Summey Cove Trail to Courthouse Falls, Pisgah National Forest

[dropcap style="font-size: 60px; color: #9b9b9b;"] H [/dropcap]idden deep in the woods between Courthouse Ridge and Brushy Ridge in western Pisgah National Forest, Courthouse Creek makes a dramatic plunge through a narrow chute into a natural amphitheater of bedrock. Cascading 45 feet into a cold crisp pool, Courthouse Falls is one of the best kept secrets in the “Land of Waterfalls.” Beautiful for its solitude as well as its picturesque setting, Courthouse Falls is reachable by trail or by forest road. The Summey Cove Trail is a 5-mile round trip that begins north of Balsam Grove on Scenic Highway 215. It crosses Courthouse Creek several times before its final destination at the falls. This hike occurred on Wednesday, August 15, 2012 from 9:30am to 12:45pm. My plan was to sandwich Summey Cove Trail to Courthouse Falls between visits to Living Waters and the Blue Ridge Parkway.

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Hike Length: 5.3 miles Hike Duration: 3.25 hours Blaze: Blue

Hike Rating: Moderate, pretty strenuous at times Hike Configuration: Out and back

Elevation Gain: 1,315 feet Elevation Change: 473 feet

Trail Condition: Mostly good. Some roots and small creek crossings.

Starting Point: Summey Cove Trailhead on Highway 215 north of Balsam Grove.

Trail Traffic: I did not see another person on the trail or at the falls.

How to Get There: From Brevard, NC take Hwy 64 12 miles to Hwy 215 and turn right. Drive 11 miles up 215 and Summey Cove Trailhead is on the right just before a sharp curve. Limited parking is on the left.[/box]

This report is about the Summey Cove Trail to Courthouse Falls in Pisgah National Forest. However, I made a stop on the way, and another after I was done that are worth mentioning. About nine miles up Hwy 215 from Hwy 64 in Rosman, just south of the teeny community of Balsam Grove, is a Christian retreat known as Living Waters. The North Fork of the French Broad River and Shoals Creek merge on the property with twin waterfalls that are quite spectacular and well worth the time.

Living Waters is private property, but the owners welcome your visit as long as you behave yourself. Just don’t do anything your momma wouldn’t be proud of and all will be cool. There are lots of old buildings at the retreat that hug the riverbank and are quite interesting in their own right, but the waterfalls are the primary scenic attraction. French Broad Falls and Mill Shoals Falls each drop 20 feet off a ledge about 100 feet from each other as Shoals Creek spills into the river.

The one on the river is more of a free-fall, while Mill Shoals Falls is a tiered cascade that is quite picturesque. There is also a nature trail on the property that winds to another waterfall farther down river. That will be an adventure for another day. On this day my primary goal was still to come.

So I hopped back in my car and continued north on Hwy 215 through Balsam Grove and about another two miles past. When you see Forest Road 140 on your right, know that you are getting close to the trailhead. It’s about another half mile further. You will approach a very sharp left curve in the road. The trailhead is right in that curve with a small parking area on the left side of the road.

I should mention that you can also get to Courthouse Falls via the aforementioned Forest Road 140, but that would be like cheating. Right? The destination is a lot more fun if you work for it by hiking. But just for info purposes, you can also drive to the northern trailhead of Summey Cove Trail on a gravel forest service road.

Both of my regular hiking companions were out of town, so I was solo on this one. The southern trailhead on Hwy 215 plunges into the forest immediately, then begins a moderately steep climb up Summey Cove Ridge. You will climb about 470 feet of elevation over the next half mile on a blue blazed trail that is well worn and easy to follow. The woods here are typical for the altitude, primarily hardwoods and laurels with the odd hemlock and pine thrown in. Watch for roots on the trail, but it isn’t particularly rocky. The trail is lined with fern, moss and galax, as most are in the national forest.

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