Amicalola Falls, at the base of the approach trail.

Flame Azalea. I'd see many, and take better pictures.

I did not yet know how rare these flowers would be (answer: not very) so I took a couple shots.

Fire Pink. I saw a bunch of these, too.

The view from Springer. Pales in comparison to the view off of Katahdin.

Mountain Laurel. Obviously with a wide lens opening.

The plaque in the rock at Springer Mountain, and the first (or last) blaze of the trail.

The second blaze on the trail.

The first stream crossing of the trail. I got a little too excited about things like this on the first day.

Lush forest. Okay. Not that exciting in retrospect.

Old growth along the trail. There ain't much.

This is a big tree. For scale, my pole is 140 cm.

Another blaze, another tree.

Stream.

Long Creek falls. One of the prettiest falls along the trail, about six miles from the start.

Long Creek Falls.

Long Creek Falls.

Long Creek Falls.

I had some fun with this. But is is really nice.

Too bad it was only in the 70s and I was clean. Otherwise, I'd have swum.

Bear cables at Hawk Mountain Shelter. Supposedly they keep food safe from the bears. They seem to work pretty well, and are easier than throwing ropes.

Early morning fog.

More fog,

A view through the trees with the slanted morning light.

Same view, different lighting.

It may be impossible to see here on pixels, but just to the left of the hill, along the horizon, you can easily see Atlanta.

One of the cooler trees on the trail, the two trunks grew in to one. There was a trampled down area where everyone went to take pictures.

The trail.

My bug net set-up.

A rhododendron tunnel — a frequent occurrence in the south.

More Rhodos.

Views off of Blood Mountain, the highest point along the trail in Georgia.

The supposedly mouse-infested shelter atop Blood Mountain.

Ledges near the summit of Blood Mountain.

I think it is called balanced rock. I wonder why.

Sunset,

Sunset,

Very new trail construction. This is called "slabbing," where they seem to cut a slab out of the side of the hill for the trail.

A black snake which sat in the middle of the trail. Had I known how harmless it is, I would have stepped right over. But I'm no herpatologist.

He slithered away, I chased with a camera.

I only saw about a dozen of these guys along the trail, but the first was a little too exciting.

Trail.

Hazy view.

It was a bit of a trek from the trail, but the spring flowed well.

The first of many swallowtails I saw on the trail (or at least the first I photographed.

They never got old.

Flowers: A fire pink and something else.

Different lighting? Who knows.

Flowers.

Flowers.

Mountain laurel.

Another rhodo tunnel.

The first of the big flame azalea bushes. Wow.

Again...June 7.

The best of the pictures of this bush, although better displays would come. These made the trail burst with color and were a delight.