We kicked off our day by visiting the Georgia Mountain Coaster in Helen, GA. We've been to the one in the Smokies, so the kids were excited to find another. Afterward, we walked around Helen, formerly a logging town, that embraced tourism in the 1960s and resurrected itself by becoming a replica of a Bavarian alpine town, in the Appalachians instead of the Alps. This design is mandated through zoning, so that the classic south-German style is present on every building. We didn't stay long as the crowds were more than our comfort level allowed.
After a quick BBQ lunch south of town, we headed to Tallulah Gorge State Park which includes the 1,000 foot gorge in the name. It was formed by the Tallulah River and includes six waterfalls. 100 passes are handed out daily allowing visits to the river; the passes are always gone by noon, according to the ranger I overheard. We stuck to the rim trail to get in some afternoon hiking (perhaps a mistake in retrospect as it was very warm and very muggy). Our group did spot a lizard along the way, clinging to a tree branch with a waterfall in the background. Look carefully and you may spot him in a photograph as well.
We headed northeast late in the afternoon for our final stop for the day: Brevard, NC. The roads were very windy as we climbed and descended the Appalachians. Fortunately, the Blue Valley Overlook in North Carolina offered an amazing view of the valley below, and as luck would have it, a summer storm skirting by.
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