Whitewater Falls, Nantahala National Forest & Bearwallow Valley in Gorges State Park

[dropcap style="font-size: 60px; color: #9b9b9b;"] T [/dropcap]ransylvania County, North Carolina is known as “Land of Waterfalls” for good reason, as there are 250 unique cascades within a short drive of each other. Upper Whitewater Falls on the Whitewater River south of Sapphire is perhaps the most spectacular. There are two distinct overlooks of the 411 foot plunge taken by the river on its path to Lake Jocassee. Nantahala National Forest has developed a small park with family amenities for those who wish to view this spectacular wall of water. Eight short miles north of Upper Whitewater is Gorges State Park. An elevation that rises 2,000 feet in only four miles, combined with rainfall in excess of 80 inches per year, creates a temperate rain forest in one of North Carolina’s newest state parks. This excursion occurred on Tuesday, July 17, 2012 from 7:15am to 11:30am. My plan was to take the short trail to Upper Whitewater Falls, then drive north on Hwy 281 to Gorges State Park for some exploration.

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First Trail: Whitewater Falls Hike Length: 0.75 mile Hike Duration: 1 hour

Hike Rating: Easy Hike Configuration: Out and back Blaze: None needed

Elevation Change: 183 feet Trail Condition: Paved path and wooden stairs.

Starting Point: Upper Whitewater Falls parking area in Nantahala National Forest.

Trail Traffic: I had the viewing platforms all to myself early in the morning.

How to Get There: From Sapphire, NC take Hwy. 64 east. Turn right on Hwy. 281 and go 8.6 miles. Turn left into the Whitewater Falls access area in Nantahala National Forest. Parking, and the trail, are straight ahead.[/box]

I went solo on this trip. Usually not a good idea out in the wilds, but there really wasn’t much to be concerned about on these trails. I left the house just before sunrise for what amounted to an 80 minute drive to Upper Whitewater Falls. I went through Brevard, past Rosman, and beyond Lake Toxaway as I looked for Hwy 281 South, also known as Whitewater Falls Road. Once on 281, it is nine miles to the turnoff for the falls. The Nantahala National Forest folks have done a nice job setting up a small park-like atmosphere out in the middle of nowhere. People can come see the falls, but stay and enjoy the day picnicking or playing with the family.

It’s a $2.00 day use fee for parking, a reasonable price for keeping the area maintained and safe. Look for the registration kiosk, grab one of the pink envelopes, then put the date and your vehicle plate number on the outside. Slide a couple bucks inside the envelope, seal it, and drop it back in the kiosk. Place the pass portion on your rear view mirror or dashboard so they know what day you are there, and you’re good to go.

As I approached the paved trail toward the falls, I saw a great view of the South Carolina upstate through the trees. The mountains aren’t quite as tall here as they are farther north, but they’re no less beautiful when shrouded with that typical early morning low-lying fog. I could make out Lake Jocassee to the southeast, and the edge of the Blue Ridge Escarpment.

The trail, or pathway, is paved and handicapped accessible. It curls past picnic tables, grills, and swings for the kids. It is relatively flat, although it does climb about 70 feet in the quarter mile length to the first overlook. When I reached the upper overlook, there it was straight ahead, the very large Upper Whitewater Falls. That’s the picture at the top of this post. Click it for a larger image.

In its 411 feet of length, there are three distinct tiers of water descent. At the top is a 70-80 foot free-fall as the Whitewater River rushes over the precipice. The top is perhaps the widest section of the falls, or at least it was on this mid-July day when the flow rate was probably somewhat low. Next, the water enters a cataract section as it spills over, around and under large black boulders strewn at the bottom of the initial plunge. From there, it enters a slide area as it continues its cascade down the gorge. It then free-falls another 200 feet before finally crashing loudly on the rocks below and heading to South Carolina.

There is another 200 foot waterfall just a scant couple miles across the state line, known as Lower Whitewater Falls, but that’s a hike for another day. That one is not as easily accessible.

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