fall waterfall tour

Bearwallow Falls

View from overlook at Gorges State Park

Schoolhouse Falls

Warden Falls

Lemon Falls

French Broad Falls

Mill Shoals Falls

Bird Rock Falls

View downstream from Bird Rock

Dill Falls

Upper Dill Falls

Forest Road

Leaves at Montreat College

happy anniversary!

 Spending our anniversary with my favorite boys on some of my favorite trails!

crab orchard falls

Had fun hanging out with some dear friends today!

big sur

On Saturday, we rented a car and decided to drive about an hour and a half south to Big Sur.  The views were absolutely breathtaking (as were the steep and narrow roads, at times).

 

We stopped off at Nepenthe for lunch.  The views cannot be matched!  If you look closely, there's a bird in the tree on the right side of the photo below.  He/she was one of several fowl predators that swooped in periodically to steal food. 

Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park: Where the Redwoods meet the ocean!

A short hike to Pfeiffer Falls:

Our favorite scenic detour: McWay Falls.  Despite signs warning that death was imminent and that the ecosystem was fragile, two guys managed to make their way to the base of this natural wonder.  I'm so grateful I snapped my pictures before they did their shirtless victory dance on the shore.

just a swingin'

Stopped off at Tom's Creek Falls for a quick hike before heading to NCCCLRA in Asheville.

secret falls

Near Highlands. The rain began to fall on this hike and followed us all the way home the next day. I snapped the shot of the main waterfall (left) right before it began to pour. For the shot of the top of the falls (right), Seth hovered over me with his rain coat to shield my camera. I could've spent all day at this oasis if the rain hadn't run us off. This concludes our waterfall journey--I hope you have enjoyed it even a fraction as much as we did!

lower satulah falls

Near Highlands. And yes, there is a waterfall in this photo, although the watershed was small and the distance was great.

glen falls

Near Highlands. The photo on the left was taken at the top of the falls; the photo on the right from the base.

bridal veil falls

Near Highlands. The original Hwy 64 routed travelers under the falls, but it soon became evident that this was a dangerous venture in the winter months. Thirty years later, a by-pass was constructed to route traffic around the falls. You can still pull off and drive under the falls in the warmer seasons.

dry falls

Near Highlands.

quarry falls

Near Highlands.

cullasaja falls

Near Highlands. Terrifying, absolutely terrifying. A tiny pull-off on the side of a narrow, well traveled mountain highway was the vantage point for this falls. Seth risked life and limb to climb up a bank opposite the pull-off to get this shot.

silver slip falls

First off, happy birthday wishes to my brother-in-law, Greg! We were thinking about you while we were hiking to this waterfall near Cashiers. This hike involved a little trespassing at a closed down bed and breakfast. At the time our waterfall guidebook was published, the b&b was open and allowed access to the public. When we got to the gate, we discovered that the b&b was closed, although a housing development that shared the same gate buzzed us in. The photo on the right was taken from the front lawn of the b&b, which features one of the best views of the Devil's Courthouse in the area.

silver run falls

Near Cashiers.

upper silver run falls

Near Cashiers. Getting to this falls involved a vertical hike up a rock face, but fortunately tree roots made for perfect hand and foot grips.

whitewater falls

Near Lake Toxaway.

white owl falls

Near Lake Toxaway.

eastatoe falls

Near Rosman. This little gem is located on private property, but the owners graciously allow visitors. On the way up their driveway, you pass two ponds (pictured center), and there is a neat footbridge that crosses downstream from the falls. I want to write these folks a letter to thank them for sharing such a beautiful gift!

cove creek falls

Near Brevard. Backpacked in and camped slightly downstream from the falls at an awesome site along the Caney Bottom Trail.

waterfall on cedar rock creek

Near Brevard. We first visited this falls a few years ago. We decided to hit it up again while we were in the area and met a very nice group of hikers from Augusta who scored a pretty awesome campsite just upstream from the falls.