May 23, 2016
Our first stop in Golden Bay was the Grove Scenic Reserve. The small, overgrown parking area was a sign that not many people come here.
As we set off on the 30-minute Grove Loop walk, it instantly became apparent that we were in a karst topography wonderland. Huge mossy boulders in fantastic shapes lined much of the path through the lush forest. It was like walking through the ruins of an ancient temple, only this “temple” was created entirely by nature. It looked like an Indiana Jones movie set, or a place where trolls and fairies might dwell. In all our travels we’ve never seen anything quite like this.
The crown jewel of a visit here is to walk though the gap between two massive rock monoliths, maybe three stories high. Stairs lead down to the ground between them, and the walk is about 40 feet long (more or less). Steps then lead up to a lookout platform that hangs off sheer cliff walls on the other side, overlooking the grassy basin below. There’s enough vegetation on the rock walls to house the many fantail birds that flitted around us as we admired the view.
After the lookout we continued on the path back to the car. This is truly a magical place–I can’t believe that it doesn’t get more visitors! If anyone reading this is going to Golden Bay, I’d urge you to consider taking the time to visit the Grove Scenic Reserve.
Below, photos from our walk at the Grove Scenic Reserve (click to enlarge/scroll). –Cyndi
