GPS took us down US Route 60, and I am super glad it did.  We got some additional site seeing in on the way along with some nice photos.

First was Kanawha Falls in Glen Ferris, WV.  There is a park with public access to the falls right off the road.  We saw the falls as we passed and had to turn around to check them out.  The park is not much more than a rough boat ramp and fishing access, with a breakwall kind of thing you can walk out onto to get closer to the falls.  But you aren't getting close to them, and that is ok.  These falls are best viewed from a distance.  There is a power generation plant adjacent to the falls... like I mean, built right into the falls...  but doesn't detract from them at all.  In fact, the building sort of adds to the falls.  Down the road on the way is Cathedral Falls, but no water was flowing here, so we didn't stop.

US Route 60 took us right by Hawk's Nest State Park.  There is an overlook on one side of the road and a really cool visitor center/gift shop on the other.  Now, when I say real cool, it is not like I actually went inside.  I mean it looks really cool.  We didn't check out any other areas of the park, but the overlook view is spectacular, and worth the stop.  I mean, it is right on the side of the road, so how can you not?  With a view of the New River blow with a bridge and a damn, it is picturesque... add the fall color and it was awesome.  We are putting this state park on our list of things to check out in the future.

We were nearing Babcock State Park, when a farm field caught my eye.  We turned around and took a few photos.   Some of my favorite of the trip, partly because it was not one of the tourist destination spots.  Just an organic photo.  Driving down the road minding our own business when the scene jumps out at you and you just have to turn around and take a few pictures.  So grateful that we both like photography and we both will just stop and turn the vehicle around to get a good shot.

We finally made it to Babcock State Park.  I have seen many of Kerry's photos of the grist mill and was really looking forward to shooting it.  We pulled in and the parking lot was full.  You have to expect it on a Sunday afternoon.  Nonetheless it was awesome and I thoroughly enjoined our time at the mill.  It was kind of fun to try and shoot without getting people in the shots, and in most of them you wouldn't know that some guy was hanging out in front of the mill with his dog, in the stream, for no apparent reason.




We didn't spend that long, and planned to come back the next morning when the light would be better and there would be fewer people.  But on the way out we saw the park sign for the scenic overlook and actually had to turn the car around again for the fourth time.  Man was it worth it.  The park road rose up the ridge through a beech, maple, hickory forest just in full golden yellow color.  There was one overlook on the way and a second at the end of the road at the top of the ridge.  Breath taking. In the end, we didn't come back to Babcock this trip.  This State Park is definitely one we are coming back to explore.   We only saw a small portion of Babcock, and there are miles of trails to be walked. I think a weekend cabin rental is in our future.

We left Babcock and headed to the Canyon Rim Visitor Center, which is adjacent to the New River Gorge Bridge.  We went in to get our proofs of visit as tradition now dictates... vehicle sticker for me and hiking pin for Kerry.  Daylight was at a premium and we wanted to actually hike a little since the weather was going to be ify for the rest of the trip.  Get to getting while the getting was good.

Kerry had always wanted to do the Endless Wall Trail and it was right around the corner.  With a map in hand we found the Fern Creek Trailhead and started off.  The trail is about 3 miles long in the shape of a shallow horseshoe, stopping and starting on opposite sides of a large bend in the road.  You can walk the whole thing, then walk the road back to the car, or, about half way out is Diamond Point, then turn around from there.  Since light was fading and the idea of walking a very narrow road back to the car in the dark was not appealing, we chose to turn around at Diamond Point. The walk was easy, considering the surrounding terrain.  Most of it was through a rhododendron thicket, still green of course, with an over story of maples and hickorys wearing their brilliant yellows and reds of Fall.  Over a neat foot bridge, up a not too tough ridge, flattening out to Diamond Point.  Again, breath taking.  Awe inspiring.  Not enough words to describe it.  This was by far our favorite part of the whole trip and we will do this hike every time we return to explore the area.

Day one was in the books.  Off to the hotel in Oak Hill.

Running Through Fall

Today we decided to hit Blendon Woods Metro Park for a run before dinner.  Time to get consistent with getting back in shape.  What a wonderful place to do it in.  Fall color is at peak ad who knows how much of it will be left after tonight's rain and wind.

   

The map of the run

My Dad's Memorial
Tree

Along the Overlook
Trail

Along the Brookside
Trail

 

Blendon Woods

October 14, 2015 we went for a quick little walk at Blendon Woods Metro Park before dinner.  It is one of our closer Metro Parks, and yet, we don't visit nearly often enough.  And we should, as it is spectacular.  The entrance drive is amazing, this time of year especially.  I forget how massive the trees are here, beeches, oaks and maples towering above you, reaching for the sky.  And right now, the color is really starting to turn, fallen leaves are covering the trails and it is even begin
ning to smell like Fall.

We walked the Overlook, the Ripple Rock and Brookside Trails, for a whopping 1.75 miles, but exactly what we needed to decompress after work.  If you do the rest of the trails available, I think we saw less than 10 other people during our walk, one of my favorite things about Blendon Woods.  Even though the visitation to the park is relatively high, you often feel like you have the trails to yourself.

Fall is fleeting so get yourself outdoors!

Battle of the Badges 5K

Yesterday we ran our 2nd 5K together.  Battle of the Badges 5K for the Ohio Auxiliary - Wives Behind the Badge.  5Ks always scare me.  While I am fairly active I am no longer a runner.  I want to be though.  Luckily I have Kerry to help motivate and encourage.

For someone that trains for 5Ks by not running and eating homemade apple pie the night before, I didn't do so bad.  Besides holding Kerry back, we didn't need the AED and we didn't finish last.  We ran it in 39 minutes and 32 seconds.  Right around what we ran our first one (Ohio Health's First on the First).  Though it felt a little easier.  Perhaps it was the apple pie.

Seriously, it was a perfect morning, with a perfect running partner for a great organization and a great cause.  Check them out here.

Big Walnut Float

We have had kayaks for 2 years.  We have lived on the Big Walnut Creek for both of those years.  Yesterday was the first time we kayaked the Big Walnut.  I knnnnnoooooow.  Crazy.

We put in just South of the Central College Rd bridge, south of Hoover Reservoir.  Take out was just a mile or two down stream.  We dropped a vehicle at the Lake Forest Apartments, just north of 161 and Sunbury Rd.  Total kayak time was about 50 mins.  Too short.  The take out was easy access but kind of a long drag to the parking lot.  I have heard of one further downstream, just before the lowhead damn near the water treatment plant before Morse Rd.  We will need to check that one out in the future.

City of Columbus Watershed division, who controls Hoover Dam, has been releasing water from the reservoir, bring the water to winter levels and exposing the mudflats for the migrating birds.  This also means plenty of water in Big Walnut when other nearby rivers are super shallow after a couple of weeks of no rain.  Weather was warm for October, in the low 70s, so we took advantage of the day and the water.

         

This was only the 2nd float with the new kayaks.  Field and Stream Eagle Talon 12s, sit on top kayaks.  So far we love them.  This is also one of my new favorite floats, I only wish it was several hours longer.  Surprisingly this stretch of the river has very few houses visible from the water.  High cliffs at the start on the east bank.  A few houses on the west bank.  One huge and gorgeous estate with big columns, Kerry decided to call Tara.  Most of this stretch was wooded and gave the feeling of being out and away from the city.  Except for the road noise.  You never really get away from the road noise.  Sunbury Road parallels the river the entire stretch.

Three things about this float that make it one of my favorites...  1) very early on the east bank rises to form sheer cliffs.  Awesome, and you would never guess.  2) Just below Tara was a stacked rock lowhead dam, a small section of which (on the east side) was removed, forming a nice little chute.  Not white water material in the least, but fun none the less.  3)  There was nobody else on the creek.  Need I say more?

Looking forward to this one again.