Distance: 1 mile loop
Elevation: 2258
Difficulty: Easy
Markings: None required
On Saturday, November 1, 2008, Snowflake, my husband, and I hiked around Lake Trahlyta at Vogel State Park. It was a lovely time to hike in North Georgia--the fall foliage is spectacular! This was an easy hike and the beautiful scenery brought lots of visitors to the park. You'll find Vogel State
Park around the intersection of Highway 60/19 and Highway 180, which leads to Suches, Georgia.Although the elevation is fairly high, the 1 mile trail around Lake Trahlyta is flat and wide. Vogel State Park sits in a valley ringed by Slaughter Mountain, Blood Mountain, Wildcat Knob, Sherrif Knob, Frady Mountain, and Chestnut Knob. About half-way through the trail, there is a short spur that takes you to a view of the cascade created by the spillway from the lake. The spur is a more vigorous trail coming back up from the falls (about 55 feet in an 1/8 mile or so), but it's a lovely view even in our current drought.
This is a trip for the whole family, even those who find extended walking
should be able to navigate this one. If the able-bodied members want to take the spur to the falls, those who prefer flat ground can sit on one of the benches that surround the lake and take in the view. No real packing is required, although it's always a good idea to have water and a hiking stick...just in case. Oh...and a camera, of course!Vogel State Park has lots of other trails...17 miles of them. One is the challenging Coosa Back Country Trail, sporting 12.9 miles and a 1 mile ascent. The Hiking Chicks aren't there yet, but that one may be on the agenda for 2010!
Pura Vida,
Bubbles
