Yellow Branch Falls

Date: Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Map: Link
Trails: Nature, Falls
Distance: 3 miles
Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Rating: 3 out of 5

First I have to admit that this picture is a stock photo because I forgot my camera. This one was actually taken about a year ago. With that out of the way...I headed to Yellow Branch after work today and started hiking about 4:20pm. It was warm, around 80F, and partly cloudy.

This was my second time using my new hiking pole, and I guess I'm getting used to it now. It does make the hills a lot easier, and it is nice to have when crossing streams on slippery rocks. I took the Nature trail from the parking lot to the junction with the Falls trail. I noticed a LOT of trees down. I'm guessing the drought of the last 10 years (over now) is still showing it's effects. But the Forest Service has kept the trail mostly clear; I only had to climb over or under trees 5 or 6 times.

There are 3 bridges on the Falls trail. You cross the 1st one right away, then come to a stream crossing. When you reach the 3rd bridge you know you're about 15 minutes from the waterfall. Being early Spring, the leaves are still coming on the trees, so you can still see pretty far through the forest and some of the ridgeline in the distance.

I heard the waterfall long before I could see it. As you approach the falls, the temperature drops noticeably. I was amazed at the difference in the appearance of the falls since the last time I was here. Certainly, it looks like it did a few years ago, as far as the volume of water. I sat on a rock at the base of the falls for a few minutes before heading back.

I passed just two groups of people on the trails. As for wildlife, I saw two lizards and a large black beetle. Once I got back to the Nature trail, I turned right to complete the loop and headed back to my car on the road. A nice mid-week hike!