Virginia - Cascade Falls

Appellations At Their Finest

Relatively recently, I started hiking again. You can follow my adventures here, or join my favorite hiking group on Facebook “Michigan Hiking and Backpacking” to see some of my hiking related posts. It’s a private group though, so you have to join to see my posts. I’ve made it my mission to hike a little bit in each of our 50 states, and this year I have had a good start with the Island Lake, Mac Cready, Dahlem, Ella Sharp, Cascades, and Waterloo-Pinckney Trail in Michigan, Sidie Hollow in Viroqua Wisconsin, Pokagon State park in Indiana, Hocking Hills in Ohio, Cascade Falls in Virginia, and The Mall in Washington DC.

Cascades in Virginia was unlike any hike I have been on so far. The first 2 miles just go up, up , up…and more up. There are no switch backs, or down hill for recovery. You just keep going up, and there is a fairly decent grade too. Then just before you reach the falls, you can go down a set of rock stairs and across a rock pathway the rest of the way to the falls. I was glad to have my trekking poles with me! The sights were amazing, and the cousins had a fantastic day! I was so proud of my aunt who is in her late 60’s and made it all the way to the top of the trail! That’s what I want to be doing 30 years from now…still out there showing that trail who’s boss.

Just one more thing about Virginia. I had no F’ing idea Rhododendron grows 3+ stories high.