Vogel State Park, etc.

We set out this morning for Brasstown Bald, but when we got to the road up the mountain, it was gated. Road Closed! Probably ice on the road, or perhaps trees down; but, with 2.5 miles and 2000' of elevation gain to deal with on the way to the summit, we opted not walk in.

Instead, we went a little further west and south, on 180, then 19/129, to Vogel State Park. We hiked around the lake, visited the waterfall, and generally checked the place out.

Trahlyta Falls comes off the spillway from
the dam that forms the lake at Vogel State Park.

Lake Trahlyta and start of spillway; Vogel's facilities are at head of lake.

Waterfall video below the break (click on Read more).

Paddling Yonah Lake

Taylor and I went paddling this morning on Yonah Lake, an impoundment of the Tugaloo River, which forms part of the Georgia-South Carolina border, just downstream of Lake Tugalo. (The river name ends with 2 o's; all other names (lake, park, village, etc.) end with one 'o'.)

Taylor paddles south from Tugalo Park boat launch at head of Yonah Lake

No picture of it, but as we paddled south, we came upon a massive bald eagle in a lakeside tree on the South Carolina shore, startled it, and watched as it circled around us, no more than 100' away. Very, very impressive!

Tugalo Dam, at the head of Yonah Lake.

View of Tugalo Lake, from the road to Yonah Lake. Tugalo Park is a Georgia Power
campground and boat launch, located at the foot of Tugalo Dam,
and at the head of Yonah Lake.

From the road to Yonah Lake, you can see what is probably the biggest house in Rabun County, overlooking Lake Tugalo.

Near top-center is an enormous house on a hilltop overlooking Lake Tugalo.
Photo below shows a Google Earth detail of that house.

The shadows reveal the Disneyland-like towers of this house.

Yonah Lake is the most-downstream of Georgia Power's lakes on the Tallulah watershed. From the top, they are Burton, Seed, Rabun, Tallulah Falls, Tugalo and Yonah. Burton's lake level is 1866' above sea level; Yonah's is 744', and below its dam, 670'; a total drop of 1196', most of it harnessed by hydropower turbines. Yonah has some houses around its shore, but relatively few compared to Burton. Most of the houses on the Georgia side have road access; most of the South Carolina houses are boat-access only.

Darnell Falls

Darnell Falls

More below the break (click on 'read more').

Classic barn

Of course it's red. It's a barn!

On Wolffork Road, west of Rabun Gap.

Tallulah River and Tate City

Taylor and I took a ride up the Tallulah River Road (FS-70), past Tate City and into North Carolina, to a Nantahala Wilderness Area trailhead. We were looking for Flat Branch Falls, along the Tallulah, but had no luck finding the trail. Still, we enjoyed a nice Saturday drive.

Budding rhododendrons

Shopping opportunities at the Tate City Mall

Detail from photo above: TATE CITY MALL. Apparently, they sell
cast iron frying pans, horseshoes, shovels and farm implements.

George at the Gorge

About 600 steps on the stairs down to Hurricane Falls

The Tallulah River ordinarily is diverted around Tallulah Gorge through pipes that run from the Tallulah Falls dam (upstream of the Gorge) to the powerhouse at the head of Tugalo Lake (downstream of the Gorge). But for the first 3 weekends in November, and the first 2 in April, the power company releases the river at full flow (500-700 cubic feet/second), and kayakers turn out to enjoy the rapids.

More photos below the break.

A short walk up the hill

Or so he said!

Rabun Bald, highest point in Rabun County:
Don, Carol, Robert & George; North Carolina mountains in the background.

Exiled from Ladies Weekend

Robert and Taylor go camping at Devils Fork State Park, on Lake Jocassee, in western South Carolina.

Kayakers on Lake Jocassee, SC. North Carolina mountains in the background.

Ladies of the Lake at Minnehaha Falls

Front: Carol, Ruthlyn, Georgia; rear: Beth, Daisy, Carol.

Angel Falls and Panther Falls

George at trailhead on Lake Rabun Road

A short hike up Joe Creek, from the Rabun Beach Recreation Area on the north side of Lake Rabun, takes you to two waterfalls, Panther and Angel.

Rabun Bald

Rabun Bald, November 17, 2010

Dicks Creek Falls

Dicks Creek Falls

Taylor and I visited Dicks Creek Falls in October, 2010. It is a short hike from Sandy Ford, where the road of that name crosses Dicks Creek, to the falls, where the creek drops into the Chattooga River.

From our cottage . . .

Blue Hole Falls and High Shoals Falls

Blue Hole Falls

These are two adjacent sets of falls on High Shoals Creek, on the west side of Tray Mountain.

High Shoals Falls

From our cottage . . .

Cruising

Fall 2010, Timpson Cove

Here are some places to go and sights to see on the lake . . .

Minnehaha Falls

A short hike (half mile, maybe) from Bear Gap Road (alongside Lake Rabun) takes you to a spectacular waterfall.


From our cottage, it's about 12 miles . . .

Hemlock Falls

Hemlock Falls, on Moccasin Creek

This hike originates from near Moccasin Creek State Park, and goes about a mile and a half up Moccasin Creek, to Hemlock Falls. It is an easy walk, almost always in sight of the creek, which is lovely. In the summer, you may find the pool at the base of the falls to be a refreshing dip.


View Larger Map

Tray Mountain

Tray Mountain, from our boathouse

Tray Mountain is the large mountain seen in the distance from the sun deck of our boathouse. It is about 10 miles away, west-southwest.

Lake Tugalo

Taylor on Tugalo

Taylor and I visited Lake Tugalo on Saturday, Nov. 13, 2010. We paddled up the Chattooga channel, and picnicked on a sand bar. (We would have motored but the starter rope broke as we were launching.)