Things You See On The Cherokee Trail

Here are some photos from the Cherokee Trail. I've been hiking a lot with my friend Helen, and every once and a while we have to stop and check something out on the trail that is just too good to pass up.

A very cool mushroom and a pretty big one as well. It was right on the side of the trail and was gone a day later.

A panoramic sunrise on the south side of the mountain from the far side of Venable Lake. I always feel like this is a view of the mountain that no one else really gets to enjoy. It's the opposite side of the carving and you only get this view from a particular spot on the Cherokee Trail. I know we're not the only ones hiking the trail, but I often wonder how many of them actually stop for a moment to appreciate this view. It's a special spot and a magic moment when the sun tops the trees and the mountain turns a wonderful pink/orange.

This last weekend was the Yellow Daisy Festival at Stone Mountain Park. It was lots of stuff to buy, lots of stuff to eat, and lots of stuff to...whatever. Well, I feel confident that the vast majority of folks attending the "Festival" haven't seen the reason why the festival is named the way it is. This is the back side of the mountain on the Cherokee Trail. Absolutely breathtaking. The flowers don't bloom down below; you have to get a little elevation to see these.

This was supposed to be a photo of the flowers, but turned out to be more about the sun and that pine tree. Anyway, flowers, flowers, flowers, and the Cherokee Trail. "And that's all I have to say about that."

Biggest...caterpillar...ever. Holy Crap!

Quite a formidable exterior with a soft nougat center. Very tasty. Seriously, though, Helen identified this bad boy as the larval stage of the Regal Moth. As a caterpillar he's known as the Hickory Horned Devil, but the internet is pretty sure he's harmless. I didn't know that at the time so we moved him with a stick to get him off the trail where he might have been squished.