Waterfalls in Winter

On February 28, S-ROX headed for the Deep Creek area of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It's a wonderful area, 45 minutes or so outside of Waynesville, where many short and long hiking loops can be completed.  We completed about a 2.5 mile loop and had some new families in attendance with us which was wonderful!  Fun fact:  Two of our Shining Rock parents hiked the entire Appalachian Trail together in 2004--Jesse and Melanie Norman, Eliza's mom,  Incredible!!

Our goal on this trip wasn't high mileage, but rather finding multiple waterfalls and enjoying their beauty after the heavy precipitation we've had this winter.  Bella Wren, one of our founding club members, emailed me before the school was even open, asking if we could go on a waterfall hike once our club was formed.  I was so touched by her taking the time to make a specific request, and I couldn't wait to take her on this particular hike.  She is such a joy to be with, as are all these kids.

We had a great turnout!

Tom Branch Falls isn't nearly as beautiful as Bella Wren and Amelia!

Paige loves hikes with both water and her friends

The water was soooo cold--a good deterrent to keep them safe at the edge.

We had a couple of guest hikers with us, Isaac and Wes

Huge crayfish!

Indian Creek Falls 

The little McLean girls, Sophia and Kate, are so tough and brave on these hikes!

The kids all loved that they could fit on this log to have a snack break

Contemplating why the water is different colors 

Bella Wren, I especially hope you enjoyed our waterfall hike! :-)

Moving right along

Girl power!

The boys plus sweet Eliza! 

Juney Whank Falls

In the summer, people tube on Deep Creek and the water is usually much lower than it was during our hike.  Perhaps a return visit in the summer would be fun!

Little Cataloochee Hike (and our club has a name!)

Our voting period has officially ended and we have a winner for a club name! It was a tight race between the winner and second place, but drum roll, please......our new and official name for the club is:

Shining Rock Outdoor eXperience 

The creator of this name thought a cool abbreviation would be S-ROX.  I think it would make a really neat t-shirt with the shortened version.  Thanks to everyone who voted!  Lost Soles was our second place finisher, for those who are curious.

On to the hike recap!  Little Cataloochee Trail proved to be a hit!  There is much history to be learned on this trail and the kids seemed to enjoy the guessing game of "How old is this structure?" as we walked along the wooded path and encountered much evidence of a bygone era in the Smokies.

We had a smaller turnout than expected due to a few folks getting turned around on the way to the trailhead.  Going forward, we will announce a central location in town and then caravan.  That way, we still have cell reception to keep in touch and no one is left scratching their head as they're traveling down unmarked dirt roads!

Enjoy the photos from a wonderful day and remember that our next meeting is December 7 from 3:15 until 4:30.  We'll meet in the 5th grade classroom and leave from there to go on a geocaching adventure at Lake Junaluska!

The Hannah Cabin was built by John Jackson Hannah in 1864.  The cabin was restored in 1976 by the National Park Service.

The Hannah Cabin's "attic"--not sure how warm you'd stay up here on a cold winter's day!

Nancy brought "raccoon scat" treats to share.  They were a great learning tool to learn the omnivorous diet of raccoons (and tasty too)!

Gracie, Eva, Paige, and Aidan all enjoying their yummy snacks

After the cabin, the kids were eager to explore more and find another structure they knew was ahead

Another mile into the woods and we came across Little Cataloochee Baptist Church.  The kids rushed up the hill to investigate their discovery in the middle of the woods!

We had fun guessing the weight of the bell in the bell tower (it's 400 pounds if you're curious).  And the kids couldn't ring the bell enough (but the adults had plenty of it!).

The girls loved taking turns reading from the pulpit!

The church reveals a stark but tranquil interior.

Everyone visited the graveyard and the kids used their math skills to figure out how old people were when they died (and none of us liked discovering a child's death)

The kids were captivated with the headstones

Sidney found a cool insect gall on the trail.

On our hike, we discovered oodles of Patridge Berries.  When Nancy told the kids they were edible, they were all eager to see what they tasted like (fairly tasteless, but it's always fun to forage in the woods!).

The kids were so excited to find a snake skin and not the snake!

We came across a hollowed out dead tree that was big enough to stand inside of!

These times our families spend together are so special.  

November 15th Hike Info and Vote for our Club's Name!

Our latest club meeting focused on the seven principles of Leave no Trace.  The kids were impressively knowledgeable about the do's and do not's of environmental impact while in wilderness areas, and were attentive and engaged in the discussion.

Our group discussion about Leave No Trace principles

Our lesson for the day

We started our meeting with a game of "Sprout Ball" and much fun was had slipping and sliding around on the wet open air gym floor while they played!

Sprout Ball was lots of fun!

Our next family hike is this upcoming Sunday, November 15, starting at noon.  We will be traversing part of the Little Cataloochee Trail in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  The hike is an out-and-back excursion, 2 miles each way (so 4 miles, round trip) and the grade is gentle. This is a wonderful hike to learn about the history of the park, its prior residents, and the way they lived.  There are some surprises along the way that are sure to keep the kids interested in the journey!  Nancy will also be bringing a special "Raccoon Scat" snack for everyone to share, enjoy, and even learn from...and no worries, all the ingredients are edible and non fecal in nature. :-)

We would like to try an RSVP system for our hikes going forward, so as not to leave anyone behind.  Sign up here to RSVP for November 15 hike.

One important reminder about the national park--no dogs are allowed on their trails.

Directions to the Little Cataloochee Trail:  Travel down 276 as if you're headed towards Maggie Valley. Take a right at the light beside the Dollar General to continue down 276 towards I-40. Shortly before reaching I-40, turn left onto Cove Creek Rd and drive 6 miles to Cove Creek Gap at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park entrance (there will be park sign on the side of the road indicating that you're entering the park).  Continue on this road down towards Cataloochee Valley. When you reach a 4-way intersection, continue straight on NC 284, following the signs for Big Creek and Cosby.  Drive the dirt road for 6 miles until you reach the trailhead on the left, where there will be a park trail sign indicating the start of Little Cataloochee Trail.  Nancy and her family will arrive a bit early, so when you see our red Honda minivan, you'll know you're in the right spot!  Allow a good hour from downtown Waynesville, because it's slow going on the gravel roads.

We still need to vote on a club name!  You may vote below (parents, you're allowed to vote since you are a part of this club too!).  Please, only one vote per person.  We'll keep the voting open for a week, to allow everyone ample time to read this and cast their vote.

If the poll below only allows you to vote once and you have multiple family members who need to cast their vote, use this link instead.

Create your own user feedback survey

Our First Hike!

On October 18, 2015 Shining Rock's Outdoor Club took its first family hike!  Nine families were in attendance and braved the chilly, yet stunningly beautiful day.

Our hike started on the edge of the Shining Rock Wilderness area--how fitting is that?!  We followed the Flat Laurel Creek trail, stopping along the way to marvel at the ice formations we found (it was really cold!) and to let the kids have time to play in the creek.  The kids were hiking machines, even the youngest among us!

After crossing Flat Laurel Creek, we headed up Sam's Knob Trail.  When we reached the summit trail to Sam's Knob, part of our crew headed back to their cars, while the rest of the group charged up the mountain, rewarded by breathtaking, panoramic views and even a view of the outcropping of quartz, Shining Rock, that gave our school its name!

All in all, it was the perfect day and we hope everyone had a great time enjoying the paradise we call home.  We can't wait to plan our next outing!

**Reminder:  Our next Outdoor Club meeting is November 2 at 3:15 p.m. at the school.  If you weren't able to join us on our hike, no worries, you can still come to the meeting and be part of this awesome group!  Parental attendance is not required but certainly welcome if you're interested.

**If you would like to add some club name potentials to the list, please do so in the comment section below. The contenders we have so far are posted below the photographs. 

Our awesome families who braved the cold to come on our first hike!

Ice formations were scattered along the trail--brrr!!

Sam Knob in he distance, which is where we were eventually headed.

Who doesn't love crossing a creek on stepping stones?!

Even the youngest among us were great hikers!

We took a break at Flat Laurel Creek and the the kids had a blast playing on the rocks.

Fun snacks are a requirement for a hike!

Pure cuteness!

Mrs. Henderson and her family were some of our attendees--Mrs. Henderson should win a "toughest hiker" award for carrying Lillian on her back for so long, even after she fell asleep!

Queen of the rock!

Princess of the rock!

We are so fortunate to have Coach Rinker's family as part of the school--to know them is to love them!

It's always fun to figure out the flora around us on a hike.

More creek crossings

And log crossings!

Heading towards Sam's Knob

We always wait at trail junctions for our fellow hikers to catch up.

Josie, the East's dog, loves to hike too!

Poor Coach Rinker lost the soles on both of his shoes--"Lost Sole" should definitely be a contender for his trail name!

Part of our group headed back towards the parking lot...

....While the rest of of the crew tackled and summited Sam's Knob!  In the distaace, we could even see the outcropping of quartz that lent our school its name--Shining Rock! 

 Eva didn't want her dad to feel lonely without his soles, so she lost hers too! 

Relaxing in a grassy field is a requisite part of this hike, and Gavin was happy to oblige.

Major props to Mrs. Henderson who carried sleeping Lillian all the way back!

Meadow Siesta

Heading back towards the car after a great hike together

Club Name Ideas 

S-ROX (Shining Rock Outdoor eXperience)

Lost Soles

Muddy Boots

Fiery Falcons

The Diamondbacks

Back on Track

Outdoor Fun

Geometry Lizards

Trail Ninjas

Falcon Flyers

Nature Living

Dragon Wings