Hooker Falls - DuPont State Recreational Forest

A tributary of the French Broad River, the Little River flows through the DuPont State Recreational Forest in Transylvania County, North Carolina. On its journey through the forest, Little River has four named waterfalls. Hooker Falls is the fourth and last waterfall on the river before it flows into Cascade Lake west of the forest. At Hooker Falls, the river drops 12 to 14 feet along a ledge that runs directly across the river.

To reach the Hooker Falls parking area from the intersection of US 64 and US 276 north of Brevard, head east on US 64 for 3.6 miles. Turn right on Crab Creek Road and drive 4.3 miles. A brown recreational sign for DuPont State Forest is located just before the intersection with DuPont Road. Turn right onto DuPont Road and drive 3.1 miles. Along the way, DuPont Road in Henderson County becomes Staton Road in Transylvania County. Turn right into the large gravel parking area. Continue through the parking area to a second gravel lot further up the hill and slightly closer to the trail heads. Buses and other large vehicles are prohibited from using the second lot.

The hike to Hooker Falls is 0.8 miles round trip along a gravel roadway. If you stop at the upper observation point, the route is only 0.6 miles round trip. The trail descends about 30 feet from beginning to end with most of the descent occurring between the upper observation point and the river bank below the falls. I hiked to the falls in July 2017.

Topographic map with GPS route

Upper parking area

Path from parking to kiosk and trail heads

Turn downstream on a gravel road

Standing waves

Rosebay Rhododendron (Rhododendron maximum)

A small rapid

Hooker Falls from the upper observation point

Trail to the base of the falls is steeper and rockier than the rest

Riverbank area was reconstructed in 2007

Display describing the riverbank stabilization

Boulders are less susceptible to erosion

Hooker Falls

Entry to DuPont State Recreational Forest is free.

The friends of the forest website is http://www.dupontforest.com/.
The forest website is http://www.ncforestservice.gov/Contacts/dsf.htm.