How
did we miss Cloudland Canyon State Park? In the six summers we have
spent camping in the Appalachian mountains of Georgia and North
Carolina, we’ve stayed at many state and Federal campgrounds,
including Vogel, Unicoi, and Amicalola State Parks in the Georgia
mountains. We’ve visited nearby Moccasin Creek And Tallulah Falls
during day trips. We’ve spent many nights at Richard Russell,
Stephen C. Foster and Hard Labor Creek State Parks in Georgia as
well. We’ve stayed at one of our favorite state parks, Vogel, near
Blairsville, several times, but for some reason or other, we never
made it to Cloudland Canyon State Park in the far northwest corner of
the state.
Located
on the western rim of Lookout Mountain, only twenty six miles south
of Chattanooga, Tennessee, the fairly large park was recommended by
Hill and Marianne, friends we met at Vogel last year. The park sits
atop a mountain plateau created by the gorge of the headwaters of
Daniel Creek, forming a unique “Y” layout that allows to park to
have two separate campgrounds. The East Rim campground, which is a
tighter, more family oriented type campground, and the larger West
Rim Campground which has the more secluded, woodsy type camping sites
we prefer.
We
had a taste of what to expect as we drove through dense, misty clouds
that floated across the heavily forested mountainside highway on our
way up to the park. It rained off and on the entire day as we drove
185 miles from Athens, Georgia, but the rain held off as we
registered at the visitor center a little before three in the
afternoon. The young ranger seemed rather bored with counter duty as
she handed me my vehicle pass and a campground map with little
comment. I then asked her to apply the discount visitors over the age
of 62 receive when registering in person. I have to apply in person
every time I sign in at a Georgia visitor's center as the online
system does not offer the discount. She asked if I was over 62. I
said yes, way over. She glanced up, then keyed the information into
the system without further comment
.
I
asked if the park was busy. “Nope,” she said, “Only six
reservations today for the whole park.”
Great!
We had our pick of the 72 campsites – Georgia is first come, first
served – and we soon backed in to the spotlessly clean, level site
on the west rim we liked best. No one else in the campground but the
camp hosts.
No
sooner did I have the power cable plugged in than it started raining.
We retired to the camper, broke out the chocolate and the wine and
put our feet up while the rain gently soaked the forest around us.
The park looks great with many trails, we can’t wait to explore the
area during our stay. I don’t see how we missed the place.
Next: Getting to know Cloudland Canyon State park, at;
http://sleepstwo.blogspot.com/2017/08/welcome-to-cloudland.html
Next: Getting to know Cloudland Canyon State park, at;
http://sleepstwo.blogspot.com/2017/08/welcome-to-cloudland.html
George
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