RATtreks

Douglas, Walker, and other Misc. Waterfalls 7-10-2011

It has been awhile since my last report as I have been very busy with non-hiking activities lately. Because of this I am now way behind in writing my reports on all the trips I took this past summer. In order to catch up I am not going to compose as many details as I usually do for the next few blog entries but I will provide the highlights and any points of interest along with the best photographs available from each adventure until I get things back under control.

Ever since I met my waterfall loving friend Dave Aldridge (and his friend Lou) he has talked about taking us to the Douglas Falls area in the Big Ivy area of the Pisgah National Forest in North Carolina. (This is near Barnardsville) We finally made the trip on Sunday July 10, 2011 and I am very glad we did. This place is a mecca of creeks and waterfalls. So many in fact that I lost count ! Our navigator Dave made a wrong turn on to FR 63 which winds up the mountain and comes out at the Craggy Gardens picnic area off the Blue Ridge Parkway so we had to backtrack some but this was a very scenic route and had quite a few waterfalls of its own where the gravel road crosses numerous creeks so it was definitely not a waste of time.

Douglas Falls

We eventually made it back to the right road, FR74 and proceeded to follow it into the mountains. This is a narrow forest road and at times will have oncoming traffic not to mention people hiking, running, walking their dogs, etc., so please be very careful and DRIVE SLOW as a girl was killed here this past summer because of a truck going too fast down the road. This road crosses several creeks and there are waterfalls and cascades galore on almost all of them especially when water levels are up. At this time, it was really dry in our area of Tennessee but the water was flowing really well there in North Carolina due to recent rains they had been getting so we stopped at almost all of the creek crossings to explore since it was still fairly early in the day. Approximately 4 miles on this road you will pass Walker Falls on your left which is definitely worth stopping for. It can be seen right from the road.

Walker Falls

Nice Falls found next to the road (notice the man made drill marks)

Nice falls found along the road (notice the man made drill marks)

We took a side trip off to the left of one of the larger creek crossings and found a trail which we followed past several sets of  falls. While I was taking photo`s of the first ones,  Dave went further up ahead and found a really nice set of falls. I am unsure what the name of the creek is but it is definitely worth hiking up this trail past the numerous small falls to the awesome falls above. I will be coming back here one day for sure.

Misc. Falls and Cascades

Misc. Falls and Cascades

Really nice falls we found following a trail

Longer exposure of the same falls seen above

closer angle of these falls

Another set of falls we found continuing up the trail

The best set of falls we found at the highest part of the trail

Another angle of the most awesome falls we found at the top of the trail

Longer exposure of these same falls

After this you will continue on the forest road crossing several more creeks before the road ends a little less than 5 miles past Walker Falls. There is a parking area here along with the trail-head for Douglas Falls Trail. It is a fairly level trail but has some rocky and rooty spots so watch your step. Douglas Falls is a 70′ free fall or as I like to call them a ‘plunge falls’ (meaning you can walk behind the falling water) found about a half mile from the parking area. It is surrounded by old growth forest and is a really beautiful area and well worth the trip. There is not usually much water flowing over these falls but on this day there was plenty so it was the perfect time to be there.

Douglas Falls

Douglas Falls

Douglas Falls

Douglas Falls

The trail does continue beyond the falls which climbs to the top of the falls and beyond another 3 miles uphill to the Craggy Gardens Visitor Center (milepost 364.5). Please be aware that you can start there and hike down and back (6 mile round trip) but that trail is very strenuous as it starts on the Craggy Gardens Nature Trail and then turns right onto the Mountains to Sea Trail until it intersects with the Douglas Falls Trail. It has many switchbacks on a rough and not well maintained trail but it does pass by Cascade Falls which is slick and would be a long drop below ! The trail passes some very large, old-growth hardwoods before entering into a virgin hemlock forest at Waterfall Creek. After crossing the stream it descends on more switchbacks to a campsite and then the top of the70′ free falling Douglas Falls at 3 miles.To hike back this route is very strenuous and challenging and I would not recommend starting after 2pm if you want to make it back by dark. I would also not hike this alone.

Douglas Falls

Douglas Falls

Douglas Falls

I plan on coming back to this area soon as there are many more waterfalls located within a short driving distance of here. For more photos of these falls please visit the Photo Gallery.