Chau Ram

Last weekend we drove out to Chau Ram County Park to add another waterfall to our tally.  The morning was chilly - around 45 degrees. I was excited because my order from L.L.Bean had recently arrived, and this was the first opportunity I'd had to wear my new hikers. You know how we girls are - new shoes add a little something/something to any activity...

The park isn't far from downtown Westminster. Even though the name Chau Ram sounds exotic, like a Japanese restaurant or an ancient Greek warrior, it actually comes from a combination of Chauga (River) and Ramsey (Creek). They converge at the park. I know...not extremely creative.

After paying the $2.00 park fee, we drove to an almost-deserted parking lot. The park is very nice...well maintained and in a pretty, picturesque setting. There is a playground, a large picnic pavilion with fireplace, a campground, picnic tables in scenic little spots here and there, and several hiking trails.

Chau Ram Falls is adjacent to the lower parking lot.  It wasn't very impressive size-wise (approximately 30-40 feet), but it takes the top spot on the list so far for amount of water actually "falling". 

After crossing the suspension bridge (the longest one in Oconee County according to the sign), we found a hiking trail map mounted under plexiglass on a pole. The plexi hasn't done much to protect the map or its legibility, so we figured we would follow one of the few trails we could just about see on the faded, water-spotted paper - the blue trail, a 1.2-mile loop.

The trail started along the water, with several pools and small rushing cascades over rocks.  It slowly veered away from the creek and into the woods where we soon came to a set of wooden stairs that climbed about 20 feet or so up the hill. Then it was a steady incline through the woods from there.

The sun was slowly warming up the day. And then it hit me. You know how there is always a day or two in each season when you can confidently say "it smells like summer today" or "I smell winter in the air"?  Well, this was one of those quintessential days.  Seriously. The sun breaking through the tree tops, the smell of warm fallen leaves, rich soil, crisp air... I stopped several times to just inhale the scent of autumn.

After finishing our loop at Chau Ram County Park, we found a map of nearby waterfalls at the information board.  We decided it was still early enough to try to squeeze in one more.  So we drove out onto highway 76 once again, took a wrong turn, turned around and tried again, then decided to not follow the map and let the GPS lead the way. We finally found the right road, but couldn't drive my low-slung Avenger out onto the dirt road so we had to go the rest of the way on foot (after making mental notes to take the truck from now on when chasing waterfalls). 

After about a mile of walking along this deserted, rutted firelane out in the forest, in the middle of nowhere (while hearing things crashing through the leaves in the not-too-far distance), Jim looks at me and says, "Maybe this isn't such a good idea - seeing as how it's hunting season?"

So, even though I was feeling pretty recognizable as non-prey in my new, golden cider L.L.Bean fleece pullover,  Riley Moore Falls would have to wait for another day.

Learn more about Chau Ram County Park.