Sun, Feb 7 2021 - Pre-Super-Bowl Inter-Park Hike at Mason Mill & Emory via scenic Trails & Boardwalks (View Original Event Details) Trip Leader(s): Charlie Cottingham Participants: Charlie Cottingham, cindy h, Cristi, Sharon, Marie H, Shawn T, HK, Hailley F., Karin, tania

  It was fun getting together for an adventurous 3-hour nature encounter during the warmest part of this sunny winter afternoon.  Thanks to Karin for sharing her photo album of 15 nice shots from our outing on this linked AOC Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/atlantaoutdoorclub/permalink/10157473145562583/  I copy a few of my favorites below.
  Subtle signs of spring were beginning to pop out all around us... the maple trees' reddening branch tips, the mountain laurel's fattening clusters of flower buds, and young red-tailed hawks scouting out the territory for a mate.
  We began by taking the PATH spur trail & boardwalk from Mason Mill Park to Emory via its Clairmont Road underpass.  There we enjoyed portions of the campus's huge "Lullwater Preserve" including the periphery of beautiful Candler Lake where had fine views of mallards, wood ducks and a great blue heron.  The waterfall below the 1920s-era Lullwater House mansion was at its gushing white-water best after the recent rains, and we took the high swinging bridge over the creek to check out the colorful interior of the quaint 100-year-old stone hydro-power tower on the far side of the waterfall.  En route back toward Mason Mill Park it was fun taking an adventurous detour through the northern periphery of Emory's "Clairmont Campus" overlooking South Fork Peachtree Creek.  This required a bit of light bushwhacking through steep portions of the forest. 
  After arriving back at Mason Mill we explored almost the entire Park via its two main PATH trails and numerous small ones that meander through the woods by Burnt Fork Creek and its tributaries.
  Thanks to Tania for choosing this as her first event with our fine Club!  Tania had joined the AOC last winter before the pandemic interrupted things - she loves to hike and we hope to see her often in the future.  Special thanks also to Hailley for bringing her friendly rescue dog "Captain" to hike with us (on her 2nd AOC outing) and for telling us the funny story of why she first had called him "Humperdinck".  - Submitted by Charlie on Feb 8th

Some of Karin's nice shots:

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