Shenandoah Vacation - Lewis Falls

After spending the previous day loafing around the resort we were ready to do some real hiking.  We headed out to the Shenandoah National Park.  I had done much research prior to our vacation to choose trails with interesting objectives that would be within our groups physical abilities.  All that is to say we chose the Lewis Falls Trail which is a 3.3 mile trail (if you do the whole thing or a lot shorter if you take the short cut we found in a travel book) to an 81 foot waterfall and back.  The shorter version was plenty for our group considering the elevation change.

We got a little lost finding the alternative trail head but that worked out for the best because we were able to use the restroom at the lodge and buy sweatshirts.  We forgot that things are often cooler at higher elevations and forgot to bring jackets (Ooops).  


When we did get there, we were amazed at the general quiet of the place.  We have hiked a lot in the Smokey Mountains and there's generally the hum of civilization at least the first few miles of a trail.  However, here there was very little traffic on the roads or in the air, it was awesome.

Shortly into our hike we found what looked like a mine entrance but was really a disguised door to a water pump, but the boys were interested in both.  Then we smelled a skunk but thankfully didn't see it.

Along the trail I was fascinated by the huge variety of fauna.  It seemed like someone had taken a lot of the "house plants" I knew and planted them along the trail.  I kept stopping to truly smell the flowers.  

The boys were fascinated with climbing the huge rocks all around.  "Titus get back on the trail please" was a frequent request.

Getting over the top of the falls to get to the look-out to actually see the fall of the falls was a challenge but we all made it, though some dryer than others.

On the way back we continued to notice different plants and insects; then toward the end of the trail we started to smell the skunk again.  When all of a sudden Susie yells "Bear!".

Our mystery skunk smell was actually a juvenile black bear just off the trail that must have gotten in a tussle with a skunk.  Amber was asleep in the backpack so Chris moved in a little to get these nice photos.  The rest of us stayed on the trail and watched.  It was so AWESOME to see a bear on our first hike! 

He looked so silky soft I just wanted to pet him but I restrained myself.

As we watched the bear we talked with some other hikers about what they'd seen that morning and one gentleman with his dog mentioned seeing a snake. Titus quickly told him it was a Black Racer.  Sure enough he said it was, Titus had been the only one to see the snake shortly before the bear, not bad for a four year old.

Titus and Sue hiking the Appalachian Trail

The girl woke up shortly after the bear ran off and we went to the visitor center for a nature break and lunch.  Amazingly the meal wasn't bad and the boys(with Aunt Susie's help) began their collection of park pins, a fun new family tradition.