On Friday I drove across the beautiful commonwealth of Virginia for a family reunion with my mom’s family. We get together every year on my uncle’s gorgeous piece of property along the North Fork of the Holston River. It provides the perfect setting for us to catch up and reminisce!
The river has been dammed up to provide a swimming hole on the upper side, but still allows for plenty of water to flow downstream.
Awww, the soothing sound of water flowing across rocks…
And there go some of my cousins’ children floating down the river…
I discovered the best water shoes for hiking in a rocky river! My old Asics running shoes that had outlived their running days were perfect! They provide pretty good traction on slippery river rocks and protect against sharp rocks that always seem to find the bottoms of my feet!
After a delicious picnic of grilled burgers, dogs, and more side dishes and desserts than humanly possible to eat (although I gave it my best shot), my cousins and I went on a hike up Big Spring Branch. It’s a natural spring that flows out of the mountain into the river near where we had had our reunion.
The water in the river is typical river temperature for that area in July… refreshing, yet not cold. As soon as you step near where the spring water flows into the river, the air temperature get delightfully cool and the water gets ice cold. Keep in mind that once we start our hike up the falls, we are walking in ice cold water! Brrrr!
Because of the overgrowth on both sides of the water, and the risk of running into a surly rattlesnake or a copperhead with an attitude, we hiked in the water or on the rocks right next to the water. During the winter (when the snakes aren’t out) we could hike up along side of the water and it would be a much easier hike.
There are pools of water up to five feet deep between each set of water falls. We had to swim through the water or brave the stinging nettle along the side of this pool to get to the next set of moss steps. My cousin knocked down the nettle with his walking stick and we clung to the side of the hill to walk around this pool. It was an outstanding core workout!
The moss covered stones were mostly soft to walk on, but occasionally very slippery…
Looking back down from one of the deep pools of water to another one…
Of course the kids had to jump into the pools of water!
We had to turn around before we got to the spring at the head of the branch because it got too overgrown and hard to navigate. Here’s about half of our group picking their way back down and around one of the pools…
There were many “cup holders” formed in the rocks from years of water rushing in and carving out a circle in the rocks. My cousin and I mused that with the ice water rushing over them, it would make the perfect place to chill drinks!
Here was one final look back up before we headed back out to the river…
The remnants of this stone wall along the water just upstream of the where the spring flows into the river was just beautiful. I can’t imagine how difficult it must have been to build, and can’t help but wonder who built it and when…
And finally, what picnic is complete without roasting marshmallows! I promise that no little boys were injured taking this picture! Look closely to the right of my marshmallow…
And just for fun, here’s a picture of my brother and me hiking up the branch to the spring when I was eight years old!
- Questions:
- Where’s your favorite place to hike?
- Does your family have reunions?
- Do you like roasted marshmallow? S’mores?
I love hiking here on Ft. Leonard wood. I love your pictures it looks like a beautiful place!
Thanks! It’s in the middle of nowhere and just absolutely gorgeous!
That looks like a great weekend and a fun hiking spot! I will have to remember the “old Asics” trick the next time we hike the Cascades. I always slip on those rocks at the falls! The Cascades also happen to be my favorite place to hike to. I love swimming in that ice cold water after hiking or running up there.
My dad’s side of the family does have a reunion each year on my cousin’s farm in PA. (They used to milk cows, but now they raise a mixed herd of steers) My cousins rent a circus tent and picnic tables and everyone brings campers and tents and camps for the week. During the day everyone hangs out at the picnic tables under the canvas tent and we would have a big auction, kids activities, church, bingo, and potluck-style food. My Nana is 1 of 15, so it’s a big family. Unfortunately as the people from her generation pass away that piece of the family tends to break off, so the reunion gets smaller each year. I have a lot of fond memories from family reunions over the years.
I love roasted marshmallows and actually roasted a few (and make a few s’mores) this weekend since Barry and I went camping. I like my s’mores with just marshmallow and graham cracker, though.
I haven’t been to the Cascades in sooooo many years! Bill and I keep saying that we are going to hike up there when we are in Blacksburg for a game, but never seem to have time. I love your idea of running up and then going for a swim afterward! 🙂
Ohhh, we LOVE the hike to the Cascades. We used to do it as a trail run too, but the last time we went, we took our daughter with us. Now we can’t wait to take her little sister for the first time! Dragon’s Tooth & McAfee’s Knob are our other favorite hikes close to VT. My husband proposed at McAfee’s Knob!
We hiked to Dragon’s Tooth a few times, but I haven’t been to McAfee’s Knob. Bill used to go down and hike with our son and his friends when he was at VT, too. 🙂
Looks like a great time with family! And roasting marshmallows – YUM!
Yes, it was so fun!
Marshmallows: YUM! We were out at a Japanese restaurant a few weeks ago, and one of the pieces of sashimi we ordered was blackened with a kitchen torch just before serving. I don’t know what (if anything) it was seasoned with first – after all, most sashimi is served pretty “naked”. But it tasted JULY LIKE roasted marshmallows to me, and I was immediately transported back to my childhood. [We had a charcoal grill, and post-grilling charcoal makes a great place to roast marshmallows.]
Of course, I insisted that we get a second order of it! 🙂
I love it when tastes and smells take me back to my childhood! 🙂
You never disappoint with the pretty pictures! That little cove does look like it needs a cocktail bar around it!
Freezing cold water sounds oh so good right about now. Glad you had such a good weekend!
Thanks! And yes, a little cocktail bar would be so nice there! 🙂
How pretty!!
My family hikes a lot in Rocky Mountain National Park. No specific trail, just all over, ever since I was a baby being toted around in a backpack.
We have never had a family reunion, they look fun, though!
S’mores!!! Yum!! You and Meagan both talked about those this week..I might have to make some over my stove tonight, ha.
Go for it… S’mores for dinner! 🙂
GORGEOUS pictures, Debbie! A hike through the icy water. Love that! I’m glad nobody got hurt on the slippery rocks, though. 🙂
In two weeks Glenn’s family (14 of them, to be exact) will be descending upon Flagstaff and we’ll be having a family reunion of sorts at a house we’ve rented where we can all stay (YES. ALL OF US). It’s going to be fun!
How fun to rent a house with Glenn’s whole family! Do any of them run so you’ll have running buddies?
Actually, my cousin’s boyfriend slipped and banged his shin and hand on some rocks. Unfortunately, his camera was around his neck and it got immersed in the water. They got it in a bag of rice pretty quickly, so I hope it will be OK. He was pretty bummed so I didn’t want to make a big deal about it in my post…
Glenn’s cousin, Jill runs. I’m not sure if my sister-in-law does, too.
That’s terrible someone got hurt and may have a damaged camera. It’s totally understandable that you didn’t make the post all about that!
What a great tradition! I love all the pictures, looks so calming 🙂 We don’t have any set reunions with either of our families. Since Z came along, the last 2 years we have gone to see my side of the family and my hubby’s family and as long as we can afford the yearly trips we will continue to make the trips. Especially, with all the grandparents getting older I think it is so important that we get together as much as possible. 🙂
I’m sure Z’s grandparents love spending time with him (and with you and your family)! 🙂 My parents always counted the days until I brought my sons to their house for a long visit in the summer!
[…] these little first cousins once removed ask when they saw me was, “Are we going to hike up Big Spring Branch today after lunch?” Over the last few years it’s become our tradition to make this […]
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