We’ve had so much rain lately that trails on the water tend to be muddy or under water. In August 2018, my hiking buddy and I headed to Rocky Face Mountain Recreational Area in North Carolina to hike the Vertical Mile. It is a hike. No climbing involved. Pictures of the trek up the rock do not do justice to the incline that seems to go forever. It’s one of those hikes where you finally reach the shade of some trees and think you’re almost to the top until you look up and realize there’s more. I would have enjoyed this hike more in the winter as the sun was relentless and there were only a couple of shaded areas on the rock. At one point I plopped down on the rock and drank water for a few minutes to enjoy the view and take a breather.

Once you enter the shade of the woods, this trail becomes a typical woodland hike. However, because of all the rain, we were treated to a plethora of mushrooms and lichen.

This rec area is in the middle of farm country. You will hear cows, roosters, and dogs. It’s a nice park with facilities and even a kids’ playground, complete with hammocks. I confess that I took a load off and enjoyed the swing of the hammock for a few.