Father's Day Outing - Old Man's Cave

I have been wanting to go to Old Man's Cave for such a long time, but didn't know what to expect with the kids. I had mentioned trying to go to my MIL and her first response was, "Hold on to Zack! We had to hold on to Marshall." Does that tell you why I wasn't too sure what to expect. I was a little nervous about him because he just likes to go and he doesn't really care sometimes especially when he is so focused on what he likes he doesn't see everything around him. Of course, when we shared with the kids where we were going and the trail would take about an hour, they all squealed and said they didn't want to walk that much. Well, when we got there and got onto the trails, they were excited about the neat landscape and the complaining ceased.

I have never been here and I was truly amazed at the breath taking landscape. I was a little worrisome about the whereabouts of the kids because of the rocks and the drop offs/cliffs. Zack would venture ahead of us and before I would know it, I didn't know where he was. The kids loved getting off the trail, which I might add was a posted rule "stay on the trail", and wander up a rock side or through the water, which I might add was a posted rule too so not to upset the natural balance. Of course I was the uptight mother telling Zack to stay close, don't go there, you're too close to the edge . . . need I say more.






I have to tell you, after Cassie and Zack got to the top of this spot we all know they had to come down. Well, Cassie was the last one down and on the way down she complained about the dirt/mud she was getting on her hands and her Converse. Well, Mackenzie, our tom-boyish girl, shared this insight with Cassie, "Well, welcome to nature!" All we could do was laugh because it came across so sarcastically, but I believe it was truly an innocent reminder of where we were.



This was a really cool looking bridge, until I had to go over it and then I got really anxious and needed everyone to walk a little faster.



The kids decided to get off the trail and cross in a low spot of the water -- we honestly didn't see the warnings or rules of things to do and not to do until we came off the trail. Sorry.



Mackenzie was celebrating that she made it across without getting wet.



See why I was so anxious about him . . . the trail went one way and he'd go another. As you can tell I'm above him and he's just hiking along like he's a pro - which he's not.



Jay asked me if I would like him to go with them . . . Of course, that way if something did happen then he would be closer. Well, Cassie decided the water was not shallow enough for her to walk through in her Converse so Jay went back and got her to carry her across. Isn't that what a father is suppose to do.

Old Man's Cave



Okay, we were down below admiring the beautiful scenery when all the sudden, again, I had no clue where Zack was. I started inquiring where he was, and a young lady (the one at the top of the steps in this photo) informed me he was already on the other side - glad she knew.










We got to these steps that led down to the Lower Falls and as I stared down realizing if we continued we would have to walk ALL the way back up. So, I insisted we admire the falls from our resting place. Mackenzie sat here on the wall's edge, which of course made me a little nervous, but she was fine.









We thought this tree's roots were cool looking.





Devil's Bathtub









Upper Falls













Cassie was a bit exhausted and was done!!



I am pointing out to the kids that the other spot we didn't see was still 3.0 mi. from the current spot we were at. Needless to say, we didn't go. We crossed the bridge and returned back to our car.



This was our view from the bridge over the Upper Falls.