Western North Carolina Waterfalls

For the last several years, Ryan, Dee's son, has gone off to camp for a few weeks. And I'll have to say, I'm incredibly jealous. This year at camp, he'll spend the first week backpacking and the second week canoeing. I really hate it for him! The camp is located in Western North Carolina, just a little shy of Pisgah National Forest (my favorite of all places) near Flat Rock, NC. After an incredible Independence Day celebration out on Lake Murray, we got up the next day to usher Ryan off. When we got to the camp, Ryan and I hung out a bit and he showed me one of the trails nearby, while Dee handled the paperwork. Afterwards, we said our goodbyes and headed out. We were free for the rest of the day and the day following! We grabbed a bite to eat, browsed around Flat Rock then headed off to Dupont State Forest. If you have heard of Dupont before, it could be that the majority of the movie "Last of the Mohicans" was filmed there. Lacing up our boots, Dee and I headed for Triple Falls and they were absolutely spectacular! The falls cascade down for 125 feet and are one of several falls located on the Little River. I was swept away by the beauty of the area and layed there as the sound of the rushing water swept away all of the worries of modern life. We were on the top of the falls and after a little deliberation, we decided that if the youngsters (and some older ones too) could navigate over slippery rocks, we could too, so we headed down. Ledge after ledge, we slowly made our way down the falls, turning to gawk at the majesty of each of the falls. In the end, we saw some kayakers spilling over a small ledge as they made their way down stream. It was a great way to end the hike!

Hiking in Pisgah National Forest

It was late by the time I pulled into the Big East Fork parking lot. I had been there before, but time does a number on memory and I had forgotten how far the trailhead was from the intersection in town. I pulled in and got my gear together, then with my new headlamp started to make my way down the trail. I was able to find a nice spot about 40-50 yards down the trail and by midnight, my dog Buck and I were sacked out in the tent. I awoke in the early morning and was grateful I had brought a fleece. With the elevation change in the mountains, it had gotten quite cool over night. For just a couple of days in the mountains, I had a pretty good sized load and was glad I wasn't climbing all over timbukto with my pack. I spent the next day hiking alongside Shining Creek, stopping here and there to splash a little in the water or to make photos. As the daylight started to fade away, I made my way back to camp for a nice hot meal. It had been a beautiful day and I was grateful to visit Pisgah once again. I made my way to bed at nightfall and in the morning, quickly packed up to make my customary stop at Looking Glass falls. I always feel a sense of peace when I visit Pisgah and always look forward to the next trip.

Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area

Caesar's Head State Park (South Carolina)-- During a hike in the upstate, I spent the night at a nice little campsite by this stream located below Raven Cliff falls. Ahhhhhhhhhh!