RATtreks

Laurel Falls 3-20-2010

The first day of Spring found me and my gang (this time including my g/f Linda, Daisy the dog, my son Tyler and friend Bol’Dar) on our way to Laurel Falls on the Appalachian Trail. We started fairly early that morning and it was an surprisingly very cold start compared to the day before when we baked ourselves out on the Monkeyhead Rocks, but it did warm up considerably by the afternoon. Starting in Hampton, we took the blue blaze trail through the rocky gorge all the way to the falls. It was a very bright day so getting good pics of the water was out of the question but it was a good day to be out walking and enjoying nature.

Laurel Falls

We passed a work crew out sawing blow-downs and doing trail work which is always good thing to see. We appreciate all the hard work  the volunteers do for the trails. We plan a work trip to my trail section as soon as the snows melt some.

It had been quite a few years since I had visited this area, but many memories from past trips came flooding back into my head as we made our way up the trail to the falls. This is a very popular area and with the first warm weather of the season, this day was no exception. We passed multitudes of adults, teens, kids, dogs, you name it. After a short visit taking pics at the falls and watching a huge black lab swim in
the deep raging waters beneath the falls, we hiked back taking a short, side trip up to the shelter.

Dog swimming at Laurel Falls

Laurel Fork Shelter

We could hear the spring raging below it so we ventured out there to find some very nice small waterfalls and cascades. We hung out there enjoying the beauty, snacking,  and taking some pics before heading back out the gorge to the
trail-head. It was very hot by that time and after hiking what I figure to be about 5 miles, I was ready to be somewhere cooler. I am just happy that Spring is finally here and maybe all the high mountain snows will soon be gone.

Small Falls at Shelter spring

bridge along appalachian trail to Laurel Falls

For more photos please visit the Photo Gallery.