If your looking for a nice hike off the beaten path, Cloudland Canyon in Rising Fawn, GA is your place. Located just two hours west of Atlanta, it’s the perfect place to start or end a weekend adventure. When I made the trip there, I wasn’t exactly sure of what to expect, considering most of the places I had hiked were in urban areas. However, I was pleasantly surprised once I was immersed into the tranquil beauty of Cloudland Canyon. The crisp air and awe-inspiring mountains surrounded me like a warm, humid hug…or a cloud. I wonder if that’s how it was given its name. Ironic? There’s just something about being surrounded by nature that evokes peace within you. No emergency sirens, noisy neighbors, deadlines or honking horns. Just you, your thoughts and nature. I explored the area like a curious child. Being soothed by the sounds of cascading waterfalls and chirping birds. I climbed stairs, sat on boulders and leaped over streams as if I were playing on a jungle gym. My trip to Cloudland Canyon was a short one, consisting of a one mile hike and a picnic with my loved ones. But it provided me with all that I needed to make mountain hiking a regular part of my life. It's nice to be grounded by nature in the busy shuffle of our daily lives and gain perspective. If your interested in going, I highly recommended it. Until next time.