summer vacation – Emily Takes a Hike

Like so many other words, travel has adopted a different meaning in 2020. When the year began, I had so many big plans for the places I’d go and the hikes I’d take throughout the year. My husband and I were going to New Zealand for our honeymoon. My friends and I were going to Yosemite to hike to the top of Half Dome. I felt certain that I’d be able to squeeze in another fourteener in Colorado somewhere in between. It all felt so realistic, until it just didn’t any more. The losses and disappointments that I’ve faced due to COVID-19 are so small and insignificant compared to what many others have experienced and will continue to endure. I repeat that sentence to myself daily, over and over. It drives my decision making process now, in this “new normal”. I’ve re-evaluated how I define travel. I’m seeking normalcy and closeness to the ones I love over the desire to escape my routine and flee to somewhere unfamiliar and exotic. I’m embracing this as an opportunity to focus on my roots instead of my branches, for the first time in years, and it feels really refreshing.

In late June, my friend moved into a new home with her new fiancé in Atlanta, and I eagerly volunteered to help them move. As much as I love Nashville, I was desperate for a change of scenery, but more importantly, I missed my friend. In-person time with loved ones can’t be taken for granted these days, and a few hours of free labor seemed like a small price to pay in exchange for an overdue weekend with my bestie.

sweaty selfie from the top of Arabia Mountain in Georgia

I’d planned to hike on Sunday on my way out of Atlanta. My friend wasn’t able to join, because she needed to be present in her new home to unpack and patiently wait on the cable guy to show up at an unspecified time during an eight hour window. We’ve all been there. I’d originally pointed my hiking boots in the direction of Blood Mountain, a difficult trail in the northeast corner of Georgia. However, after a Saturday night filled with celebratory margaritas after the move, I wasn’t feeling quite as ambitious when I woke up on Sunday morning. We’ve all been there, too. Instead, I changed course and headed towards Arabia Mountain State Park, located about an hour southeast of Atlanta.

I hiked a mild four-mile loop that included a combination of the Arabia Mountain, Klondike, and Forest trails. Despite its imposing name, Arabia Mountain isn’t much of a mountain at all. With a summit of 955 feet, this mountain resembles a concrete hill with sporadic cactus patches. The scenery along this loop is unusual, to say the least. The smooth texture and swirling color of the immense and unusual rock area around this trail create a dizzying effect, especially in the sweltering heat of Georgia in late June.

one of the rock outcroppings along the loop trail, covered with a marble-like pattern on a smooth rock surface

I traveled counterclockwise, and I reluctantly admit that I had trouble following the loop that AllTrails recommended. Initially, I tried to hike the loop clockwise, but I could not find the turn-off at 0.25 miles that leads up to the summit of Arabia Mountain. At the time. I turned around and decided to hike in the other direction, hoping that the route would be more straightforward from the other direction. It was, but due to many overlapping trails in the park, I still relied heavily on AllTrails to ensure I stayed on my intended course. The loop includes some paved sections and a short boardwalk that runs parallel to a two-lane road on one side and Arabia Mountain on the other, covering a swampy drainage area that was unfortunately strewn with discarded trash. However, most of the trail covered dusty and rocky terrain, including a couple of massive and smooth rock outcroppings that resembled an undulating pattern of color on an unwavering surface.

views of the unique terrain below the top of Arabia Mountain

The area’s kaleidoscope-like terrain isn’t the only feature that makes this trail feel more like a stroll down a carnival boulevard than a hike in central Georgia. The remains of forgotten buildings and bridges, graffitied and rotting beneath a relentless summer sun, give the landscape an eerie, post-apocalyptic vibe. Many of these structures are easily accessible from the trail, tempting curious hikers to explore the overgrown walls and speculate about the history that’s been diminished by the elements over time.

Although cairns steer hikers in the general direction of Arabia Mountain’s summit, there’s no trail on the approach to the top. There’s no shade either. Admittedly, the views from the summit felt underwhelming. In my humble opinion, the mysterious sights along the rest of the trail offered more intrigue and whimsy. But if you’re visiting Arabia Mountain State Park, hiking to the summit feels like an obligatory part of the experience.

The rock outcroppings contained hundreds of sporadic patches of purple cactus flowers.

After descending from the summit and returning to the merciful shade of the Georgia pines along the trail, I approached an iron gate that separated the trail from an intersecting two-lane road. I then realized why I’d missed the turn off in my initial attempt to hike the trail clockwise. The section of trail I’d just traversed ends at the gate, and hikers must cross the road on foot (looking both ways before doing so, obviously), in order to access the trail again on the other side. It’s much easier to spot from this perspective, and because of this, I recommend hiking the loop counterclockwise.

Ultimately, this hike surprised me. I didn’t expect the uniqueness of the landscape, but I also didn’t expect the litter that’s often characteristic of sections of trail that run alongside highways. I’d still like to hike to the summit of Blood Mountain, just not in the wake of margaritas. However, this provided a surprising and alluring alternative that I’d have overlooked otherwise. This is the beauty of my journey to hike a new trail every month. Preparation and research are only as good as the circumstances that allow them to be realistic parameters. When plans fail, give the unexpected a chance to be worthwhile and memorable.

ruins of an unknown concrete structure along the trail

the remains of a bridge that once extended across Arabia Lake

what’s left of a dam that formed the southern border of Arabia Lake

Before jumping into my hiking adventure in the Lone Star State last month, I want to take a minute to reflect on my journey through the first half of 2018. In six months, I explored twelve trails I’d never hiked before, across three states. These include an easy one-mile hike along a river bluff close to home in Tennessee (Narrows of the Harpeth), a strenuous seven-mile hike across uneven terrain and two mountain summits in Maine (Penobscot Mountain and Sargent Mountain), and so much more. I’ve experienced trails that require more climbing than hiking, trails through caves and waterfalls, and trails that challenged my physical and mental limits. Through all of this, I’ve somehow managed to incur only a few minor injuries, an insignificant price to pay for adventures that I’ll remember for the rest of my life.

Big Laurel Falls, draped in icicles, Virgin Falls State Natural Area, Tennessee (January 2018)

on top of Battleship Rock, Natural Bridge State Park, Kentucky (March 2018)

When I started this journey, I never imagined I’d feel more excited half way through the year than I did at the beginning. Each new adventure in 2018 has only intensified my passion for exploring the great outdoors on foot (and sometimes on hands and feet), and July’s hikes near Austin, Texas were certainly no exception.

Austin is a city with many distinct reputations: live music, the Texas Longhorns, amazing tacos, and a steadfast affection for weirdness. Located on the outskirts of the Texas Hill Country, Austin provides outdoor adventure seekers with easy access to a wide array of activities on land, water, and even through the air (Learn more about your outdoor options in Austin here).

McKinney Falls

Rich in history and beauty (and sweltering heat in July), McKinney Falls State Park is home to several hiking trails, two swimming holes, and the remnants of a few buildings constructed in the nineteenth century by the original owner of the land. I discovered this place when planning a trip to Texas to visit friends, knowing that I would spend a couple of days in Austin in between my time in Dallas and Houston. My friend, Morgan (we hiked together at the Grand Canyon last summer), accompanied me on this adventure. Before embarking on the Homestead Trail, we decided to check out the park’s most famous attraction: the swimming hole located at the bottom of the lower of the two waterfalls that comprise McKinney Falls.

the lower falls, with only a trickle of water flowing over the rock’s edge due to lack of recent rainfall in the area

At times, shallow water flows heavily over the entire length of the rock face pictured above, presenting a challenge for those who attempt to cross the top of the falls and access the trailhead. Needless to say, we barely even got our feet wet on the crossing. The small pools on top of the falls contained hot, dirty water, as this part of the creek bed had nearly evaporated after weeks of dry heat. Many of the pools contained exposed debris left behind by the heavy crowds that visit the area during the summer. Naturally, the pollution made me feel disappointed in those who had traveled through the area before me and somewhat guilty for bringing my own human footprint to a place that was clearly better off before it was discovered by the masses.

I actively seek opportunities to explore remote natural spaces, so it feels somewhat hypocritical to advocate for keeping the wilderness wild and untouched. However, I firmly believe in the “leave nothing behind except for a footprint” mentality, so that these sacred places can be preserved to inspire future generations. More importantly, there’s an urgent need to protect the fragile ecosystems that existed long before we discovered them, as these environments should absolutely outlive us all.

baking under the Texas sun on top of Onion Creek’s lower McKinney Falls

Beyond the swimming hole, after we started down the Homestead Trail, we didn’t see many other hikers. The three-mile loop trail is mostly flat and makes for an easy trek with pleasant scenery. The narrow, dusty path winds through a dense forest, which provided us with frequent shade from the midday sun. The scattered pieces of the trail that weren’t shaded led us across flat rock surfaces and alongside dozens of large clusters of cactus plants. Views also included two sites containing ruins of a large home and a mill constructed more than 150 years ago by Thomas McKinney, after whom the park is named.

wild cactus plants, in bloom beside the trail

the remains of the first home constructed on this land, giving the Homestead Trail its name

Overall, this trail proved to be a worthwhile destination among Austin’s many outdoor options. Despite the significant human footprint left on the swimming hole that we passed en route to the trailhead, the trail itself traversed an area that’s clearly received more respectful treatment (perhaps due to less visitor traffic). The building remains, like their surrounding natural habitat, have been preserved and protected for their place in local history as well. The balance between natural and human history, as viewed from the Homestead Trail, appears to be a harmonious one, and that alone provides a much more meaningful experience than the park’s namesake falls.

River Place Nature Trail

It’d be difficult for me to provide a meaningful review on any of the trails I’ve hiked this year using only a single phrase or sentence, and for most of them, a paragraph wouldn’t be enough to adequately summarize the experience. However, when I think about the River Place Nature Trail in Austin, two simple words sum this one up pretty thoroughly: roller coaster.

Embedded in an upscale suburban neighborhood on the outskirts of Austin, there’s nothing remote about this one, which gave me the naive impression that it couldn’t be very difficult. I’d soon learn my mistake in underestimating this strenuous six-mile out and back trail. Beyond the wooden pier that runs alongside a manmade pond, picturesque with its fountain in the middle and dozens of turtles swimming about, lies the trailhead. From this point on, flat sections of trail are incredibly sparse, and none of these level stretches extend further than a hundred feet or so. The path constantly climbs and descends through the rugged canyon landscape, with at least a dozen trail sections involving quick elevation changes of a hundred feet or more, hence my “roller coaster” description.

It’s hard to capture depth from the lens of an iPhone, but this image shows a steep descent and the ensuing uphill climb that follows, an incessant pattern on the trail.

The trail includes more than 2,700 steps and 1,700 feet in total elevation change, one way, which gives hikers who are into math a fun game to play while on the trail. Needless to say, I wasn’t counting the steps or calculating the ups and downs. The steps have been carved into the trail to diminish the damaging effects of erosion during rainy seasons. We’d have welcomed the cooling effect of some light rain on this hike, but we didn’t get so lucky.

To quote a wise Texan named Kacey Musgraves, “Texas is hot”. Um, yes girl. You nailed it. This is especially true in July. Although the trail winds through a heavily wooded area, shade becomes more sparse on the upper sections, where the trees open up to provide hikers with expansive views of the surrounding area. Even in the shade, however, the demanding nature of this trail will draw significant sweat from hikers of all skill levels. Based on what I’ve read, I’m not the only one who’s underestimated this trail, and paramedics frequently respond to calls from dehydrated and exhausted hikers here. Moral of the story: Bring more water than you think you’ll need.

my friend, Morgan, posed beneath a fallen tree on one of the few flat sections of trail

the view from one of overlooks along the trail’s upper section

Although the canyon backdrop provides plenty of gorgeous scenery, this journey’s most distinct and memorable feature is definitely the trail itself. Each and every step was worth the effort, and we felt an overwhelming sense of accomplishment after we’d finished. Plus, taking a hike like that pretty much gives you free reign to eat and drink whatever you want afterwards and not think twice about it. That’s usually all the motivation I need to push onward.

BONUS: If your’e looking for a spot to take in some of the most breathtaking views in Austin, I’d recommend Mount Bonnell. Although the journey to the top involves ascending a stone staircase and trekking along a dirt trail, I’d hardly call this a hike. Reaching the top requires minimal effort, but the limitless views across the Colorado River and Austin skyline make this a must-see destination for visitors in the area.

Tag: summer vacation

Atlanta Hiking Trails: Arabia Mountain

Austin, Texas: McKinney Falls and River Place Nature Trail