Fall Waterfalls

Linville Falls on October 23, 2012.

I've been suffering from a bit of nature deficit disorder as of late, so over the past few weeks I set out to remedy the situation with some hiking around the North Carolina mountains.

I re-connected with an old hobby of mine, namely photographing waterfalls and chasing fall foliage color. All the places I went to were favorite spots of mine, but it's been a while since I've payed them a visit. It was like meeting an old friend I hadn't seen in years. 

Incidentally, I also did in fact meet an old friend I hadn't seen in years. One of my roommates from Brevard College was out fly fishing below Tripple Falls and we met up afterwards in Brevard to catch up.  

Despite going to school in the area for four years, there are still a lot of trails I haven't ridden, falls I havent photographed and rocks I haven't climbed. 

My next trip will probably be with a bike rather than a camera, but I have some plans in the works to explore some of the more remote areas that aren't as over-loved as the falls pictured here. The next waterfall photos I post may be of Windy Falls on the Horsepasture. Stay tuned.

Hooker falls in DuPont State Forest on Monday October 29, 2012. 

Lower part of High Shoals Falls in South Mountains State Park on Thursday October 25, 2012. 

The middle drop of Triple Falls in DuPont State Forest, above and below, on Monday October 29, 2012. 

Catawba Falls

Catawba falls near Old Fort, NC has just recently become (legally) accessible to the public. It was only a few miles out of my way so I had to check it out. 

For some years, people have known about several scenic waterfalls located on the headwaters of the Catawba River in Pisgah National forest just outside the town of Old Fort.

The falls, including pictures, are featured in the popular waterfall hunter's bible North Carolina Waterfalls: A Hiking and Photography Guide by photographer Kevin Adams and people have been going there for years.

And why shouldn't they? The falls are on public National Forest land.

Unfortunately, while the falls are public, the trail crosses several dozen yards of private property between the parking area at the dead end of a road and the National Forest boundary. According to Adams' book, owners of the land haven't been friendly to visitors over the years.

Recent news articles have reported that public access to the area has been permanently secured, which is great news to hikers and waterfall lovers like me.

I read about the new access just a week before a trip to Brevard to visit some college friends -- a trip that takes me straight through Old Fort on I-40 -- so I didn't think twice about making the short detour.

I wasn't disappointed.

In fact, I think this area deserves a second visit (or third, fourth...) on my future trips to Western North Carolina. I only scratched the surface of the photographic possibilities of this area before it got dark on me.