Whitewater Falls - Nantahala National Forest

Our April 2018 trip to western North Carolina continued with a visit to Whitewater Falls on the Whitewater River. On a previous blog post, I provided information about how to get to the falls,  parking, accessibility, and fees. The only change to that information is that the fee has been raised from $2 per vehicle to $3. The paved trail is still steep for wheelchairs at a 4.75% grade and there are still over 150 stairsteps down to the viewing platform.

Paved path to overlook

Accessible view from the end of the trail

Upper third of the waterfall

Bench about halfway down the stairs

Most views from the viewing platform are partially obstructed

Upper third of the falls

Middle cascade

Lower third of the falls

Entry requires a fee of $3 per vehicle plus an additional $1 for each passenger over seven. Annual, Fourth Grade, Military, or Senior pass holders can enter their pass information on the fee envelope instead of paying the fee.

The forest website for the falls is https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/nfsnc/specialplaces/?cid=stelprdb5188436.

The forest website is https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/nfsnc/recarea/?recid=48634.

Looking Glass Falls - Pisgah National Forest

We continued our April 2018 visit to western North Carolina with a roadside stop at Looking Glass Falls. The waterfall is located near US 276 about 5.7 miles north of the intersection of US 64 and US 276. This intersection is in the community of Pisgah Forest just east of Brevard. Looking Glass Creek plunges about 60 feet just east of the highway to create the waterfall. Looking Glass Creek flows into the Davidson River less than ½ mile below the falls. The Davidson River empties into the French Broad River in Brevard. 

Limited parallel parking for about two dozen passenger vehicles is provided on the east side or uphill direction of the road. Due to limited visibility, turning around to head back toward Brevard from the parking area is not advised. However, a turnaround and additional parking are provided less than ½ mile up the road.

A set of concrete steps and ramps allow access to the creek below the falls.

Looking Glass Falls

View from the road

View from near the end of the ramp

View from the creek

Entrance to the forest is free.

The waterfall webpage is at https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/nfsnc/specialplaces/?cid=stelprdb5188439.

The US Forest Service website is https://www.fs.usda.gov/nfsnc.

High Falls - DuPont State Recreational Forest

Our second hike of the day continued upstream from Triple Falls to High Falls on the Little River in DuPont State Forest near Brevard, North Carolina. This was during our April 2018 visit to western North Carolina. For more information about our short hikes in the DuPont Forest, view my posts from my previous visit to Bridal Veil Falls, High Falls, Triple Falls, Hooker Falls, and the Aleen Steinberg Center in 2017.

Trail sign

Little River above Triple Falls

Detail of High Falls

Base of High Falls

Entry to DuPont State Recreational Forest is free.

The friends of the forest website is http://www.dupontforest.com/.
The forest website is https://www.dupontstaterecreationalforest.com/.