Introduction
First and foremost, welcome. My name is Chris, and I am an avid hiker, wilderness explorer, photographer, and blogger. Through this site, I meld these four pursuits into one. I have been hiking the wilds of western North Carolina for 13 years, and in that time I have visited 1042 different waterfalls and completed in excess of 2500 hikes. When I began my hiking career, I did it through the trial-and-error method. I took some directions off the internet, followed them as best I could, and sometimes I reached the waterfall I set out to see. On other occasions, I ended up on the wrong trail, saw the wrong waterfall, didn’t go far enough, or went too far. It didn’t take long after a few failed hikes for me to rethink my approach.
I’ll say this, even now, after 13+ years, I don’t always find what I’m looking for, at least on the first try, but my success rate is pretty good. As of January 2025, my lists-in-progress list has gotten short. My current obsessions have taken me away from solely the pursuit of falling water. I have been getting more waterfall time this winter, but soon enough, the Pisgah 400 (85 miles to go) and the Smokies 800 (32 miles to go) will take top billing. They are what I’m chasing, and when they’re done, it will be on to the next list.
First things first
The most important thing to consider when planning a hike (or using my site to get to a waterfall) is knowing where you’re going. This applies to both driving to the trailhead and hiking. Like everyone, I use Google Maps. It’s reliable, but NOT infallible. On 03-29-2025, I was on my way to Blue Hole Falls in Oconee County, SC. Three miles short of the trailhead, it told me I had arrived, and even crazier, it didn’t even show the road on the map. Google isn’t 100%, especially when driving on forest roads. Driving around trying to find a trailhead can be frustrating, and when you’re out there in the sticks, there aren’t many people to ask. I put the trailhead coordinates in my tracking app and use it as a backup. My preferred tracking app is AllTrails, but there are other options available.
Let’s talk tracking apps, maps, and compasses. I use the first, and I know how to use the latter. If you have a trail map, bring it. Keeping it in pristine condition on your desk or in the glovebox makes no sense. A map weighs nothing. It’s also worth nothing if you don’t know how to use it. You don’t need to be Magellan, but you should know enough to be able to navigate if your phone dies, gets wet, or lost. Once you’re in the woods, it looks the same in every direction. Marked trails are easy to follow, but be aware of the color blazes you need to follow. Once you get off the main trail, you need to know how to get back. Many of the areas I cover are littered with logging roads from the late 1800s. These roads go in every direction, they intersect at odd angles, and they frequently end without warning. Many of them look the same.
If you don’t know the difference between a logging road and a trail or a bushwhack and a creek walk, go HERE. If you get lost in some places, it will be a long time before someone finds you. Bear in mind that cell service is spotty at best. My cell phone usually works on mountain tops but there are no waterfalls on mountain tops. Waterfalls are down in the valleys where cell phones don’t work.
What am I getting into?
The next question is, can I physically do this? A two-mile hike doesn’t sound like much, but throw in 1400 feet of elevation change and an eroded trail, and this changes everything. Not all trails are in the best of shape. Most are eroded, especially the steep ones. I’m an avid runner and long-distance hiker. The quarter-mile hike from Rhapsody Falls to the top of Dismal Ridge left me panting. A quarter of a mile! Know your limits and the limits of your hiking party. My regular companions do this stuff all the time. It’s been a long time since I had to leave anyone behind! My family accompanies me on some trail hiking. If I start the description of what we’re doing with “once we get to the end of the trail…” they opt out. I know what each of us can do. I know what the family can do. You need to know what you can do.
This story goes back a few years, but two guys I worked with asked me about joining me for a hike. I told them they weren’t going to like it, but they were insistent they were up for the challenge. We met at the trailhead for Dismal Falls and readied our gear. During the preparations, Drew asked how long the hike was going to take. This should have been my first clue that this wasn’t going to end well. We hit Aunt Sally’s Falls, and they were having a great time. We hit Trailside Falls (Lower Rhapsody), and no complaints. Then the climb began, and with it the whining. The boys managed to make it to Rhapsody Falls, and while they didn’t like the descent, they made it to Lower Dismal Falls. The day was still great fun. Then we began up Dismal Ridge. Not even halfway to the top, they wanted to turn around. No! If you’ve ever done the hike, you know there is a large flat boulder about halfway up the climb. I sat them there. In response to their inquiry about leaving them there, I told them not to move or I would never find them, and I finished the hike I came to do. I got back an hour later, and we hiked out.
Safety
Safety. Think before you step. Waterfalls are steep, and the rocks around them are slippery. The same goes for the smooth ones at the bottom of the creek. It only takes one misstep to ruin the day. My advice is to enjoy waterfalls from the base. Bad things happen at the top of waterfalls. As such, I don’t venture up there. Every year, there are stories in the local papers about waterfall deaths. There were two deaths the week before I wrote the first draft of this page (May 7, 2016) near Lake Toxaway after things went bad at the top of a waterfall. DO NOT underestimate the power of the current. I watched a girl about 10 years old get swept off her feet at Middle Falls in Stone Mountain State Park. She slammed into the rock and luckily got caught up in a collection pool about fifteen feet later. If not for this pool, she would have been swept over the main drop of about thirty feet. One bad step!
Once you get swept off your feet, you’re done for. Also, the vegetation around waterfalls, especially in the spray zone, is very delicate and frequently rare. Leave it be and find another way around. Do not climb on waterfalls or allow young children to wander unattended. This may seem obvious, but I watched a toddler stroll to the brink of Triple Falls in DuPont while dad was taking selfies and mom was waving to the kid. Tragedy was barely averted that day. There are no signs in the forest warning people to use common sense, not that they would do any good.
Necessary Equipment
Good shoes are a must. You’ll see people hiking in Chuck Taylors and flip-flops. Good for them. No matter the hike, I wear suitable hiking shoes. Many of my friends prefer shoes with ankle support, but I prefer low-top hiking shoes. I don’t like waterproof boots, but this is my preference. In the summer, if water gets in them, it doesn’t come out. I like shoes that allow the water to enter and exit freely. No cotton socks. Wool socks. Darn Tough socks are expensive and worth every penny. They had a lifetime warranty, but I have yet to put a hole in a pair of them. Sometimes hike in Vibram water shoes. This is a preference thing.
Trails are littered with rocks, roots, and changes in elevation. Some people want maximum support. I don’t always want impervious shoes, and since one of my things is “grounding”, also known as barefoot hiking, minimalist shoes are sometimes a nice bridge between barefoot and boots. My hiking shoe brand is Merrill. Not an endorsement, but my preference. I suggest you buy your shoes half a size bigger to accommodate wearing thicker socks, and if you’re going to hike all day, your feet will swell.
Optional Equipment
Topping this list are trekking poles. For a long time, I never went hiking without them. I do have one that folds up into thirds, and I keep it in my pack. It’s great for creek walking and sometimes helpful on a steep bushwhack. A trekking pole can also be a pain when dealing with an overgrown hillside, or when you need to pull yourself up or down. I have friends who use one, others who use two, and some who use none. A headlight is invaluable, but I don’t often carry one on short hikes. When I’m logging 25 to 30 miles of trails in the Smokies, I have one in my pack, just in case. I have a disposable lighter in my pack, a tick remover (ew, gross), a nail clipper, a Corona folding saw, and a pair of Corona clippers.
Clothing
Long pants? The woods are full of poison ivy, so plan accordingly. I don’t get poison ivy so unless it’s below 50 degrees, I wear shorts if I’m hiking on a trail. If the day is taking me off-trail, I wear long pants. My lower legs used to look like I was mauled by a bobcat after a day of bushwhacking in shorts. There are briars, wood nettle, thorns, and other nastiness. The forest encroaches on infrequently used trails. The first time I did the bushwhack to Red Rock Falls (above Upper Courthouse Falls), it was all about the forest encroaching on the trail. It was a wade through half a mile of dog-hobble. Long sleeves are also an option, but try to stick to wick material, even though it may get snagged. Cotton is rotten, as they say.
Critters and Pests
In the forest, there are bugs. Lots and lots of bugs. In the spring and summer, you can’t walk through the woods without getting buzzed by flies, bees, and gnats. I have a mutual agreement with most flying pests. I don’t bother them, and hopefully, they return the favor. The biggest bug issue I face is yellowjackets. Bears and wild boars don’t faze me one bit. I’ve seen more of both than I can count. Seen a few coyotes and bobcats. They run off. Yellowjackets are another story. The person out in front rarely gets stung. If you’re second in line, it’s a different story. Mosquitoes are another common pest. If they bother you, bug spray is a necessity. I wouldn’t wish being swarmed by yellowjackets on anyone. I have been swarmed and stung. It sucked. People think they’re bees. They’re not bees, and they keep biting.
Story time: Back in 2021, four of us were hiking to Handpole Branch Falls, a waterfall that I hiked to in 2019 and got swarmed by yellowjackets near the base, and where a friend of mine got swarmed while balanced on a rock ledge. So we’re hiking down this old roadbed, and I’m second in line with a sizeable gap back to the third person. I’m talking with the person in front of me when we hear screaming. My friend turned around, and I yelled one word. RUN! It was like a scene from the TV show Lost. Every time she tried to stop, I yelled at her to run. We ran for a quarter mile, and crossed a creek before I finally stopped pushing her down the trail. The two of us didn’t get stung that day, but our two friends were not as lucky. Running off sucks, but there’s nothing you can do.
Water
When it comes to safety around water and waterfalls, use common sense. Here is a photo of a gentleman doing a backflip off of Second Falls @ Graveyard Fields in July of 2015. This would be an example of NOT using common sense. Hey y’all, watch this!
Mountain water is cold, and on a hot day, I like nothing more than a dip in a refreshing mountain stream. I’ve been under my share of waterfalls and swam in plenty of collection pools. My only advice is this: before you go into the water, look around. Is there a potential you’re going to be swept over a waterfall? If so, swim elsewhere. Be cautious when jumping in and exercise care on the rocks in the water. They are slimy, and you’re going to slip. Not you may slip, you will slip. Climbing on waterfalls is dangerous, and it damages the mosses and plants that call the waterfall home. Play in the water, enjoy it raining down on you, but don’t climb up.
The water is great for cooling off, not so much for consumption. Do not drink the water in mountain streams without using a filter or purification tablets, or you will get sick. Again, not may, will. I filter water with a Sawyer and have never had an issue. If you are hiking with a Sawyer filter in the wintertime, keep it in your pocket, not in your pack. If the filter is exposed to prolonged cold, 32 degrees or less, it will not function correctly. Bring snacks for a short hike, and maybe a lunch for a longer day. I’m not much on eating when I hike, but we’re all different, and no one wants someone in their group who is hiking hangry.
What should I bring?
The biggest favor you can do is to properly equip yourself without overburdening yourself. Do not fall victim to ‘packing your fears.’ This means packing something for any possible contingency your mind can conjure. I tend toward the other extreme, packing very little. While deciding what to bring, you also need to think about something to tote it around in. You should start out with a good pack. If you’re going backpacking, have it fitted. I bought an Osprey pack, and it came with a lifetime warranty. After five years of falling down mountains, wading rivers, and being used as a backrest, I sent it in for repair. They said it was too far gone and sent me a new one. I always carry a paper map, track or waypoints on my phone, a compass (or compass app), a GPS (hiking app), and a fully charged backup battery for my cell phone. If I’m going to see some new waterfalls, I lug along my Nikon D5600, two lenses, assorted filters, and a tripod.
I keep several dry bags in my backpack. When the rains come, and they will come, you don’t want your electronics getting wet. Keep your car keys and wallet zipped up in your backpack. You don’t want them falling out of your pocket. On a trip back in September 2016, I suffered my first electronics tragedy as my HTC M9 (Smartphone) and I became separated while hiking back from Avery Creek Falls. It rolled down a hillside and into a dense thicket. I presumed it was gone forever. As luck would have it, someone found the phone, contacted me two days later, and less than a week after going missing, my phone and I were reunited! I’m still not sure how they found it.
Snakes and such
Always remember that things live in the woods. I have seen countless snakes. On the frequently traveled Buckhorn Gap Trail heading to Twin Falls on Henry Branch, I saw a rattlesnake coiled up on the side of the trail. Hiking to Mt Cammerer, I spotted 3 of them. On other occasions, I’ve crossed paths with black snakes. Heading to Lower Whitewater Falls, I almost stepped on an Eastern King Snake. Hiking to Log Hollow Falls one day, we startled a family of wild turkeys, scattering about a dozen babies, which the mother had to go and collect. Always stay alert. Since I’ve been hiking more in the Smokies a lot the last two years, my number of bear encounters has skyrocketed. On a hike along the Ace Gap, Beard Cane, and Cooper Road Trails and Rich Mountain Road, I encountered SEVEN bears. My total bear count is north of 40! If you want to read my first bear story, you can read about it here. The coolest thing I saw this past summer (2024) was a coyote that didn’t run off, allowing me to snap a picture.
Be mindful of the trees
Another thing you will notice once you are in the woods is that there are a lot of trees, and if you’re hiking in North Carolina, you will likely see many Carolina Hemlocks. These trees are easily identified by the fact that they are all dead or dying from an infestation of the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid. The photo below is an example of a Carolina Hemlock, there are tens of thousands more examples all over western North Carolina. After these trees die, they dry out. When the wind blows, the brittle branches break off and plunge to earth. If the wind blows hard enough, the entire thing comes crashing down. You will see a lot of these once majestic trees clogging up the base of waterfalls. The sides of trails are littered with dead limbs. On a hike to Dismal Falls, I had a ten-foot section of limb land on the trail about twenty feet behind me. It would have been a lot closer, but I heard it break off, looked up, and started running. Always keep this in mind.
Souvenirs
My final piece of advice concerns etiquette. If you bring it into the woods, take it out with you. Don’t leave your trash behind. If you find something cool in the woods, leave it there. The rest of us might want to see it as well. The only thing I ever take out of the woods is the remains of Mylar balloons. I have picked up dozens of them over the years. They’re like a plague from the sky. This is more of a pet peeve, but if you put your dog’s poop in a bag, take the bag with you. The same goes for diapers, wipes, and feminine hygiene products. In the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, there is all manner of stuff. There are old cars, a steam engine, logging equipment, engine parts, and even a six-foot-tall saw blade. Don’t take any of it. For one, it’s a federal offense to remove any artifacts from the park. I’ve heard the argument, it’s only one rock. Yeah, well if we all took one there’d be none left. As the saying goes, take only photographs, leave only footprints.