Watch That First Step!

My journey began as I detailed in my last blog entry, but once I got on my way, I was not disappointed. The beauty that awaited me was definitely what I needed to be inspired!
Cantwell Cliffs is located in the northern reaches of Hocking County. Its remote location discourages visitation, but those who travel the extra distance will not be disappointed. It is probably the most picturesque area in Hocking County.

Cantwell Cliffs was named for Josiah Cantwell, a pioneer in the in Hocking Hills State Park area. Various springs and drainage systems here make up the headwaters of the stream known as Buck Run that flows away down the valley. The forces of nature have etched an endless mosaic of crevices and patterns on the towering sandstone portico, the erosion caused by Buck Run accounts for the deep valley, steep cliffs and rock shelter under the cliff. This hiking trail isn't for the faint of heart. There are challenges aplenty, I had to remain alert not only for the beauty I was after, but for my own safety.

The landscape is a reddish-brown sandstone cliff shaped like a giant horseshoe that towers 150 feet over the gorge below. The trail lead me eventually to Lookout Point on the east rim, where I was rewarded with a striking view of the cliff and a rock shelter. Along the trail, I encountered inclines and descents, slump rocks (large boulders) on the valley floor, a recess cave and an especially narrow passage nicknamed "Fat Woman's Squeeze." I even found a fallen but yet still alive Beech tree to recline on and meditate for a few minutes!

Not only are the cliffs and gorges amazing, but the plant and animal life are abundant…this is a place where the spirit of nature is definitely alive and pulsating! The trees, plants, subsoil structure, fungi and lichen are abundant and beautiful. Click on the image above for a larger view of the composite image I have created.

Happy Gardening!