Sassafras Mountain and More
July is well known for being hot and humid around here, but this last week featured a welcome break from both. This presented a great opportunity to go outside and explore somewhere! I haven't really explored the area around Sassafras Mountain lately, and a new observation deck recently opened up there , so last Wednesday I traveled up F. Van Clayton Memorial Highway (off US 178 in Rocky Bottom) to the parking area near the top of the mountain. The weather report from the top of Sassafras Mountain was as good as it gets in late July: I had expected the parking area to be near empty, but it would seem others had the same idea I did: I figured most of these people were probably at the observation tower, so I decided to wait until later to visit. I wanted to head over to Roundtop Mountain, and that would take me down the Foothills Trail to the Palmetto Trail. I passed by the turn off to the Palmetto Trail to visit the John L. Cantrell homesite a short distance down fr