Date/Time
Date(s) - 10/29/16
8:30 am - 5:30 pm
Category(ies)
List of Attendees
- Rony K
- Peter de Lastic
- Deborah Saulino
- Reza Karimi
Smithgall Woods – Dukes Creek Conservation Area is a state park consisting of 5,663 acres of mountain woodlands that rise along the Dukes Creek watershed.
Date: Saturday, October 29, 2016
Time: 8:30 am at Intown Church
Difficulty Level: D2 (easy)
Hiking Distance: 5 – 6 miles
Cost: $10 per person
Laurel Ridge Trail
Located adjacent to our Visitor Center, this interpretive trail is a moderate 1.6-mile loop that climbs to Laurel Ridge and provides a seasonal view of Mt. Yonah.
Ash Creek Trail
1.5 mile one way
This rugged trail requires fording/wading Dukes Creek near the north end. The beauty of the Dukes Creek area and the large expanse of Georgia woodlands make this a noteworthy hike.
Cathy Ellis Trail
0.5 mile one way
Also called the Chunanee Falls Trail, this memorial trail is in honor of Cathy Ellis, who loved the north Georgia mountains. A plaque at the trailhead tells the historical significance of this 640-acre tract. A moderate half-mile hike (mostly downhill) leads to a beautiful waterfall on what is known as the Alabama Branch. A short wooden bridge crosses a section of a historic water ditch, part of the early gold mining history. Deeply shaded by rhododendron, the last 400 yards is alongside a noisy stretch of Dukes Creek, and is a cool retreat in warm weather.
Martin’s Mine Trail
0.9 mile loop
A wooden bridge across Dukes Creek begins this picturesque and historical trail. The 0.9-mile loop interprets the history of gold mining at this site. A vertical shaft of the earlier gold mining era is a focal point and provides a unique habitat for bats. A short extension from the main trail offers a view of a small, but soothing waterfall.
Wetland Loop Trail
0.55 mile loop
This easy ½-mile loop trail passes a beaver pond and wetland area. A boardwalk and large deck provide a great spot for “birding” on the pond. Waterfowl and frogs are residents that hikers may see or hear.
Dukes Creek Falls Trail (Optional)
2 miles round trip
It is a series of three switchbacks that lead down to falls on Davis Creek at its confluence with Dukes Creek. There are water cascades on Dukes Creek While the pathway is remarkably level, it descends more than 400 feet on the half-mile walk. The sound of the waterfall can only be heard at the middle of each switchback, fading as the next turn approaches. Where the footpath switches back the sounds of the forest are louder than the falls. After the second switch the path now narrows considerably. At the falls three more observation decks have been built into a boardwalk. It’s cool here, courtesy of God’s air conditioning.
Required Items:
1 – 2 liters of water.
Good hiking shoes or tennis shoes
Layered clothing
Hat
Lunch and snacks
Daypack
Recommended Items:
Hiking poles or stick
Camera
Sunglasses
Bookings
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