Cooperative Living June 2023 - 8

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The Struggle is Real, but Worth It
The ups and downs of hiking to the Sand Cave and back
by Amanda S. Creasey, Outdoors Writer
exactly tired. But my legs start to feel tight and my backpack
heavy. I'm eager to reach the Sand Cave.
REACHING THE SUMMIT
At the top of the trail we begin a slow descent down the
other side of the peak. The vegetation changes from tall
deciduous trees to dense evergreens I think must be
rhododendron. At an intersection in the trail, we see wooden
hitching posts for horses (though we have seen no horses).
Beyond those, we duck under the rhododendron leaves into
a thicket of green, watching our step as the shady trail is
treacherously slick. We hear water running but see only green
leaves and the wooden ladders we descend to reach the Sand
Cave. We are almost there.
Suddenly, we emerge from the cool shade into a puddle
Rhododendrons grow
around the stream at
the base of a seasonal
waterfall splashing
over the side of the
cliff beside the mouth
of the sand cave.
W
e arrive at Civitan Park in Ewing, Va., at 10 a.m.
on a Saturday. Including ours, five cars wait for their
drivers to return from hiking to the Sand Cave in
the Cumberland Gap National Historic Park.
My friend Jamie, my dogs and I have been planning this
trip for weeks. " Can you do this hike in those? " Jamie asks,
nodding at my Uggs. " I guess we'll find out, " I say. I forgot my
hiking boots.
The trail parallels a cheerful brook hurrying its way down
the mountain, leaping boulders and rolling over rocks. The
music of one creek or another serenades us for almost the
entire hike, and multiple water crossings leave my dogs' bellies
cold and wet. Sometimes, creek and trail are one and the same.
I miss my waterproof boots.
We haven't gone far before we encounter a waterfall
coursing its way down moss-covered rocks and spilling over
the trail. We stop for photographs, snacks and water before
balancing on stones to cross the creek. A few miles in, I'm not
6 ● Cooperative Living ●
June 2023
of sunshine. Sunlight gleams over round, ivory stones. My
eyes trace the clear water against its current until they find a
waterfall, silver strands of braided water spilling over the side
of a rounded, multicolored cliff just to the left of the Sand
Cave. I feel like we've entered some tropical oasis, some secret
hideaway. Paradise. We savor the spot as long as we can, but
eventually begin the trek back up to the trail. One of my dogs
tucked inside the front of my fleece and my backpack on my
back, I slog up the hill. With each laborious step I take, my
dog's head bobs up and down under my chin. My arms
complain under her weight. My legs ache with strain. Still,
when we reach the descent and begin to retrace our route
back to the parking lot, I'm both grateful and sad. Grateful
that the hiking will be comparatively easy now; sad that each
step brings us closer to the end of this adventure.
HEADING BACK
As we enjoy our less arduous hike back to the parking
lot, we pass other hikers. Some of them look spent and
discouraged. " It's worth it, " we tell them. " Keep going. " And
despite my struggle, I'm telling the truth. Like so much in life,
overcoming the challenge - doing the hard thing - has
proven worth it. The Sand Cave was a reward in and of itself.
But I have gotten more out of this day than a glimpse of
striking natural beauty. I have pushed my limit, exceeded it
and come out stronger - all in Uggs.
Six hours and 9 miles after we left the parking lot, 15 cars
have joined my little hatchback, filling the lot almost to
capacity. We probably passed their drivers on the trail. Like us,
they will return to their cars, tired, victorious and hungry. 
co-opliving.com
PHOTO BY JAMIE WULFEKUHLE-ZAWESKI
http://www.co-opliving.com
Cooperative Living June 2023

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