Saturday, we headed to the mountains for the weekend in search of cooler temperatures. Our first stop was
Gorges State Park, where we parked at the Rainbow Falls Trailhead. The trail begins along an old road, and at first it seemed like it would be manageable with the stroller. Harper walked part of the way, and the smooth trail made pushing the stroller fairly easy. There were a couple of creek crossings, but even those weren't too difficult to navigate.
Once we crossed into Pisgah National Forest, however, the trail became much less stroller-friendly. Roots, rocks, and numerous steps made progress slow and challenging. Several times I had to pick up the stroller and carry it over obstacles, and by the time we reached
Turtleback Falls, I was completely exhausted. Fortunately, the cool water was the perfect reward.
I spent some time sliding down Turtleback Falls while Sandy, Amaroq, and Harper stayed on dry land and watched. The water was icy cold but incredibly refreshing after the strenuous hike. After enjoying the falls for a while, we continued to nearby
Rainbow Falls, where we took photos and admired the impressive cascade.
A few adventurous visitors were even free-climbing the rock face before jumping into the pool below.
The return hike was a little easier, but the experience confirmed that this is definitely not a trail I'd attempt with a stroller again.
After leaving the park, we drove to Brevard for dinner at Oskar Blues. Harper had a great time playing with a couple of little boys and a toy dump truck, happily filling it with gravel and dumping it back out again. From there, we continued to Flat Rock and checked into the Mountain Inn for the evening, ready to relax after a long day of hiking and adventure.
