1-1-11: A New Year, A New State Park!

Here's yet another new park I got to explore, for my New Year's Day hike. This is Oconee State Park, about an hour and some change from Greenville, pretty much at the corner of Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Home of the Hidden Falls waterfall, which was pretty much the point of this trip. This trail revisits Ye Olde Foothills Trail, which I seem to end up on everywhere I go. As evidenced below.

Maybe some day I'll hike the whole length of that trail. Like a very mini-me Appalachian Trail. Okay. Maybe not.
At the trailhead, we were duly warned about the danger of the bears... Note the part about not taking pets. Oops.

...and the dangers of rabies...

...and here's our misty rain forest. :)

To be quite honest, it was a really pretty day for a hike. All 55 degrees and drizzle-y, with my raincoat on... Too bad I forgot an umbrella, because wet jeans eventually become kind of awful when the rain becomes more like a downpour, and you're 2.75 miles in and have to come back out. 6 miles is quite enough when you're sopping wet. Still, somewhat reminiscent of a tropical rainforest hike, and therefore quite pleasant.

Above is one ticked off wet dog. Ticked off is pretty much not the phrase I'd use, actually. More like, tantrum-throwing, refusing to walk, refusing to be held, shivering, pathetic, whining dog. Next time it's raining, she stays home.
Below, is Hidden Falls. Worth the wet hike? Probably. Very pretty, but not spectacular.

On the way home, however, there was this little turn off for Issaqueena Falls. Although I was completely soaked, and trying my best to dry off in the car (as if jeans dry off in the car), I thought I probably ought to turn around and check it out, since I was already wet, and it was just off the road and all. Here's the sign explaining the legend of the falls, which is pretty neat, since usually you don't get to see the history of one of these pretty places. You'll have to click on it to blow it up to read.

And then you hike just a tiny ways down from the top of an unassuming little river... To THIS. This view totally made my whole day. So glad I stopped! Enjoy, and happy new year! :)