February 1, 2022
Rhododendron Trail & Chenocetah Fire Tower Loop
at Lake Russell near Mt. Airy, GA.
Another "great day" for a hike with sunny skies and cool temperatures. After a short walk from the boat ramp parking area, we proceeded up the gentle uphill slope of the Rhododendron Trail. Along the Rhododendron Trail we passed by Trailside, Tiny Dancer and Peek-a-Boo Falls. The names and locations of these falls shown as waypoints on this map are from the Georgia Waterfalls Index (https://www.gawaterfalls.com/). We turned southwestward on the Chenocetah Tower Trail to reach the historic fire tower. Three-tenths of a mile of this section is quite steep with 16-23% grades. The 1937 granite fire tower is quite impressive and has nice views of the valley below. Hiking back down the tower access trail we returned by a trail through a pine forest, then along an old logging road till we reached the park. Finally, we joined the Lake Russell Loop Trail back to our parking area. With the exception of the difficult, steep section of the tower access trail, this trail is a pleasant and easy hike.
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The route
5.7 mi · 951 ft climbing · 4h 1m out, 3h 11m walking · 1.8 mph moving
Elevation
Hover over the profile to see the elevation and steepness. Your position will be shown on the map.
- Steepness
- Gentle under 5%
- Moderate 5–10%
- Steep 10–15%
- Very steep over 15%
8 photos are shown on the map where they were taken — click one to see it full size.
Photos (21)
Chenocetah Fire Tower Today's Hikers (L-R): Top Row: Jack, Jeanne, Lynn, Angela, Mary Lu, Stephanie, Dave, Dick & Joe. Bottom Row: Bruce, Christine, Inna, Beth, Vic, Jenny, Gary & Mike As Jack Jacobi would say, "Are we talking or walking?" Typical start to our hikes. Trailhead for the Rhododendron Trail . . . . what Rhododendrons? Trailside Falls - The first of three small falls along the trail. Tiny Dancer Falls (AKA Christine's Falls). The second small falls. A panoramic view of the rocky cut into the hillside over which Tiny Dancer Falls flows. Peek-a-Boo Falls (AKA Cascade Falls) which is barely visible from the trail. Trail signs on the way up to the Chenocetah Fire Tower. Views of Chenocetah Fire Tower. Lunch time at the base of Chenocetah Fire Tower. Dedication plaque for the Chenocetah Fire Tower. Is it time for the group photo? Nice informative granite markers at the tower trailhead near the tower provided by the Boy Scouts A hazy view today of Lake Russell from Chenocetah Mountain. An easy path on the way back from the tower. A view of Lake Russell toward the end the hike. A unique tree growing along the Lake Russell Loop Trail. This tree had fallen over, lost most of its top from 6 feet up and yet some branches continue to grow into a nice multi-trunk tree. Beth making another non-standard crossing over a branch when there is a bridge just up the trail. "Mutt & Jeff" Happy Birthday Bruce!