Virgin Falls State Natural Area, Sparta

Hiked Lost Cave Trail to the upper parking lot... about 9 miles. Quite strenuous. Water flow was excellent. Good display of spring wildflowers. Biting bugs were bad on upper end of trail 😮 Poison ivy has arrived 😐

Very tough coming back!! Pretty easy on the way there...almost to Virgin Falls there is a sign ..to the left it says .5 to virgin..on the right.. .8 to virgin..whatever way you take its a loop..do the loop or you will miss a waterfall..i went to sheeps cave falls and thought it was virgin falls..i almost went back the way i came and i would have missed virgin falls. Absolutely gorgeous..ten miles total..4 hours 22 min..stopping for pics and going to lookout ..i went off trail to get more pics but not far off. Things get slippery and steep off trail! ..do the lookout..i enjoyed the trail to the lookout more than the actual lookout..I'll definitely do it again. It was a spectacular day! I also think I broke my toe i was wearing Chacos stubbed on a rock..I've hiked almost 100 percent of my hikes in chacos ..lots of them..and next time ill wear keens with the rubber toe guard..I could not imagine doing this trail in the dead of summer even with all the water sources!! I Have not hiked a trail similar to this since last summer and honestly the way back was tough..lol. I'm 44. Long lazy winter..maybe in a couple months I'll do this hike again and say it wasn't as bad getting back