It's Summer, Now Get Out of the House!: June 23, 2013

It was August 2011.  I had a ton of things to do but my desire to get out of the house and take a drive was much stronger than my desire to stay home and check things off my to-do list.  I needed to hit the road.  After convincing a friend to come along for the ride, we headed north on Georgia 400 without a particular destination in mind.  We ended up in a small town called Dahlonega, which happens to be the site of the first major gold rush in the United States.  After a nice lunch in the quaint town square we stopped by the Chamber of Commerce for some guidance on the next stop on this spontaneous Saturday outing.  We started leafing through the maze of travel pamphlets when one of them caught my eye.  Amicalola Falls.  I'd never heard of it, but it was close and offered a nice hike, beautiful scenery, and the tallest cascading waterfall in the southeast.  

Amicalola Falls State Park was a short drive from Dahlonega.  Visitors can choose different paths to reach the falls, each with its own degree of difficulty.  Of course we chose the more challenging trail with staircases that scale the Georgia mountainside and end at the fall.  Tackling the trail and those stairs on an August afternoon was not for the meek; so much for it being cooler in the mountains.  We passed several people along the way who either decided to turn around, or just needed a short breather.  Although my legs were on fire and my shirt was drenched, there was no way we were stopping.  After tackling what seemed like nature's version of the StairMaster, there it was - 729 feet of mesmerizing cascading water known as Amicalola Falls.  Sure, there are more majestic waterfalls and more scenic trails in the world, but on this Saturday afternoon Amicalola Falls provided me with everything I needed.  As I watched and listened to the sounds of this natural wonder, I couldn't help but think that sometimes you've just got to get out of the house and do something!  As summer begins, I challenge you to create your own adventure.  Oh, and please be sure tell me all about it!