North Carolina - January 2011

Spending the New Year with family, both human and furry....

Back Home with the Kitties!

Of course, after being gone all weekend, Smokey and Sadie were more than happy to have us back home!

Hickory Nut Falls - Chimney Rock State Park

After catching our breath, we took the free guided tour that the Park offers of Hickory Nut Falls Trail. At the end of the trail, we were rewarded with the cool mist coming off of Hickory Nut Falls, one of the highest waterfalls east of the Mississippi.

Aside from the baby water snake sunning itself on a rock nearby, it was a pretty tranquil walk in the park.

The Chimney - Chimney Rock State Park

To start off our day at Chimney Rock State Park, we hiked up to the top of what is called "The Chimney," a 315-foot monolith that towers over the Hickory Nut Gorge at an elevation of 2,280 feet. From the top of the rock, you can see for a 75-mile radius. Little Heather, the only non-smoker in the crowd, was the only one that could tackle all those stairs without difficulty!