I have an old childhood memory of going to Indian Springs State Park with my Aunt Marianne and swimming in the stream and playing on the rocks. I also have many fond memories of Jacks River Falls, the top of the Ocoee River (a quick swim before rafting), and some place just off the highway near the Alabama/Georgia state line — I think it was Little River Canyon.

This weekend Regina had a get-together planned with some families from our church to picnic at Pooles Mill Park — about 15 minutes from our house. She said there was a playground, a covered bridge, and a place for the kids to play in the creek. Sounded good to me but I must admit that I was expecting some kind of paved walk-in area or something “safe and accessible” so the suburban kids can get their feet wet in the creek.

As we unloaded the picnic stuff and started walking toward the bridge area, my ears told me that this was no paved wading pool. We got to the water’s edge to see cascading falls intertwined between rocks and wading pools. So we kicked off the shoes and had a ball. There was a perfect spot for the kids to slide down a slippery rock slide into a shallow natural wading pool, only to climb up and do it again and again. There were places to sit under waterfalls and let the water crash on your shoulders, places to float down small rapids, and places to rest on dry rocks.

As we ended the day and headed back home, my heart was delighted to hear the girls ask, “Dad, can we come back tomorrow?”

Find a swimming hole near you!