Grotto Falls

I don't think I could ever get tired of this view. Pictures can not capture the expanse and the color of these mountains.

I had to giggle at K. though as we were coming up the mountain road (part of a car trail that winds up the mountain and around in a loop. If you are not a hiker it is a great way to see the woods and historical sites without hiking.) - the motor trail takes is to the trail head. As I commented how beautiful the woods were, K said - "but they are much prettier to look at far away, here it just looks like a bunch of trees " - and I guess in a way, once in the forest things pretty much look the same when you are 14. What amazes me is the amount of old growth in these woods. HUGE and I mean huge, trees. took this shot in one of the openings in the trees as we were driving up.Stopped along the trail to play around a bit here and there. This was right before K's major meltdown. I mean major. The likes of which I have never seen before. Screaming and crying about not wanting to be there, all because there were a few bugs flying around her head. anyone watching would have thought she had never been in the woods before,a nd we hike all the time! It turned into Ihateyouwhydidyoumakeuscomeonthistrip

youneveraskedmemyopinionaboutvacationIamnevertakingmykidshiking

she sobbed halfway up the mountain. But once we got up there, and saw the reward...

This is Grotto falls, one of the smaller falls in the mountain. Only 1.5 miles up to it. The only one though that you can walk behind, so that is the one the kids picked (see I did give them options!)

And once I said it was ok to get wet - all was right with the world.
Love this picture.
And no temper tantrums on the way down. I slipped into conversation on the way down how sometimes the rewards in life, and the pretty things require some work to get to (although the trail was not challenging at all!)
On the way down we stopped at a 1930's circa "homestead" - amazed the kids that 12 people lived in a wood house basically the size of our living room. Pretty cool if you ask me.
So today and tomorrow are supposed to be rainy, so we saved indoor activities. Horseback riding and another trip to another fall is going to have to wait til the end of the week. I begrudgingly cancelled out rafting trip. I was the only one truly interested, the kids are afraid and with J's neck hurting again I didn't want to take a chance. I am pretty sad about it, but hey, life goes on. we may do a zip line tour, so that will boost my spirits.