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Woke early today, picked up supplies at Walmart, and started driving west from Las Vegas towards Death Valley National Park.  Desert highways appeared to stretch into infinity, and because it was a Tuesday in the off-season I was often the only human for miles in any direction.

Death Valley National Park – Road leading into the park from the east

Stepping out from the car to photograph the entrance sign, I was immediately struck by the deafening silence.  No wind, no animals, no sound whatsoever.  Quite an amazing thing to “feel” such a lack of noise in a wide-open space.

Death Valley National Park – Entrance Sign

First stop was the Furnace Creek visitor center.  Temperatures today were pleasant at 59°F and would later rise above 70°F.  Interestingly enough this visitor center sign itself sits at 190 feet below sea level – very nearly the lowest point in North America (more on that in later posts).  Signs on the wall mark the museum dedication date & confirm this is a Dark Sky Park which should prove excellent for star gazing.

Death Valley National Park – Furnace Creek Visitor Center

Death Valley National Park – Dedication Sign

Death Valley National Park – International Dark Sky Park

I booked a site at the nearby Texas Springs campground.  For this trip I picked up a new (used) tent that fit into my backpack so I didn’t have to check baggage.  This one is a Big Agnes Fly Creek HV UL2 with fancy “mtnGLO” LED lights.  The rocky ground proved for a most difficult pitch but I got the stakes hammered in with only one break.  Views of the mountains are nothing short of amazing here but I’m not staying idle for long.

Death Valley National Park – Tent site at Texas Springs campground

Stay tuned for more, this is just the beginning!

Death Valley – Furnace Creek Woke early today, picked up supplies at Walmart, and started driving west from Las Vegas towards Death Valley National Park. 

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2017 was full of travel, but December has come and I still somehow had vacation time saved up.  I quickly searched airfare and weather forecasts and decided the Las Vegas area was the easiest and most economical shot.  My plan? Get plane tickets and a rental car, then figure out the rest later.

As usual, I found fantastic weather for flying but gladly no delays.

Chicago – Rain at ORD

Arrived around 11pm and had a short AirBnB stay where I never met the host.  Woke early, stopped at Walmart for supplies, then headed out into the desert.  Mountain views leaving Vegas are a welcome change from the dreary grey skies of Wisconsin.

Where am I going from here?  About 100 miles west.  Stay tuned for new posts!

Las Vegas – West into the mountains

Las Vegas – West into the mountains

Et Cetera

I’m putting the miscellaneous Vegas stuff in one post because there’s no other good chronological way to share it.  From my limited time within the city limits.

Wild Wild West: Caught this guy a short distance from the strip.  Probably security/police, but interesting for a flatlander like me to see someone open-carrying.  Reminded me of Grand Theft Auto for some reason.

Las Vegas – Open Carry Biker

Best Pizza Ever? Had some awesome AirBnB hosts at the end of my trip who said they could show me “the best pizza I would ever eat in my life” at a spot called Pizza Rock.  Three of us shared the New Yorker, Detroit Red Top, and 6 house meatballs.  Left with that hazy feeling bordering on shame and contentment.  Best ever? No.  Would I come here again? Definitely.

Las Vegas – New Yorker at Pizza Rock

Las Vegas – Detroit Red Top at Pizza Rock

Thanksgiving Leftovers: Someone suggested to visit a sandwich shop called Capriotti’s which was supposed to be “awesome”.  Had a Bobbie and 1/2 BBQ chicken salad.  It was OK but I wish I had my $15 back.

Las Vegas – Sandwich at Capriotti’s

Desert Drinks: Tried some of the local beer game from Joseph James – surprisingly solid.  Somehow came across a 2017 Goose Island Bourbon County Stout but to my dismay it was past it’s prime.

Las Vegas – Local brews

Where’s The Beef? Locals suggested I could find the “best burger ever” at a place called Bachi Burger.  Had a Miyagi-San which was wagyu beef, carmelized bacon, fried egg, and tempura onion rings.  Super tasty but I can’t say it was worth the $20+ and definitely not the best ever.  Vegas people need to chill out on the hyped-up advice.

Las Vegas – Miyagi-San from Bachi Burger

Las Vegas – December 2017 2017 was full of travel, but December has come and I still somehow had vacation time saved up. 

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Last stop for this Tennessee journey was Piney Falls State Natural Area.  After leaving Ozone Falls I had almost no cell service and had to rely on loose notes & Google map printouts.  Took a chance and eventually found the trailhead – no surprise, with sunset looming I was the only one here.

The start of the trail wound through the bare forest with only minor elevation change and was very peaceful.  Crunchy leaves beneath my feet completely obscured the trail but it was very wide and easy to locate.

About 0.5 miles into the hike I reached the top of the falls.  You can see over the edge into the canyon, but there isn’t a good view of the water itself.  Checking the map, it appears you need to cross the rocks in the stream to continue down the trail.  Honestly, this was probably stupid on my part because I was alone but you can learn from me – exercise caution here if you don’t want to go swimming!

Up the trail another 0.1 miles and the descent begins.  “Oh look, a nice rope to hang onto,” you may think.  That rope (thankfully there by design, not accident) was the only thing preventing me from experiencing a 50 foot lesson in how gravity works.  Pucker factor is a healthy 7/10 thanks to wet & slippery rocks.

Once at the bottom it becomes clear the sketchy rope descent is totally worth it.  Huge secluded waterfall with a deep pool.   This would be awesome for swimming in summertime.

Alas, at this point I had run out of sunlight and couldn’t complete the loop to the lower falls section.  Had to scramble back up the cliff (much easier) and across the river back to the trailhead.  Time for one last photo of the sun setting through the pines.  Goodbye for now Tennessee.

Hiking Data

First half mile was calm.  Hopping across river rocks was a bit sketchy but exciting.  Climb down hill = my first adrenaline dump on this trip!  Only halfway joking about that.  Looking at my GPS map shows I didn’t follow the charted trail, but I don’t know where else I could have gone based on what I saw.  Would gladly come back here to finish the actual loop and see the falls again!

Piney Falls State Natural Area Last stop for this Tennessee journey was Piney Falls State Natural Area.  After leaving Ozone Falls…

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Time was moving quickly today, and the sun was getting noticeably lower on the horizon.  Next stop was Ozone Falls State Natural Area, a smaller park with a tall waterfall.

I visited the lower section via the Plunge Pool Trail.  Along the way, there is a cave eroded in the cliffs called Gambler’s Den with some cool features & coloration from the dripping water.

Less than a 1/4 mile down the trail you reach Ozone Falls which cascades 110 feet off the rock ledge.  Temps are definitely cooler at the bottom pools and would be an ideal picnic spot in summer.  I had this area all to myself and sat for quite some time enjoying the solitude. (Don’t forget to click photos for larger versions!)

One last shot for the road.

Hiking Data

Distance to the lower pool is super short but does require scrambling over rocks which could be difficult for children/elderly.  Definitely worth a visit!

Ozone Falls State Natural Area Time was moving quickly today, and the sun was getting noticeably lower on the horizon.  Next stop was…

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There are no shortages of hikes or waterfalls in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and luckily my next stop wasn’t far after leaving Cataract Falls.  Only several miles up the road, Laurel Falls is another popular short day hike.  Parking at the trail head was a battle – likely due to the Thanksgiving holiday and kids being off school.

Laurel Falls – Sign at the parking area

Laurel Falls – Trailhead sign

The trail here is almost fully paved but still has moderate elevation gain.  Scenery heading up wasn’t anything to write home about because of the fallen leaves, but a good day in nature still beats a day at the office.  The falls themselves are cool but large crowds clogged the area today.

Laurel Falls – Lots of people at the falls

Laurel Falls – Looking down to the lower falls

Laurel Falls – View from the trail

The reverse hike was all downhill and I made good time.  On the way up you are looking into the forest/rockwalls; going down, several clearings in the trees allowed views across the valleys.

Laurel Falls – View across the valley from the trail

Hiking Data

Thankfully this hike was slightly longer than my last.  Elevation gain & rapid pace got my heart moving.  Not a bad short trail, would recommend as part of a larger tour of the park!

GaiaGPS hiking data @ Laurel Falls GSMNP

GaiaGPS hiking data @ Laurel Falls GSMNP

GaiaGPS hiking data @ Laurel Falls GSMNP

Great Smoky Mountains National Park – Laurel Falls There are no shortages of hikes or waterfalls in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and luckily my next stop wasn't far after leaving 

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Left Newport this morning and bid Kelly farewell; she was heading east for work and I had to go west for tomorrow’s outbound flight.  Sunshine and 40 degree temps made for excellent hiking weather (something we could have used the last few days).  Oh well, onward to make the most of my limited time here!

Driving back I went through Gatlinburg again.  Pulled off at a scenic overlook on the bypass highway – so that’s what Tennessee mountains look like, eh?

Gatlinburg Bypass – Scenery at one of the overlook pullouts

Next I stopped at the Sugarland Visitor Center which is the main office in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  The trail towards Cataract Falls begins directly outside the park building.  This is a small waterfall and very easily accessible for park visitors.  Quite tame for my tastes, but would be ideal for families with small children or those not physically suited for the more strenuous areas.

Cataract Falls – Trail sign

Cataract Falls – View at the falls

Cataract Falls – View at the falls

Cataract Falls – Fantastic sunny morning on the trail

Hiking Data

This is a very short trail and has very flat elevation.  Good warm-up and checks off a new destination for me!

GaiaGPS hiking data @ Cataract Falls GSMNP

GaiaGPS hiking data @ Cataract Falls GSMNP

GaiaGPS hiking data @ Cataract Falls GSMNP

Great Smoky Mountains National Park – Cataract Falls Left Newport this morning and bid Kelly farewell; she was heading east for work and I had to go west for tomorrow's outbound flight. 

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Nothing super exciting in Newport, Tennessee – especially on a Sunday afternoon if you aren’t at church.  Kelly had to study so hiking was a no-go.  Daylight was running short so I just wandered around exploring the area.  I’m mainly adding this to drop pins on my live G-map, but there a few points of interest:

Not a hiker but want to soak in some views?  Tennessee has many scenic Trails & Byways routes and the signs are found everywhere.  Just start driving, you will find them.

Newport, TN – Trails & Byways sign

Got the blues because small towns in the bible belt make Sundays drier than an AA meeting in the desert?  Go bowling sober!  Bonus points if you are the only person there, double bonus if you get to listen to country (pop) music the whole time and play Big Buck Hunter.  Rolled 154 with a house ball and so many missed spares, haven’t bowled in several years.

Newport, TN – Bowling

Since there was fuck all else to do, I purposely drove around getting lost just to check out the area.  Found sunshine often but only stopped for photos one time.  Reminds me of the Windows XP wallpaper.  Enjoy and stay tuned, more posts to come!

Newport, TN – Sunny views across a field

  Newport, TN Nothing super exciting in Newport, Tennessee - especially on a Sunday afternoon if you aren't at church. 

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Woke up and left Gatlinburg with some time for day hiking before the next destination.  Cold and wet weather killed most of our planned hikes, but we decided to try our luck on Max Patch, one of the most popular viewpoints along the Appalachian Trail.  Remember that smoky fog from yesterday?

Max Patch Mountain – Driving back roads towards our destination

Max Patch Mountain – Driving back roads towards our destination

Well that doesn’t look too bad, right?  Driving the windy back roads at lower elevation was dry and fun.  Driving up the gravel mountain road to the trailhead wasn’t bad except…

Max Patch Mountain – Driving up the mountain access road

Max Patch Mountain – Driving up the mountain access road

Max Patch Mountain – Driving up the mountain access road

“Come to Tennessee in November, it’ll be warmer than Wisconsin” people said.  Kelly may be right that I’m weather cursed.  Or maybe the elevation, but hey I’m no rocket surgeon.  No matter – we reached the trailhead!

Max Patch Mountain – Trailhead sign

Temps were 20s or colder with a decent wind chill – downright balmy!  No panoramic 360-degree views of mountain peaks like the brochures, but the fog combined with blowing precip gave an eerie but pleasant atmosphere.  Reed seemed to be enjoying the snow.  Found another USGS survey marker too!

Max Patch Mountain – Reed dog enjoying the snow

Max Patch Mountain – Reed dog enjoying the snow

Max Patch Mountain – View at the top

Max Patch Mountain – View at the top

Max Patch Mountain – USGS survey marker

We did the loop clockwise because some other hikers tried the counter-clock route and said it was closed.  Trail was very slippery coming down without any spikes on our shoes.  Took some photos of Kelly during the descent staring into the desolation – 3 different perspectives just for fun.

Max Patch Mountain – Kelly looking down the trail

Max Patch Mountain – Kelly looking down the trail

Max Patch Mountain – Kelly looking down the trail

After a brief, chilly hike we crawled down the mountain and headed towards Newport for the next hotel.  Snow slowly disappeared about 1/2 way down, and once back on the parkway the final signs of fall color could still be found.

Max Patch Mountain – Driving down the mountain road

Max Patch Mountain – Views driving away

Max Patch Mountain – Signs of autumn on the turnpike

Max Patch Mountain – Signs of autumn on the turnpike

Hiking Data

No distance records were broken but definitely a unique day to hike this area.  Silver lining?  This qualifies us as official AT section hikers.  Only 2,199 more miles to go!

GaiaGPS hiking data @ Max Patch Mountain

GaiaGPS hiking data @ Max Patch Mountain

GaiaGPS hiking data @ Max Patch Mountain

Max Patch Mountain Woke up and left Gatlinburg with some time for day hiking before the next destination.  Cold and wet weather killed most of our planned hikes, but we decided to try our luck on 

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Stayed overnight in Gatlinburg because it was close to the Smokies.  The area is very tourist-y with many shops & attractions but we didn’t have time for most of these things.  Directly behind the hotel there was a small rapids/waterfall – seems like these are everywhere!

Aside from putting pins in my live G-map, I mainly wanted to share this wonderful & awful photo.  One of the many shops on the tourist walk had amazing aromas of pizza, fudge, and other treats.  It also had about 100 rascal scooters for better drive-up diabetes service. ‘Merica.

We had Reed doggy with us and ate dinner in the rain on a patio at Dick’s Last Resort.  Good food but purposely rude service (akin to Ed Debevic’s for yous Chicagolanders).  Walking back to the hotel, bystanders stopped us and said a black bear was roaming around – never saw it, but not something you hear every day.

On to the next destination!  I forsee more inclement weather coming…

Gatlinburg, TN Stayed overnight in Gatlinburg because it was close to the Smokies.  The area is very tourist-y with many shops & attractions but we didn't have time for most of these things. 

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Several days into the trip and we finally made it to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park.  First stop was Clingmans Dome, the highest point in Tennessee and the infamous Appalachian Trail.  Views here looking over the mountain range are normally quite amazing, however today Mother Nature had other plans.

Driving up the 7 mile access road, visibility ranged from 100 yards to 100 feet thanks to dense fog, mist, and strong wind gusts.  It only got thicker as we reached the parking area.  Kelly would later joke that I am cursed by unexpected weather and today she was correct.

Clingmans Dome – Driving to the top

Clingmans Dome – Parking lot view

The 0.5 mile hiking trail is completely paved to the summit making it relatively easy, but it does gain several hundred feet of elevation sharply.  Views all hidden by fog.

Clingmans Dome – Trail sign

Clingmans Dome – Paved trail view

Clingmans Dome – Paved trail view

The Appalachian Trail crosses with Clingmans Dome trail.  Kelly wanted photos with the sign – does this officially make us AT section hikers?

Clingmans Dome – Appalachian Trail sign

Clingmans Dome – Appalachian Trail sign

At the summit there is a 45-foot observation tower with a winding concrete walkway.  Once again, views were obscured by fog…

Clingmans Dome – Lookout Tower

Clingmans Dome – Southern View from the lookout tower

Clingmans Dome – Eastern View from the lookout tower

Back at the parking lot, balaclava-clad ninja Kelly wanted to re-create a photo she took earlier this year mainly as a joke due to today’s lack of mountain views.  Minutes later, the park rangers closed the roads for weather and kicked us out.  We drove back down the mountain in the dark using low-gears and headed to the hotel in Gatlinburg for the night.

Clingmans Dome – Kelly posing in front of the amazing foggy views

Hiking Data

The trail from parking lot to summit is only around 0.5 one way and gains elevation sharply, but thanks to the paved path it isn’t very difficult.  The wind and fog/mist made it more challenging and wet than normal today.  Checked off another highpointing location on the list – that makes 2 for the year!

GaiaGPS hiking data @ Clingmans Dome

GaiaGPS hiking data @ Clingmans Dome

GaiaGPS hiking data @ Clingmans Dome

Clingmans Dome Several days into the trip and we finally made it to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park…

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Yesterday was a “zero day” for hiking – Kelly had job interviews and I visited my family in Knoxville.  Late start today but we briefly visited Panther Creek State Park while still in the Morristown area.  We chose to do the Point Lookout Trail loop in a somewhat modified fashion due to road closings for tree removal/cleanup.

Alas, for this leg of the journey there are no photos – we just enjoyed the hike and conversation.  All the leaves had fallen and trees obstructed the lake view so there wasn’t much to see anyways.

I’m only posting for the hiking data and to drop pins on my interactive G-map.  Stay tuned, more to come!

Hiking Data

Trail had a bit more elevation than expected but not really all that difficult.  Main obstacle was finding the trail covered in a sea of fallen leaves.

GaiaGPS hiking data @ Panther Creek State Park

GaiaGPS hiking data @ Panther Creek State Park

GaiaGPS hiking data @ Panther Creek State Park

Panther Creek State Park Yesterday was a "zero day" for hiking - Kelly had job interviews and I visited my family in Knoxville. 

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My friend Kelly finished work early and we finally got to hike together!  Due to limited daylight we headed to nearby Burgess Falls State Park which is south of Cookeville in Putnam County.  Reed a.k.a “Darkness“, the black lab in photos, loves hiking and is extremely well-behaved (although she gets slightly excited for squirrels).  A dilapidated bridge crosses the river but would be certain death to attempt.  Midway down the trail there is a washed-out overlook of the smaller falls but you can still view it from the trail.

Burgess Falls State Park – Hiking with Kelly & Reed

Burgess Falls State Park – Rundown bridge across the river

Burgess Falls State Park – View of little falls from the trail

Further along, a trail sign indicates the big falls are ahead.  Kelly knows the park well so I follow her.  Small runoffs create tiny waterfalls on the eroded rocks next to the path.

Burgess Falls State Park – Trail sign heading towards big falls

Burgess Falls State Park – Tiny waterfalls along the trail

A short distance later we reached the big falls.  Looking upstream on the small rapids it becomes easy to sense how much water is moving.  At the top, you can stand almost right next to the edge but wading in would be crazy.

Burgess Falls State Park – View looking upstream from top of big falls

Burgess Falls State Park – View from the side of the big falls

Around the cliff’s edge you can look down below to the canyon – a much larger distance than expected.  It’s difficult to show scale from this photo angle but the small trees at the bottom are several feet tall.

Burgess Falls State Park – View from the top of the big falls

After hiking out we headed back to Cookeville and packed for the drive 2 hours east to Morristown for Kelly’s job interview.  This was nearer the Great Smoky Mountains and I would be crazy not to get excited!  We discussed what gear to pack and talked briefly about the camp axe – a debate she won pointing where my body would get dumped if I protested.

Cookeville – Kelly the axe murderer

Hiking Data

This is a great short hike and we logged 1.7 miles.  Notice there is little elevation gain here.  We could have gone farther to the bottom of the falls, however Kelly said past heavy rains/floods washed out that section and it was closed due to dangerous conditions.  Good way to end the day!

GaiaGPS hiking data @ Burgess Falls State Park

GaiaGPS hiking data @ Burgess Falls State Park

GaiaGPS hiking data @ Burgess Falls State Park

Burgess Falls State Park My friend Kelly finished work early and we finally got to hike together!  Due to limited daylight we headed to nearby…

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After leaving Waterloo Falls, I was itching to do some actual hiking.  Next stop was Cummins Falls State Park which was only 15 minutes away by car.  Weather today was nearly perfect – sunny and about 60 degrees, which felt like summer compared to what I left in Wisconsin.

Cummins Falls State Park – Entrance sign

Cummins Falls State Park – Historical sign

I started by hiking the Upstream Trail towards the Overlook Trail to get a view of the falls.  The lookout point is quite far away but you can appreciate the scale of these falls and hear a loud roar of the water dropping on the rock shelf below.  Immediately I knew I had to get closer if at all possible.

Cummins Falls State Park – Waterfall overlook trail

Cummins Falls State Park – Waterfall overlook trail

Cummins Falls State Park – Falls view from upper lookout point

Cummins Falls State Park – Falls view from upper lookout point

Following the Overlook Trail there is a “shortcut trail” which winds down the cliffside through a series of switchbacks.  Trails were very well maintained but rocky in many spots.  Trail markers were some of the best I’ve ever seen and appeared to be 3D printed or milled from plastic – super cool.

Cummins Falls State Park – Trail marker on a tree

Cummins Falls State Park – Trail leading down to the riverway

Cummins Falls State Park – Trail leading down to the riverway

The trail leads abruptly from the dense forest directly to the river with almost no transition.  Views were stunning.  I could have sat here all day.

Cummins Falls State Park – View across the Blackburn Fork State Scenic River

Some additional views looking up & down the river:

Cummins Falls State Park – View across the Blackburn Fork State Scenic River

Cummins Falls State Park – Looking down the riverway

Cummins Falls State Park – Looking down the riverway

Cummins Falls State Park – View across the Blackburn Fork State Scenic River

Cummins Falls State Park – Looking down the riverway

About halfway down my hike, a Great Blue Heron was scooping fish from the river and followed my pace on the opposite bank.  Walking along the cliffsides allowed passage under several rock ledges.  Looking across the river at one point, another small waterfall seeped from the cliff and carved out a grotto.

Cummins Falls State Park – Great Blue Herron following me in the river

Cummins Falls State Park – Walking under the rock ledge

Cummins Falls State Park – Waterfall on the cliffside

Alas, at some point closer to the falls but not quite close enough, I came to an impasse of deeper water and slippery rocks.  I attempted to cross in a more calm location, but the water was freezing and in bare feet the rocks were too slippery.  Next time, I would bring some water shoes and make easy work of this section, but today wasn’t that day.  I took my time walking the trail back to the car to soak in the excellent views.  Would easily come back here again and again!

Cummins Falls State Park – Closer to the falls, but not close enough

[Click on photos above for the larger version]

Hiking Data

After 2 days of shuttle buses, waiting in airports, plane rides, and rental cars, a peaceful 2 mile hike was perfect to get my adventure drive re-activated.  GaiaGPS route didn’t quite sync to the topo map image but it’s often imperfect in river canyons like this.  Check out the elevation graph – the quick changes were definitely noticeable!

GaiaGPS hiking data @ Cummins Falls State Park

GaiaGPS hiking data @ Cummins Falls State Park

GaiaGPS hiking data @ Cummins Falls State Park

Cummins Falls State Park After leaving Waterloo Falls, I was itching to do some actual hiking.  Next stop was…

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A few months back, I started chatting online & made friends with a fellow hiker/traveler who lived in Tennessee (totally not a murderer, more on that later).  I had some vacation time to burn so I booked a last-minute trip and visited the Volunteer State in mid-November hoping to catch the last falls colors.  Ended up in Cookeville, TN which is in the central part of the state and only a few hours from Great Smoky Mountain National Park and other amazing nature scenery.  More to come in future posts – I have about 10 places backlogged so stay tuned!

First stop was a warm-up of sorts, and since I can’t pass up a good waterfall I visited Waterloo Falls.  Just north of Cookeville on the Spring Creek river way, the top of the falls are easily accessible from the parking area by walking less than 100 yards.  I didn’t know how to reach the bottom (climbing down the slippery rocks this day was inviting death, and didn’t want to trespass on unmarked gravel drives) but the view below must be awesome – maybe next time.

Waterloo Falls – Cliffs along Spring Creek before the falls

Waterloo Falls – Small rapids before the falls

Waterloo Falls – View from the top

Waterloo Falls – View from the top

Hiking Data

Wow I really broke some distance records here, eh?  Not really a hike at all – just including this because maps & data are fun.  Proof that on this day I lazily enjoyed part of the great outdoors with no immediate urgency and that’s OK.

GaiaGPS hiking data @ Waterloo Falls

GaiaGPS hiking data @ Waterloo Falls

GaiaGPS hiking data @ Waterloo Falls

Waterloo Falls A few months back, I started chatting online & made friends with a fellow hiker/traveler who lived in Tennessee (totally not a murderer, more on that later). 

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The final stop on this particular weekend tour was Aztalan State Park located east of Madison, WI.  I had known going in that this particular site wasn’t “epic” in any sense outside of the cultural/historical appreciation aspect and wasn’t expecting much.  Thankfully with that mindset I wasn’t disappointed.

First – the rain.  I finally remembered to grab a screenshot of my weather app.  Notice that large green band?  It was following me everywhere.

I’m not going into all the historical details, but this site is relevant as a settlement of the Mississippian culture dating back to 600 ADE according to signage and Wikipedia.  They have reconstructed some of the large poles/timbers that were put up to shield views of religious ceremonies as well as two of the large mounds/platforms.

Views from the top of the platforms were okay, but it’s mostly an open field with small paths mowed through.  Nothing spectacular, but it checks off another park on my Wisconsin list.  Time to go home and dry off.

Hiking Data

Hiked the big loop around the mounds/main cultural area.  There were some other short hikes outside my screenshot, but it’s more of the same so I passed.  I acknowledge this is a culturally important site, but I probably won’t return at least from a hiking perspective.  Adios.

Aztalan State Park The final stop on this particular weekend tour was Aztalan State Park located east of Madison, WI. 

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Rain continued all night and into today with no sign of stopping.  Thanks to a friend’s advice from Idaho to “be here now”, there was no way I could let it stop me.  To begin my trip home, the next stop was Rib Mountain State Park.  This is a popular ski destination and is heavily featured on this year’s Travel Wisconsin tourism commercials.

Rib Mountain State Park – Entrance sign at bottom of mountain

Rib Mountain is the 4rd highest point in Wisconsin at 1,924 ft above sea level (1st is Timm’s Hill) and contains some of the oldest Precambrian-era exposed rocks found on earth at 1.7 billion years old.  These rocks are very hard, and on a rainy day like today it made for very slippery conditions.

Rib Mountain State Park – Queen’s Chair rock formation

Rib Mountain State Park – Rock formations

Rib Mountain State Park – Blue/green hiking trail

You can drive to the top of the hill and walk a short distance to the observation tower which gives amazing panoramic views of the valley below.  Many of the leaves had already fallen and colors are way past prime, but even in the rain and haze it’s still a sight to behold.

Rib Mountain State Park – Observation tower from below

Rib Mountain State Park – View from observation tower

Rib Mountain State Park – View from observation tower

Rib Mountain State Park – View from observation tower

Rib Mountain State Park – View from observation tower

Rib Mountain State Park – View from observation tower

Temperatures were dropping and wind on top of the mountain was steady and bitterly cold.  On the blue/green trail, the blacktop paths were slick and nearly covered by leaves.

Rib Mountain State Park – Leaves still hanging on

Rib Mountain State Park – Blue/green hiking trail

Rib Mountain State Park – Blue/green hiking trail

Hiking Data

Only hiked part of the blue/green trails due to weather.  Since there are many more trails to explore and not much to see besides bare trees, I decided to visit again in the future and keep moving (seems to be the theme of this journey).

GaiaGPS hiking data @ Rib Mountain State Park

GaiaGPS hiking data @ Rib Mountain State Park

GaiaGPS hiking data @ Rib Mountain State Park

Rib Mountain State Park Rain continued all night and into today with no sign of stopping.  Thanks to a friend's advice from Idaho to "be here now", there was no way I could let it stop me. 

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Not sure I’ve mentioned this but waterfalls are pretty cool.  The area around north central Wisconsin has plenty of them too.  Next stop was the Dells of the Eau Claire River State Natural Area in Aniwa, WI (near Wausau).  I didn’t know much about this location before visiting, but glad I stopped here.

I parked in the far eastern lot of the main visitor area and hiked mostly the north bank of the river.  Right from the parking lot I observed cool views of the calm water reflecting the trees.  Moving down the trail (which is designated as part of the Ice Age Trail) you get glimpses of the dells/rapids the farther you go.

Dells of the Eau Claire River – Calm water mirror reflection

Dells of the Eau Claire River – Bridge over dam

Dells of the Eau Claire River – Hiking trail

Dells of the Eau Claire River – Hiking trail

Dells of the Eau Claire River – View from north bank

Dells of the Eau Claire River – View from north bank

During intersections of the trail there are several warning signs of imminent danger.  Based on previous travels, this roughly translates to “cool things are coming up, don’t die”.

Dells of the Eau Claire River – Danger sign on trail

Dells of the Eau Claire River – Danger sign on trail

Dells of the Eau Claire River – Danger sign on trail

I continued down the north bank until reaching the main waterfall/dells/rapids area.  This location has some non-typical rock formations directly in the middle of the river.  According to the DNR page these are Precambrian-age rocks that are very hard which prevents rapid erosion.

Dells of the Eau Claire River – View from north bank

Dells of the Eau Claire River – View from north bank

Dells of the Eau Claire River – View from north bank

Dells of the Eau Claire River – View looking downstream from bridge

Dells of the Eau Claire River – Panorama of the dells

I crossed a bridge to the south bank briefly and observed the flowing water from another angle.  This area had much more moss and pine cover and felt very secluded.  Since it was raining I was the only person in sight.

Dells of the Eau Claire River – Stairway down to river/falls

Dells of the Eau Claire River – Stairway down to river/falls

Dells of the Eau Claire River – South bank view of the falls/rapids

Hiking Data

Not much distance was covered since I spent more time taking photos than actually moving.  I could have spent much longer here but the weather was crap, and I also didn’t realize it was part of the IAT.  I will be back here another time to cover more ground.  As far as my waterfall checklist goes, this was one of the cooler spots so far.

GaiaGPS hiking data @ Dells of the Eau Claire River

GaiaGPS hiking data @ Dells of the Eau Claire River

GaiaGPS hiking data @ Dells of the Eau Claire River

Dells of the Eau Claire River Not sure I've mentioned this but waterfalls are pretty cool.  The area around north central Wisconsin has plenty of them too.