Saturday, May 24, 2014

Bowers Hollow

So from Longpool, Zack and I headed north towards the Buffalo River. Our plan was to camp overnight, and then hike into Bowers Hollow in the morning. I had never been to this hollow before, and the conditions looked perfect (cloudy, after days of rain). After several miles of driving down bumpy dirt roads, we finally parked near the trailhead to the falls. But as soon as we parked, it started to rain. It would end up raining all night, stopping just before sunrise.

So we woke up and started the hike. It's about two miles to the falls, but the trail follows an old road trace so it's not too tough of a hike. Eventually you do have to leave the trail and bushwhack down the hill to the top of the falls. And then carefully make your way along the edge until you find a spot where you can safely drop down below the bluff. Because of the last bit of the hike around the falls, this is rated as a "difficult bushwhack." But it is well worth it.

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It's an amazing area, and one of the prettiest waterfalls in the state.

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Bowers Hollow Falls

The falls are 56 feet tall, and the creek was surrounded by blooming umbrella magnolia trees.

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I took a lot of pictures out there...

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We followed the creek for a ways, as it tumbled and flowed past huge boulders.

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After that we headed back to the top of the bluff, and got one last view of the falls.

Bowers Hollow Falls

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