What Better Back-Up Than The Waterfalls Of Laurel Run Park

If I said my hike on Monday went as planned I would not be totally honest. While I technically did hike on Bays Mountain it wasn't at the park it was another...Laurel Run. See I had planned to go to Bays Mountain Park and run the drone. However, about Allandale (just inside Kingsport) I discovered it wasn't in the car on the porch at home. So, I just didn't want to go to Bays Mountain Park, so I turned around and headed back to Church Hill and drove to Laurel Run Park. 

There have been a few changes since I was last here a year or so ago. The most disappointing was not even in the park. It was discovering that access to Bays Mountain Falls had been restricted with No Trepressing signs...sad! The next was new signage in the park, including the main sign near the bathroom. Then the old cabin used for the movie The River had been removed, but the smokehouse remains. Finally, my favorite swing down by the Holston River was removed.

I did see something cool just before entering the park, a big Tom Turkey. I see a lot of Hens, but to see a big male strutting around was cool. For the rest of the day, I went up the Overlook Trail, saw plenty of wildflowers, and enjoyed six waterfalls. Even with the problems, it was a good day on the trail.

More Photos: SmugMug & Google Photos