Accessibility – Easy+
Height: Approx 30′ (two drops)
Distance – 3.2 (out and back)
Beauty – 5
Photo rating – 8
Solitude – 6
GPS Info: LAT 35.09813 LONG -82.89620
First Visit – 04-06-2019
Most recent visit: 07-18-2020
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Double Drop Falls is a 30 foot high waterfall split into two 15 foot drops. The falls is located in Gorges State Park and not a waterfall you would go to but one that you would visit on your way somewhere else. Double Drop makes the perfect addition to Maple Springs Branch Falls and Auger Fork Falls. It could also be incorporated into a hike to Step Around Falls, Chub Line Falls or the Wintergreens.
Trailhead location: The access for Double Drop Falls is via the Gorges State Park Frozen Creek Parking Area, located on Frozen Creek Road, 3.0 miles from the intersection with US64, West of Brevard. If you are coming from Brevard, Frozen Creek Road is on the left, 0.9 of a mile past the intersection with NC215. There is a paving and grading company at the intersection. Once you make the left, follow this to the parking area. There is a huge sign for Gorges State Park, Frozen Creek Parking Area. You really shouldn’t miss it.
The Hike: Take the gravel path toward the kiosks and once past them, go over the footbridge to continue on the access trail. Once across the bridge it is a short 0.2 mile hike to Auger Hole Road. Make a right. The first 0.6 of a mile is mostly uphill, the last 0.4 of this stretch is REALLY uphill. At the top of the hill Auger Hole Road comes to a T. The Cane Brake Trail goes left but you need to make a right to stay on Auger Hole Road. At this point you are now following the orange blazes. The trail heads downhill after the split, giving you the feeling you just walked over a buried pyramid that’s a half mile a side. After the initial descent, the trail moderates but continues to descend for most of the next mile.
At 1.6 miles into the hike and only one mile from the split at the top of the hill there is a faint path on the left heading down the mostly open hillside. In the winter you can see the falls from Auger Hole Road. In the summer you can easily hear the falls as long as you don’t have your earbuds in. Take the short path down the grade, angling toward the falls. The terrain will force you to come out downstream of the falls, requiring a short hike back up the creek to get to the base. It is green and mossy down here and the lighting is normally pretty good for pictures.
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