Sat, Nov 14 2020 - Mason Mill Park & Emory Lullwater Preserve: Peak Fall Foliage via exciting Trails & Boardwalks (View Original Event Details)
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Saturday's blue-sky fall weather was perfect for our midafternoon hike at Mason Mill Park and Emory's Lullwater Preserve. Had no problem social-distancing and following CDC guidelines regarding use of masks, etc. It did our hearts good along the way to chat with dozens of other folks who were likewise out enjoying the fall splendor with their kids and furry friends. In our own group it was fun having three small dogs with us: Linda's "Maggie & Vixen" and Elizabeth's "Ryder."
We began the hike by descending through the forest canopy via the massive & sinuous PATH boardwalk from the DeKalb Tennis Center and enjoyed a heavily wooded detour off the boardwalk and over a few Burnt Fork Creek's massive stepping stones for a brief stop at Mason Mill Dog Park.
Next we took the PATH "Mason Mill-to-Emory" boardwalk & spur underneath Clairmont Road and past the VA Hospital for a visit to Emory U's gorgeous Lullwater Preserve parklands. Miles of shady trails surround the "Lullwater House" mansion there overlooking the lake. Built in the mid-1920s by Walter Candler, son of Coca-Cola's main founder Asa Candler, it has been the successive home of Emory's presidents since 1963. After a stop at the waterfall below the mansion on S Fork Peachtree Creek it was exciting to take the swinging bridge to the far side of the creek to explore the quaint creekside stone tower that had been part of Candlers' 1920s hydroelectric generating system.
We then climbed up the winding roadway to the front lawn of the mansion where sharp-eyed Mary Lou spotted what appeared to be a huge red-tailed hawk perched atop the highest tree on the property. After descending down the giant lawn past huge southern magnolias and pecan trees to Candler Lake we headed back toward Mason Mill via the Clairmont underpass. Before returning to the cars we hiked through the "jungle-like" historic ruins of the Decatur Waterworks and along the banks of Burnt Fork Creek to its old concrete dam that once held back its reservoir. - Posted by Charlie, Sun Nov 15th
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