Fri, Mar 30 2018 - West Palisades with Some Off Trail Exploration (View Original Event Details) Trip Leader(s): Holt Ward Participants: Holt Ward, Dan R, Linda C, Dan C, Allan, Evy, Brian O, Jennifer W, Becky Douviile, DavidV, Beverly H, Neil, Sharon, Leigh B, Bruce R

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Boy we hit a homerun with the weather today on our hike at West Palisades.  Right out of the (brand new) parking lot, the trees were full of Wisteria in full bloom.  We took a very new trail down to the river and visited the West Palisades Beach where we saw the Bamboo Forest and observation deck at East Palisades across the river.  We headed back up to the ridge crest and then into the loop that ran down by the very high Chattahoochee River.  

On the way back up, we took a detour off trail which allowed us to reach the crest of a very cool ridge that overlooks the river.  The group enjoyed seeing a part of the park that very few patrons have seen.  The decent was on a social that ended up back on the established ridge trail which took all the way back to the new parking lot and the end of our hike.  We finished our 5 mile hike, gaining over 700 feet (thanks in part to the visit to the secret ridge) and finished on time after 2 hours.  ~ Holt