Cloudland Canyon Camping

Given the good time had by the family on the recent camping trip, we decided to be bold and venture into the woods again with two other families (who had not been able to join our last escapade) and this time we headed to the northwest corner of GA to a state park that boasted wonderful views and interesting geology. The girls were more than up for it and so with Cornflower and Poppy's dad hard at work loading the family minivan, we were off! We arrived just as one of our friends was scouting for a spot to set up that would allow our three families to be in close proximity so that the children could easily visit and play with each other and us parents could easily keep an eye on them even as we did all those things parents have to do while camping (a lot of preparing food and cleaning up after for example!).

Several good friends who are avid campers had all emphasized to us that the key to a great family camp out is not to "rough it" as much as possible but to enjoy the outdoors with a reasonably comfortable retreat in which to end the day. So, this camping trip we pulled out the luxury hotel tent that Poppy's godparents graciously supplied to us and all the air mattresses we had been lent as well. Attempts at good photographs were in vain (I really needed my friend "M" and her steady hand and artistic eye) as children who seldom stop moving and nighttime lighting are not conducive to good photography - at least not with our camera. Nevertheless, I have to share a couple of the blurred photos which show Poppy in action as a veteran camper.

Here she is as a one-person show setting up the tent:

Here she is as a Circus Soleil wanna-be tumbling from one air mattress to another inside the tent:

Cloudland Canyon is beautiful with intriguing rock formations, thick forests, and fabulous views. Cornflower, Poppy, their dad and I set off on a short hike with some of our friends' kids. The trail at times was steep, slippery and off the path were some rather dangerous cliff drop offs. Happily all the children were reasonably careful and we were able to wear ourselves out in beautiful surroundings eagerly looking to see what we might encounter around the next bend in the trail.

After a wonderful grilled dinner and of course S'mores, we enjoyed a fabulously clear night with stars and a incandescent moon. The cicadas and crickets serenaded us long into the night but couldn't keep us tired hiking campers awake forever!

The next morning was incredibly temperate and our family was awestruck o observe no less than six White-breasted Nuthatches that climbed up and down the trunks of the 3 or 4 trees in the midst of our camp site. They boldly chattered to us as they took short flights between these trees and our picnic table and seemed unfazed to be with in a few feet of us. They did this our second morning there as well. Cornflower loved this! It was like a little gift.

After breakfast explored the area a bit before heading out to meet with the park's naturalist who gave us a talk on the geology of the canyon and shared with us some samples of the types of fossils to be found in the canyon. Cornflower and her friends spent time studying his fossils and sketching some of them.

During a bit of downtime a nearby playground was a source of fun for the kids and a chance for the parents to relax and visit. Then it was back to the naturalist who took a large group of park visitors from the rim to the bottom of the canyon. The drop was not insignificant and in addition to some slope in the trail, there were also 600 steps during the course of the descent (and ASCENT!)

The naturalist's talk as we made the descent informed us that sedimentary rock of sandstone and shale make up the cliffs above the canyon and he pointed out many interesting features and facts about the lichen, moss, rock formations, erosion patterns, and current drought effects on a geology and ecology of the area.

Particularly impressive was Whale rock, an immense boulder which will in a matter of due course plunge down the mountainside - eventually. Luckily, not during our visit. When we reached the bottom we were able to see the results of the drought for ourselves as the falls were reduced to a mild flow into a shallow shale pool. It would have been almost eerily beautiful had it not been full of the reverberating voices of people exploring the pool and creek flowing from it.

After dinner, all the families gathered around the campfire to roast apples and enjoy our friend Craig's handiwork making campfire apple and blueberry pies with the homemade wheat bread his wife had baked and the magic of a hot wood campfire. We all slept soundly as our pleasant tiredness diffused the serenading two-part chorus of cicadas and crickets from our minds.

Sunday was another beautiful day as we broke camp and repacked the minivan to head home. Cornflower and Poppy were happily sated by their recent camping adventures. And their dad admitted that even though we were not likely to get in anymore camping before the weather got too cold, he too was encouraged by our great experiences to head out into the woods again...sometime.