A GORGE(OUS) WEEKEND

On Sunday we packed a backpack full of water, put our hiking shoes on, and headed out to the Lehigh Gorge State Park. It was a nearly perfect day for the trip and we were excited to leave Philadelphia behind for an afternoon, in pursuit of some nature. Our mission was to hike the Glen Onoco Falls trail which loops around a massive cascade of waterfalls and back down the mountain. It was as picturesque as it sounds.

The trail was far from deserted; masses of people gathered around the cool pools of water every step of the way. With sky-rocketing humidity, this was as much a necessity as it was an attraction. The falls themselves were massive, and as you drew close the temperatures would drop 10-15 degrees. At times it felt more like a tropical paradise than a mountain retreat less than 2 hours from home.

Because the trail was new to us, I left my nicer camera at home and decided to rely on my iphone and instax mini to capture the adventure. One of the stranger (i.e. cooler) events of the trip was stumbling upon a shrine of rock statues under a cliff edge. The rock art interplayed beautifully with the fauna and flora surrounding it and I'm glad I managed a few quick pictures before a giant group passed by.

Nellie was beside herself on this hiking trip, jumping in and out of the water as we meandered up the mountain. I'll be honest and say I probably watched her enjoyment of the day more than the scenic views surrounding us. At one point Ryan turned to me and said "I've been needing this." I think we all did. -b.