Winter is Coming to Paris Mountain
I finally made it to the Sulphur Springs Trail in Paris Mountain in time to complete the four-mile hike.
In mid-December, I took the Sulphur Springs trail, a 4-mile hike that is part of the Paris Mountain State Park network of trails. I had tried to take this hike a week earlier, but got too late a start and had to return too soon. This time, I made it the whole way through.
It is definitely one of the more challenging hikes in this network, but if you keep at it, you will be treated to a range of scenes, from creeks to waterfalls to grand vistas of the surrounding mountains. I began the trail at a large picnic area where it looked like a family reunion was taking place. Since the weather was a bit gray, I hoped that their festivities didn’t get too damp. The trail started off pretty easy, passing another small picnic shelter before getting to an old dam that had remnants that looked like an old keep standing watch over the lake.
Once you pass the “keep,” the trail begins to increase in difficulty. Past that point, it is hikers only, no mountain bikes allowed. I can’t imagine anyone wanting to try this with a bike, anyway. The trail followed the path of a creek through rhododendrons and through a small valley before the next stop at a sluice-type waterfall. Beyond this, the trail gets much steeper as you follow the incline from whence the water came.
Eventually, the trail gets to a point where you can hike up to an old firetower at the top of Paris Mountain. I opted not to go for it, this time, looking at the weather and my watch, and the trail began to level out, as it began to follow a winding ridge. And by winding, I mean it, as I could see other hikers farther along the trail right across from me many times. I met a few folks on the trail, including a happy dog that looked as if it was having a grand time (a bit wet and muddy) and was fascinated by my taking pictures of the rocks at the side of the trail.
The rest of the trail provided some wonderful views of the surrounding foothills, and I would assume that it would be more difficult to see these views in the spring and summer, as the leaves would be much more in evidence. With only the barren hardwoods, one could see for quite a ways. And the trail continued to wind and curve like a sidewinder as it went down the mountain to the other end of the trail.
Finally, I connected to the Mountain Creek Trail, so that I could get back to where I had parked the car near a different picnic shelter.
