Hiking in Dolly Sods Wilderness

I spent last Friday morning hiking from Red Creek into Dolly Sods Wilderness with the dogs. It was a simple seven-mile loop hike up Little Stonecoal Trail to the Dunkenbarger Trail to Big Stonecoal Trail and back down to Red Creek Trail. The change in elevation from Red Creek to the Sods is about 1,000'. The last time I made this specific hike was in late July of 2001, the day on which I "discovered" the property now known as Dogs Run Farm, where we live.

Rosso and Lucca on the Dunkenbarger Tr.

I didn't see a single person; it was as if I had the entire Wilderness to myself. The weather was perfect, and I stopped at Dunkenbarger Run and sat on a rock in the middle of the stream to have lunch. The dogs lounged along the bank. This is beautiful land, very boggy and wet, but incredibly lush. The laurel were in bloom and colors and sights were relaxing.

Amanita muscaria

I saw an interesting mushroom along the way down. Don't think I've ever seen one of these live. It is Amanita muscaria. It is halucinogenic, containing the interesting isoxazole compound called muscimol.