Chimney Rock State Park

Posted in: MyWorld Tuesday
Chimney Rock State Park
North Carolina

A couple of weekends ago,
Cody and I embarked upon a pursuit to find fall.
It was that whim which led us to Chimney Rock State Park in Chimney Rock, NC.

Chimney Rock has been on my local(ish) list of places to go for quite some time now.
Two years to be exact. Last year during Christmas we were supposed
to go with my Mom and her boyfriend, but things didn't go
according to plan on account of the torrential down pour.
Thankfully, we waited for the perfect time to finally
make the trip back for our day at the rock.



There are a few trails that take you through the forest,
but we decided to save those for the way down!
We took the shuttle bus to the top instead.

Chimney Rock was fairly busy, although I still think
we picked a day that was far less crowded than most.



Along with the spectacular views of the Hickory Nut Gorge,



you will find a plethora of steps that lead you to the various alcoves



and overlooks.



Those require a little more work to get to,
but it's well worth the extra effort to get that unique perspective.


(Opera Box - look closely)

The highlight, of course,
was the giant granite monolith that towered above the gorge.



An interesting tidbit:
A couple scenes from the movie The Last of the Mohicans was filmed in this state park.
One was the fighting sequence that took place at the top of Hickory Nut Falls.



I would have loved to catch this waterfall after a rain,
as you can see in this photo the watershed was pretty sparse.
I had a tough time photographing it.

After visiting the Chimney, and hiking to the waterfall
we decided to make our descent to the parking lot via the Four Seasons Trail.
It was down hill most of the way, tough on the knees, but not too bad.
I enjoyed being away from the crowds, plus I was able to soak up a little more fall.



It was a terrific way to spend the day.
So happy that we FINALLY had the chance to go.

• History of Chimney Rock State Park
• Other Film Locations, here.
• To see more MyWorld Posts, click here.

Stunning Oasis

California : Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park : McWay Falls



View Large On Black


It is of the utmost importance that portions of our wilderness remain unspoiled. For the sole purpose of allowing others to witness the same breathtaking beauty that many others have had the privilege to see. I feel so very fortunate to have had a sneak peek at something that someone so long ago knew needed to be preserved for generations to come.

I was positively enamored by this stupendous sight - who wouldn't be, right. I have never seen anything like it, especially as far as waterfalls go. There's really no need to paint a picture because you can see for yourself. But, I'll do it anyway...........

The rushing water flowed fast and furiously over the side of a tree topped cliff hitting the sandy shore at its end before being swept away into the multifarious shades of blue..........

Extra Details:

• This was the shortest and most accessible hike we did while on the trip.
  
• Length was 1/4 mile, and it was pretty flat.
• Elevation gain was about 50 feet - easy peasy!
• There was a parking fee ($8.00) within Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, although like most others, if available, you could park outside the gate and hike in.
• Approximate height of the fall - 80 foot
• It was easily the most popular hike in Big Sur.
  

High Shoals Falls

1. Upper Falls Bridge, 2. Lower Shoals Falls, 3. High Shoals Falls, 4. Trail Options

(Click on the links above to see photos larger.)


We visited these falls two weekends ago. It was about an hour and a half away in the South Mountain State Park. We only had time to explore this trail to see the falls, but it was the reason we went there in the first place so that was okay. The entire loop was only 2.5 miles in length and the most strenuous part were the millions of steps it took to reach the upper falls. Okay, so it probably wasn't a million, but it was a whole lot! My calves and thighs were burning, but once we reached the the top, it was a piece of cake. Upon reaching the upper portion of the falls we crossed a nifty little bridge, and it was all down hill from there.



This particular fall proved to be extremely difficult to capture, mostly due to the copious amount of visitors crowding the trail. I had to move every time people needed to get by, and then there were those nice people who didn't want to cross in front of the camera. I didn't really want to make them wait, then a line would start forming! The High Shoals Fall was throwing off buckets of mist. I could barely keep my lens dry, and there really weren't any other angles to shoot it from further away. The trail was nothing but stairs closer to the top, so deviating from the trail was not an option. Had their been less people it would have allowed more time to get a better shot, but it's not a perfect world, now is it?!?!



It was an overall great hike, with a beautiful fall. The only issue I have is that I didn't get as much time as I would have liked to just linger. I'm sure there will be a next time. I'm thinking that I would like to go back in the fall?! The books beauty rating was a 7, I thought that this was a pretty grand little waterfall to only get a seven, but maybe it was because of the decks, or the people?! I don't know.......my beauty rating.....hmmmm....maybe 8.5......what's your beauty rating?

* Magical Effects *

The world needs dreamers and the world needs doers. But above all, the world needs dreamers who do.
*Sarah Ban Breathnach*

WOW! I am blown away by the wonderful comments and insights shared based on my last post. Those conflicted feelings are beginning to dissipate, and it is largely due to the tremendous amount of support you all have shown. I truly am grateful, and I feel so lucky to have folks like you to share my thoughts, hopes, and dreams with. THANK YOU!

A couple weekends ago Cody and I went to South Mountain State Park, that's where the above photo was taken. I have more to share from that day, and hopefully I will go through them tonight and have them to post tomorrow. I've fallen a little behind, but hope to be caught up before we leave next week, since I know I'll be coming home with like 1,000 photos from California!! Check out the {366} Photographic Journal Blog to see a couple more photos I posted last night. The fire one is pretty cool!! Yeah, I said fire.....check it out. (Link on the right)

Roaring Fork Falls

~ROARING FORK FALLS~

Wide Angle View

Depending on who you ask, this waterfall is either 45ft high, or 100ft long. Either way it was a very picturesque and edifying cascade. We ventured here on the same day we went to Setrock Creek Falls. We barely had to put forth any effort to get there, as the hike was very easy.

According to my NC Waterfalls book, the author boast a mere beauty rating of 7 for this waterfall. It may be that I'm easy to please, but I was utterly enraptured by the angelic essence it held. I watched the cascade of water rush down as it meandered through the moss covered rocks, it was beautiful. Beauty rating, beauty schmating.......his is always different than mine would be :o)

I finally got my new tripod today, although the weather wasn't conducive to me running out to break it in. I did, however, take photos of the tripod itself. I really am in love with it, and it does make me feel a bit more professional; especially when it's compared to the cheap old Samsonite that broke on me a few weeks ago. Tomorrow I'll be using it for sure, no if, ands, or buts about it!

See some other waterfalls I've been to:

• Lower Cascade Falls
• Harper Creek Falls
• Blue Hole (TN)
  

Setrock Creek Falls

a.k.a. Suicide Mission
Alright, so, that's a little bit dramatic.......
This past Saturday we went on a hike in Mount Mitchell. This is another waterfall found in the NC Waterfall guide that Cody bought me for Christmas. We learned a valuable lesson about the Blue Ridge Parkway on Saturday, always check for road closures!! We were thrown waaaay off course and had to take a major detour in order to reach the base of Mount Mitchell. Normally, I freak out when we get lost, and I start to get upset, but this particular time.......I took it all in stride - and it ended up being a beautiful day. Main sections of Mount Mitchell are closed due to some construction they are doing on the observation deck, but this didn't affect us too much since we were headed for a different area.

Upon reaching the trail head we were surprised at how many vehicles were haphazardly parked along the road; the gates to the campground were closed and made for one tight squeeze. Thankfully, there was a spot open just for us......This was a trail which was less than a mile, so, gearing up really wasn't necessary. Here's where my absentmindedness got the best of me: Halfway through the hike I realized that my battery in my camera was nearly dead, we had to turn around and go back to the car for a fresh one.

Let's try this again, okay we're back on the trail, and finally reach the little off shoot that leads to "Setrock Creek Falls". The canopy wasn't as closed as I thought it was going to be, which made for some overexposed photos, but I'm over it. Especially since my tripod broke a couple weeks ago, which also restricted me in some aggravating ways. Almost ALL of my photos are unsatisfactory, mostly because they were blurry, since holding a camera still with an open shutter is nearly impossible. It's not a lesson learned, because I knew from the get go that my gorillapod wasn't going to cut it. I really need to buy a new tripod, and I will, definitely before the Big Sur trip!

It was a gorgeous day, and we had a great day despite the complications we encountered along the way. Another waterfall was nearby that we also ventured to while out on Saturday, I will also share a few of those photos later.

• A larger photo of the falls: HERE
  

Hanging Rock State Park

You may ask and/or wonder, "Why do they always go to State Parks?". Well, I have thought about this from time to time and the answer I come up with is that these are places in which you can obtain the most information on with just a simple search; and the fact that this alone makes it so much easier to up and plan a last minute excursion is what appeals to me most. This waterfall you see behind Cody and myself is or was just a picture I saw in a book a week or so ago. As I glanced through the pages I came across this place and said " I want to see that!", and if you don't realize how fulfilling something so seemingly insignificant can be I suggest you try it sometime. I often check out books and peak into visitor guides to find out about these places that otherwise would go unexplored. It thrills me to no end to see for myself something that was merely a photograph or description in a book or magazine. I know right now I'm just talking small potatoes since these places are so close to home, but this people is exactly why it's so special to me. I know that I can not got to Las Vegas or where ever all throughout the year so instead I satiate my need to travel by exploring that which is right outside our door. Okay, well, I know 2 hours aways is not just outside our door but you get the gist of it, right? I know I sound like a broken record when I talk about the mountains but these sights never cease to amaze me, everything is always so beautiful and I know how lucky I am to live in such a magnificently fascinating venue, believe me. I would do it no justice if I chose to sit at home all the time! I revel in the opportunity I have to share these places with you and I am also thankful that I have someone like Cody to readily have these experiences with, I truly am a lucky girl!

*More waterfalls to come so be sure and check back!!