Originally, I had planned to lead a hike along a short section of the Appalachian Trail today between Hightower Gap and Long Creek Falls. However, after driving to the trailhead with a friend, it started pour down rain. That didn't deter us from hiking, but the Forest Service roads required to get to this rail are pretty rough and subject to washouts. I was concerned about getting my car back out of here after the hike. After some discussion, we decided that it would be best to pick another destination in the area. We settled on a short hike from Woody Gap up to Preachers Rock.
There were a lot of people at the Woody Gap trailhead, which has parking on both sides of the highway. Most seemed to be involved in a road biking event, but we managed to find a spot and after a quick check of our gear, we head up the fairly steep incline towards Preachers Rock. I've hiked from this trailhead all the way up to Blood Mountain in the past, but only come through this section at night and so, didn't really get the opportunity to enjoy the view.
It's only about a mile each way and we quickly arrived at Preachers Rock, which is nothing more than a rock outcropping overlooking the Southern Appalachian Mountains. Though the rain had stopped, it was still quite foggy, which provided a pretty cool view from the top. We sat on the rock for a bit and share some pictures from our recent adventures. Once we heard the the thunder start rumbling again though, we quickly headed back towards the car. We only got in 2-miles on this short hike, but it was good to stretch the legs. After leaving the trailhead, we stopped at the Etowah Meadery and enjoyed a charcuterie board and a large flight of beer and mead. Overall, it was a very fun day even though it didn't go to plan.
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