After breakfast we picked the "Railroad Grade" trail as a fairly easy excursion. The various trail maps gave slightly different lengths, but it turned out to be rather longer than expected. And it ended a ways away from the lodge. And there may have been a railroad grade on some of the trail, but it had a bit more topography than expected. And the connecting trails we had to use to return to the lodge had A LOT of topography!
No matter. It was beautiful and great exercise. We survived. The recent round of physical therapy had really set up my damaged knee for success!
As before we enjoyed identifying leaves. Here mostly red maple & sugar maple with some beech. We had some discussion over their identifying characteristics. We also found various oaks and a mystery leaf that Barbara later identified as alder. She discovered, much to her disgust, that the tree, flower, and bird identifications on her cell phone all require internet access, which was not available in this limited cell service area.
It's a good reminder not to assume that you can't always find help just a phone call away. Not many towers in the backcountry.
Most of the trail was gently rising and well lighted.
The fall colors weren't yet fully developed.
The trail book said we could expect multiple creek crossings and there were a few, but nothing to get your feet wet over.
We eventually reached the trail back to the lodge.
The native rhododendron "forest" must look gorgeous in the early summer.
We made it down into the wetlands before climbing back up again and over the final ridge between us and the lodge.
On the other side of that last ridge was Balsam Swamp. A panoramic view is below. After the swamp overlook, we scrambled up to the lodge to eat lunch and plan our next outing.
Barbara's phone said we had walked over five miles.
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