Last year, I made a resolution to visit at least one new state or national park each month. I started by mapping out a few based on what season I wanted to visit. I chose Lost Creek State Natural Area for the first.
To be honest, several of our Shutterbug Photography Contest entrants had sent in some very nice photographs from this park, and they inspired me to go see it for myself. I left early in the morning on a gray day in January with a two-hour drive ahead of me. Temperatures had been hovering below 32 degrees for a few days, so I was hoping there had been enough water flow to form some ice around the falls.
The midday light was flat due to heavy cloud cover but was decent for photographing the sink beneath Lost Creek Falls. The area’s moniker comes from the fact that the creek emerges from a spring that is beneath a collapsed area at the top of this formation. The creek then cascades down about 40 feet to a pool below and disappears again.
Below the falls on the opposite side of the sink is an entrance to the Lost Creek Cave. The cave is extensive with more than 7 miles mapped. It requires a permit to explore and is closed certain times of the year to protect the bat populations living within. I did not venture into the cave this time.
Due to the cold weather and slick trails, I didn’t hike with my tripod or other heavy equipment. I took one camera body and a wide-angle lens. To capture this shot, I chose an exposure short enough that I could still handhold on the scene without causing camera movement and long enough to still show some blur or movement in the water.
I explored the area and decided on this composition to show the topography of the falls and the pool beneath. It was icy and slick near the bottom of the sink. I was happy to have one essential piece of winter gear to help me stay upright in such conditions — Yaktrax. They are easy to carry and just slip over your hiking boots for better traction in slick environments, especially in ice and snow.
My year of exploring new places included several great parks, but I still have many more on my list, so I am planning my next 12 with my 2025 New Year’s resolutions.
See you on the trails in 2025!
If you are looking for something to add to your resolutions, check out the First Day Hikes and other hiking events at Tennessee State Parks. For information, visit tnstateparks.com/activities/hiking.
