After a soggy weekend, Monday (3-6-2023) was warm and inviting. We drove an hour and twenty minutes into north Georgia for our first exploration of the 20,637-acre Crockford-Pigeon Mountain Wildlife Management Area (WMA). The nearest town to Pigeon Mountain’s 2,330 foot summit is LaFayette, GA. The gravel roads that crisscross Pigeon Mountain are rough and dusty. The area is a favorite for hunters of deer, turkey, squirrel, quail and rabbits. Best to hike here out of hunting seasons.
We got a late start and made our first stop to eat lunch at the Pigeon Mountain Lookout.
After lunch, we hiked to what the locals call “Rocktown.” This area on Pigeon Mountain contains dozens of massive boulder formations scattered over several acres.
Rocktown’s 30 to 40-feet-high rocks make it a popular bouldering destination. Climbers practice on the myriad of unique formations, with countless foot and hand hold combinations, where falling won’t kill them.
Nature’s sculpting of these sandstone monsters is truly amazing.
Our last hike was the Shirley Miller Wildflower Trail. It meanders alongside Pigeon Creek up a steep gorge carved into Pigeon Mountain.
A quarter-mile boardwalk keeps enthusiasts’ feet dry and off of the 50 different types of blooms planted along the way. Not as many flowers blooming this time of year, but come April parking gets scarce and the crowds are dense.
Where there are wildflowers, butterflies will find them.
The boardwalk ends at a narrow and rugged trail that follows Pigeon Creek upstream to an area locals call the Pocket.
Pigeon Creek’s falls at the end of the Pocket were well worth the hike. Without the recent rains, these falls would flow at a trickle.
Karen finds waterfalls to be very relaxing.
We took the backroads home through the lush ranches of Burnt Mill Valley in the shadow of Pigeon Mountain. The drive down scenic Hog Jowl Road was Idyllic and traffic sparse. Our trip to Georgia was a gem.