Welch-Dickey Loop on a Beautiful Day

Our first hike of the season! My husband, dog and I had a great time hiking the Welch-Dickey trail. The weather was beautiful – sunny and 70 degrees, The trail was in great condition—a little slick in some places because it rained yesterday. We went counterclockwise, and the initial ascent was steep, with a lot of steep sheer rock faces. We were huffing and puffing a bit and took a few breaks. We brought sandwiches from the Kickstand Cafe near home and ate them halfway up the mountain with beautiful views. We finished the loop in 3 hours and 8 minutes. Our cockapoo was able to do it, but was slowing down at the top. Great area with a lot of other hikes, camping, and food options (plus skiing in the winter!)