Lake Catherine

We had a bunch of storms pass through last week that dropped a bunch of rain, which meant that there was a very good chance that waterfalls would be going. Jonah said he'd be interested in going hiking, so I tried to think of a good kid-friendly waterfall. I decided that we should visit Falls Creek Falls at Lake Catherine State Park, which is a pretty fall along a short and easy trail. Of course, I wasn't the only one with that brilliant idea.

So we got to the trailhead and it was absolutely packed with cars, many of them from out-of-state (mostly Texas and Louisiana, but one from as far away as Iowa). I guess it didn't help that it was Memorial Day weekend. There was a crowd at the waterfall, including lots of people wading in the creek and standing under the falls. I had to wait awhile before the people would clear out enough for me to take a few pictures.



The creek was running high, of all the times I've been to this waterfall before I've never seen it with this much water.





The waterfall isn't the only highlight of the trail (for kids) - there is also this swinging bridge that moves and shakes as you go across.



After the hike it was time for lunch, so we drove into Hot Springs. My cousin Eric hiked with us, and his rental car was a hybrid electric car. Which meant that we got some really close and free parking at some electric charging stations along Central Avenue. From there it was a short walk down Bathhouse Row.



And then a stop at my favorite spot in Hot Springs - the Superior Bathhouse Brewery. The drinks and the food are both excellent. And it's the only brewery inside a National Park, and the only brewery in the world that makes its beer using thermal spring water.



They have a beer garden outside, which has this view of the Arlington Hotel. It was a nice way to spend some time before driving back home.