Picketts Mill Trail

"Fungi Heaven"

Location:  Dallas

Details:  $2.75 for kids; $4 for adults

Time: Thursdays-Saturdays 9 am- 5 pm

Despite the cost and limited time periods, we absolutely love these trails and highly recommend them for an easy stroll through the wilderness.  A characteristic that these trails have that most don't are the small signs along the way with arrows showing the exact way to follow the trails.  More than just the paint on the trees, these signs make things clear and easy for everyone to follow. 

 Dogs are allowed, even annoying little ones like my Lucy.

Melting Pac Man Mushroom

 Apparently during the summer, this area becomes infested with more mushrooms than I've ever seen on any other trail.  We had a great time trying to find the biggest, smallest and the oddest varieties.

Who knew mushrooms were so beautiful?

 

Amicalola Falls in Dawsonville

 The "Steps of Death" Trail

We did the Creek trail which is only 2 miles round trip. Sounds easy enough, right?  And it was, until we got to the stairs.  600 stairs of pure evil that lead to amazing views of the falls. 

The view from the top of the falls is gorgeous.

As I was struggling up the steps, some nicely dressed women were calmly walking down after having parked at the top of the falls.  They giggled at seeing my red-faced, out of breath self sitting on one of the many benches trying to calm myself down.  They actually asked if it was really "that hard."  0.o   As we were walking back down the steps, those same women were trying to walk up them.  They saw me and immediately said, "Oh my god, you were right.  This is horrible."  I giggled and kept walking.  Highlight of the entire trail.

Some day I hope to return to Amicalola Falls and try some of the other trails.  I have challenged myself to do the 8.5 mile one way trail by the end of the year.    17 mile day hike anyone?   :)