Red Top Mountain - Homestead Trail (Bartow County, Georgia)

Not content with the mileage I just hiked at nearby Pine Mountain, I decided to stop by Red Top Mountain for a few more miles on my own. On the previous hike, I was leading a group and so, had to go a bit slower and stop occasionally for participants to catch up. While I don't mind doing that at all, I really want to stretch my legs a bit and since I'm by myself for this hike, I intend to do just that. 

Parking my car at the visitor's center, I start up the Sweetgum Trail, which leads to the Homestead Trail, which is the primary one I plan to hike. This trial follows the contours of the peninsula and teases views of the bluish-green waters of Lake Allatoona, which was created by damming the Etowah River. The trails here are incredibly well maintained and I'm a little surprised by how little underbrush grows in these pine forests. It's nice though. 

I'm pushing myself to a walk at a 3.75ish mph pace as I wander along this beautiful trail. Along the way, I pass a number of other hikers and I hear a couple of them comment about how fast I'm moving. I just yell back that I'm training, which is actually true. I chew the landscape though at this pace and before long, I'm back at my car. Total distance for this short addition to my hiking day is about 3.7 miles. Not bad - I would have liked more, but I need to get home for dinner with my family.