Douglas Falls
Douglas Falls

I received plenty of emails suggesting I visit Douglas Falls, and I finally got around to it a week after I moved to the mountains in May '03. I made an attempt the previous winter, but ran out of time and only made it as far as Walker Falls. These falls are in the Pisgah National Forest's Toecane Ranger District near the Craggy Gardens area. The way I went was to turn into the Craggy Gardens Picnic area off the BRP. I then turned left just a short way up on to the gravel FR 63 and headed down and into the forest. This is a steep and winding road, but in pretty good shape and a beautiful drive. After 6 miles, the road ends and I took a right on Dillingham Rd. I guess I had gone back out of the forest by then, because I was in kind of a rural residential area. The road is paved here, but turns back into gravel (FR 74) and heads back into the forest.

There are several small falls along the way and the next shot is one I took on the winter trip. Walker Falls (2nd photo below) is 5 1/4 miles down FR 74 on the left.

Douglas Falls is another 4 1/2 miles farther down FR 74, and the road ends at the parking area for the falls. The trail to the falls is fairly easy and about 1/2 a mile. There are some huge hemlocks in the area and around the falls. Unfortunately, some have fallen near the falls. The falls is a 60' drop and I suspect it can be barely a trickle in dry weather. In the next shot you can see Harry at the base.

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