The trail starts off looking a lot like one you might find in a larger park.
Then the vibe becomes a little more "enchanted forest."
Then it finally ends up being more of a "terrifying cliffside trails over a huge river" sort of situation.
I can tell you for sure my hike would have ended here if this little bridge didn't have a hand rail.
There was a lot of fog and moss, two of my favorite things.
It's a little crazy to think that trains used to run through here, and when you see the kiln, it's amazing to picture it ever in use. The hills are so steep, I still can't imagine active, working communities in the area.
I took a lot more pictures today, they're all in this set.
This sign is right by the kiln. At this point I could have added another mile and a half round trip, and was thinking about it. But as soon as I thought it might be a good idea to head back, some cold rain hit my face and sealed my decision to go to the car.
On my hike out, I didn't see a single person, and was pretty surprised seeing as how it's a holiday. On the way back in, I must have encountered 40 people. My car was the first in the lot, and there were 16 more when I pulled out. I'll go back again sometime, but it'll be when the weather has been dry for a while and when it's light out early. I want to enter the area right when it opens at 7am and minimize encounters with other hikers. I just like having places to myself, what can I say?
5.52 miles in 2:09, 11,862 steps, 396ft gain
