Little Tallapoosa Park (Again)

I first explored Little Tallapoosa Park Sunday, a week ago, and though I found all kinds of stuff, I didn't really figure the place out, so the next day (I think it was the next day) I headed back out there again, after work.

Much more progress this time.

I suspected that if I started at the equestrian lot, then I might have better luck, and that turned out to be the case. The previous day I'd seen trails labled "9", "7", and "5", and leading away from the equestrian lot there was a trail labeled "1". I figured I must be on the right track.

Heh, literally.

1 led to 2, 3, and 4. I eventually found 5, 7, and 6. As far as I can tell, there was no 8. At least not any more. And it turned out I'd already ridden all of 9. There was a 10 too. But, finally, I understood the system.

The trails were almost all rough, randomish bulldozer cuts, except for 6, which was a really nice sidehill. I specifically remember 6, 7, and 10 being particularly fun. The rest were a little chewed up.

But I'd think they'd be fine in the middle of the summer.

6 runs along this really pretty wetland.

I think that's black gum growing out in the middle of it there. Reminded me of Louisiana.

The back lake is fed by this shoaly creek...

...which had a bit of a trail leading up it, that looks like, at some point, might have been a real trail. It eventually petered out into obscurity, but I bet if I'd made a concerted effort, on foot, I could have figured out where it used to go. It's proximity to 9 made me wonder if it used to be 8.

Of course I found a mylar balloon out there. I mean come on, that's just a given.

I also figured out a confusing bit of trail that I'd seen the day before. Part of 9 is orange-blazed, but then the blazes just go off into the woods and there's this "Rise Above" marker tacked to a tree.

Turns out, there's a second marker just like it, and they mark the start/end of a little bit of sidehill singletrack that "rises above" a section of 9 that looks like it gets flooded quite a bit. The trail actually follows the blazes off into the woods, but it's not immediately obvious from the north end.

I think I only rode for an hour and a half or so, but it was a much more satisfying ride than the previous day's had been.

I'll leave you with this equally satisfying view of the back lake.

Ahh, satisfying view.