Cedar Rock Falls 6-2-07
Cedar
Rock Falls 6-2-07
These next 3 waterfalls can be accessed from the State Fish Hatchery & Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education. All are small - Cedar Rock Falls is one of my favorite small waterfalls and the no-namer is just above that. The waterfall on Grogan Creek isn't bad either - the hike is farther and you might find a photo op or 2.
Directions: From the intersection of Hwys 280/64/276, drive 5.2 miles north on 276 and turn left on the paved FR475 towards the Pisgah Center. Drive 1.4 miles and turn left into the Pisgah Center parking area. This is a popular parking spot for backpackers, day hikers, bikers, and fly fishing so it will be busy during warm weather. I don't usually see many people at the falls, tho. All 3 of these waterfalls are accessed from the Cat Gap Trail. To get to the trail head, walk towards the Pisgah Center, look to your left and you will see a gated road. Cross the gate and the Cat Gap Trail is just a few yards up on the right.
The trail to Cedar Rock Falls is a fairly easy hike and is just under a mile. Follow the orange blazed trail for about 1/3 of a mile and cross Cedar Rock Creek on a foot bridge. Cross the road and pick up the orange blazes heading up. Hike for another 10-15 minutes - depending on your pace - and begin looking for a side trail to the left. The creek will be down to the left, but you won't be able to see it. The side trail heads off the main trail at a 'V' and is easy to pass if you aren't paying attention. It heads at an angle towards the sound of the waterfall and you'll come out along the rock wall in the above picture. It's an easy scramble down to the base, but be careful if you head out on the boulders, they will be slippery!
If you missed that side trail, you'll soon get to a stake that indicates a trail split and a camp site down on the left. Head down to the camp site for this next unnamed waterfall.
The other waterfall in this immediate area is on Grogan Creek and is about a mile from this point. The trail is easy to moderate. At the above mentioned camp site is the intersection with the blue blazed Butter Gap Trail. Take this trail to the right (west) and pass several nice backpacking sites. In just over 1/2 a mile, you'll come to the intersection of the Long Branch Trail. Stay on the Butter Gap Trail to the left (south) for almost 1/2 a mile - passing another cascade - and look for the 15-20' waterfall down on the left. It's a short scramble down for a closer view.
