More from North Georgia Outdoors

After visiting the cave and hiking around the rock sheer at Pigeon Mountain, we got out on the road and watched for vernal pools. A vernal pool is water that gathers in late winter/early spring and is a breeding habitat for amphibians. In summer, the water will no longer be there.
The water is rich and black with fallen, decaying leaves.

We were lucky and saw many, many gelatinous sacks floating in the water. These are salamander eggs.

The salamanders we found in this area were spotted salamanders. They always look like the toy salamanders I used to buy for my son. These three were under a log all together.

Later, we hiked along a waterway wildflower trail.  It was early for flowers.

Even though it was a sort of gray still winterish southern day, it was lovely to be outside.