Hike of the Month - Rainbow Falls

Did you know that we have a State Park right in our back yard!?  Yes - Gorges is a state park!  And it's home to Rainbow Falls (there's a reason it has that name).  This hike is very popular year round, I've done it several times and it's one of my favorites.  It combines the incline and decline as the trail follows the river to the final destination.  It can be challenging at times (on the ascent sections) but you can catch your breath on the descent.  If we're lucky, I'm sure we will see kayakers that are catchin the current down the river.  

There is no section of the trail that crosses water.  However, Rainbow Falls is kind of like a mini-Niagra Falls, in that the mist that comes spraying off the bottom will get you a little damp.  There are several places around the falls to get some cool pictures...in fact, if you stand in the right place (depending on time of day) you can capture a rainbow in front of the waterfall...hence, it's namesake.  For those who are interested in taking the hike a little futher, we'll venture past Rainbow about .5 miles and catch up with Turtleback Falls too.  (We call that a two-fer!).  We will reconvene at Rainbow Falls before making our way back to the parking lot as a group.  The total hike is 4 miles out-and-back and has about a 775 feet elevation gain.

The hike will begin promptly at 10am. I encourage you to RSVP if you'd like to join us - the event is free, I'd just like a headcount to know what size our group is. I'll arrive at the parking lot by 9:45am.  I estimate the duration of the hike to be about 2.5-3 hours, which includes viewing/photography time and rest breaks. Afterwards, I'd love to share a beer (with anyone who wants to partake) at Mica's in Sapphire!