Yonah Mountain (4.5 miles; d=7.50)
Read MoreYonah Mountain from Chambers Road
Open farmland provided me with this picturesque view of Yonah as approached the trailhead from the west on Chambers Road...
Yonah Mountain Trailhead -- 1,700'
I was pleased to discover that with my 8am arrival I was only one of a handful of cars in the parking lot. Getting this early start would allow me to miss the crowds of later in the day as well as the worst of the summer heat...
Yonah Mountain Trail -- 1,720'
The trail enters the woods in the background of the previous shot under a mixed canopy of pine and hardwoods...
Yonah Mountain Trail -- 1,750'
I was anxious to gain some elevation as, though only 70-degrees, it was already very muggy...
Yonah Mountain Trail -- 1,800'
Boulders of all sizes litter the forest floor...it would be a common sight along this hike...
Yonah Mountain Trail -- 1,800'
A bit over a quarter-mile in the path crosses what was a dry stream on this day via a short footbridge...
Yonah Mountain Trail -- 1,900'
The climbing starts to get serious as the trail ascends in a southward direction up the mountains western slopes...
Yonah Mountain Trail -- 2,100'
Gaining elevation quickly I entered an area of high ledges as I passed the 3/4 mile mark of the hike...
Yonah Mountain Trail -- 2,200'
In places rock steps had been placed to make steeper ascents a bit easier...
Yonah Mountain Trail -- 2,280'
Switching back to the north now, the trail passed through another area of boulders...just beyond this shot the tangle of rock required a couple short scrambles...
Yonah Mountain Trail -- 2,300'
Through the trees I could make out my progress but there were no real views to be had yet...
Yonah Mountain Trail -- 2,320'
Ascending steeply through another small slide area...
Yonah Mountain Trail -- 2,360'
Suddenly the path breaks out into this large clearing at around the mile-and-a-quarter mark. It looked like I might get my first views from the far end so I decided to have a look...
Yonah Mountain Trail -- 2,360'
Scrambling up the boulder seen in the previous shot I got my first good views of the hike. It wasn't anything spectacular but it was a good taste of what was to come higher up...
Yonah Mountain Trail -- 2,360'
Heading back over to where the trail had entered the clearing I had to now figure out where exactly it went from this point. It was the first spot on the hike where trail markers were a bit lacking. On the right here is a sign for an old disused trail which I can't identify. To keep climbing I'd head straight ahead on the left following that path as it curves up into the woods behind the clearing...
Yonah Mountain Trail -- 2,370'
Curving up around behind the clearing I was able to get a nice panoramic view overlooking it...
Yonah Mountain Trail -- 2,400'
Above the clearing is what turned out to be the steepest and roughest part of the entire hike as the trail heads straight up a deep and washed out gully...
Yonah Mountain Trail -- 2,520'
It looks like most people forgo the rugged climb up the gully for the side path through the woods which parallels it. I'm unsure what the correct route is as there are NO trail markers along this stretch...
Yonah Mountain Trail -- 2,600'
After the gully things eased up to a more moderate grade...
Yonah Mountain Trail -- 2,650'
A beautiful tunnel of green...
Yonah Mountain Trail -- 2,680'
At the 1.5-mile mark the trail intersects the Yonah Mountain Road which climbs the peak from the northwest. It's a gated road so don't expect to use it as an access point. From here I'd make a right to continue the climb...
Yonah Mountain Trail -- 2,720'
I'm not a big fan of road-walks of any kind but this one was pleasant enough as they go...