By Dani Halliday, 2016
I pulled my car into an empty dirt parking lot. A nearby sign advertised seasonal farmer’s markets held in the lot, but today, on a brisk Friday afternoon, it was empty. A small wooden post showed the trail outlined in red through the forest. Due to our crunched time schedule, we chose to do a small section of the trail that made a wraparound back to where we had parked.
This section of the trail twisted down to the water line. The sun reflected off the river and illuminated the trail, enhancing the brightly colored leaves along the ground and those still clinging to the trees. Sam was on the search for the perfect fall leaf. The one she chose was about the size of her face.
It was an easy walk with very few roots popping through the dirt, a relatively flat surface, and solid ground. One section was a little muddy, but the people of Murphy had put down wood planks to protect our shoes from the gooey mud. There were no obstructions in the path, no obtrusive trees and bushes leaning in, so people of all ages and athletic ability could enjoy the beautiful nature and fresh mountain air of Murphy. If we had the time, we would have liked to complete the three-mile trail, but we needed to hit the road to get to Brasstown.