Monday, July 23, 2012

Best Hiking Trails

These are some of the hiking trails with the most unexpected natural wonders.






Providence Canyon State Park

This State Park is located just outside Lumpkin, GA. Known as the "Little Grand Canyon of the East coast" this natural wonder is spectacular multicolor clay layers exposed by erosion during the dust bowl era.








There are several hiking trails. The three mile White Blaze Trail circles along the rim of the canyon.  Much of it is through thick forest so you have little view of the canyon until the last mile or so.  Stick along the fence line for some spectacular views.  There is also the seven mile Red Blaze Trail.
It requires a park permit and you will see little of the canyon until the last mile.



To go down to the floor of the 150 foot deep canyon you have to walk the small shallow river bottoms.  They have a bed of red sandy clay, so plan on getting a little dirty.



The canyon







There are nine "fingers" to the canyon.  Entrance by way of the river for
 1,2,3,4 and 5 and another small river for entering 6,7,8 and 9.

You can spend all day exploring.

Spring, before the Kudzu starts covering the views, would be the best time to visit this unique area.









HORSE PENS 40


Rock Climbing, Rock Music, Hiking

This is privately owned outdoor nature park located in St. Clair County near Steele, Alabama. It is located on  third-highest mountain, Chandler Mountain, in the foothills of The Appalachian Mountains.




Unique rock formations




The trails are where you make them. There are no restrictions on where you can hike. 







Rocks are for music





                      Rocks are for climbing


Many Bluegrass bands have enjoyed the natural acoustics of Horse Pens 40.








DEVIL'S DEN




Devil's Den State Park is in the Lee Creek Valley in the Boston Mountains which are the southwestern part of The Ozarks.






The Park protects the largest sandstone crevice area in the United States.







Devil's Den State Park is home to approximately 64 miles of trails that are open to hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding.

There is an easy 1.5 mile self guided trail which passes many of the unique features of the park.





Due to a widespred bat disease the parks caves are closed to exploration.

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Puerto Rico

The Best of Puerto Rico and the West Indes

 

 

San Juan           





 Virgin Islands

Sailing to the Islands South













Matinique