Preregistration is required.  Please email Jess Riddle at: 

Meet:   10:00 am, Tesnatee Gap on Richard B. Russell Scenic Highway (GA 348).

Description:   Cowrock Mountain has an interesting assortment of plants blooming throughout the growing season, but it really puts on a display in the middle of summer.  The high elevation will lead to a relatively cool but strenuous mountain hike with some great views.  We’ll hike about three quarters of a mile on the Appalachian Trail up to a rock outcrop with a nice view, gaining about 700 feet elevation along the way.  Better views and more impressive wildflowers will require a few hundred yards of scrambling off trail, which will involve some briars and steep slopes.  The reward will be huge patches of black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia sp.) and hairy coreopsis (Coreopsis pubescens).  We should also see tall bellflower (Campanulastrum americanum), leafcup (Smallanthus uvedalia), shrubby Saint-John’s wort (Hypericum prolificum), starry campion (Silene stellata), fameflower (Phemeranthus teretifolius) and other interesting plants.

Directions:   From Cleveland, take US 129 north 3.3 miles.  Turn right onto GA 75 Alt.  Proceed 5.9 miles and turn left onto GA 348.  Tesnatee Gap is on the left at 7.6 miles.

Difficulty:   Strenuous with a round trip of about two miles.  The trail climbs steadily and is often rocky.  For those who continue past the first rock outcrop, there will be some briars and large steps.

Bring:   Plenty of water, raincoat, sturdy footwear, and lunch.

Trip Leader:   Jess Riddle, , 315-350-1179

Limit:   Group size is limited to 11.  Sign up in advance is required.