Raven Rock Falls - Transylvania County

Welcome to one of the most beautiful places on Earth - the mountains of western North Carolina. There are hundreds of waterfalls and miles of hiking trails in this area and you could spend a lifetime trying to see everything. I got a late start and didn't begin hiking until 1998. That's when friends invited me up to their mountain home in Lake Toxaway to hike to some of the waterfalls in the area. My first falls were Drift, Turtleback and Rainbow along the Horsepasture River and I've been hooked ever since. The scenery is so spectacular that I decided to put up a web site to share the beauty and to encourage you to visit this beautiful area. Like most of the Great Outdoors, photos don't do the real thing justice, but they do allow you to catch a glimpse of a part of Nature that you might have otherwise missed.

I lived near Raleigh at the time and it was a struggle to get over this way more than 5 times a year. By 2002 I just couldn't stand living 4-5 hours away, so I started planning to relocate. In April 2003, the dream became reality and I picked up my life and moved it to Asheville. This site has grown tremendously in the number of visitors in the last 3 years especially. That's a good thing since it probably means more people are getting outdoors to enjoy Nature's beauty and are looking for info on where to go and what to see. The only down side is I'm getting a lot more emails and am not able to answer all of the inquiries. Please remember that this is a one person operation, I also work a 12 hour swing shift job, and I would rather be out exploring and taking pictures than sitting in front of a computer. Use this site for your visual pleasure or as just one source of info for planning a trip to this area.

INDEX - If you would like to see a list of the falls on this site, go to the index. It may be helpful if you want to look up a particular waterfall. The falls are in alphabetical order and there's a link to the page that the falls is on. There may be more than one falls on a page, so you may have to scroll down.

INFO - This page has links to subsections where falls in the same area are grouped together. Try looking here if you're planning a trip to the area. You'll find photos and directions to the waterfalls, as well as ramblings about the areas and my adventures on various trips.

GALLERIES - I've added several galleries of photos I've taken over the past few years and found the easiest way for me to present this is to use PBase - an online service separate from my site. There are pictures you won't see on this site and the size is larger than the ones I upload here. Click the thumbnails in each gallery for a larger image. These photos are best viewed if your display is set to 1024 x 768. If you have to scroll to see the entire image, you can click 'medium' under each image to get a smaller view.

VIDEO - The video section has small clips of some of the falls in both Windows Media and Real Player formats. It would be helpful if you have high speed access, but it's not necessary. You will need lots 'o time if you are on dial-up.

LINKS - The links section has links to other waterfall, mountain and hiking sites and also links to sites with info on camping, lodging and other activities in western North Carolina. If you have one you would like for me to add, please email me.

WILDFLOWERS - I started a wildflower section in 2002 to compliment the waterfalls. I don't know much about them, but have ID'd them to the best of my ability and with the help of KT. We see so many varieties along the trails that I can't help taking pictures. Maybe this will help you ID some of the ones you see.

PRINTS FOR SALE - Due to popular demand, I sell prints of some of the waterfalls I have visited. I really appreciate the great response I've received so far and will continue to add a wider variety of images as time goes by. A purchase helps support this free web site! I also offer my images for license at a reasonable price. Please email me for details and a quote.

I realize there's a lot of info to sort through on this site, so I'm trying a Google search. Leave the button set to ncwaterfalls.com, type in your search words, click, and Google will search just within this site. Hope this helps - I may or may not keep this feature.

WWW ncwaterfalls.com

WARNING!!! Wet rocks are very slippery and people fall to their deaths from waterfalls every year! If you visit them, please be careful and use common sense! Do not climb rocks around the waterfalls and do not ever cross a stream or swim at the top of a waterfall. If you have children, watch them at all times. There are also many species of rare plants near some of these waterfalls, living in and near the spray areas of the falls. Please be very careful not to trample vegetation while exploring any falls!

"I can see my rainbow calling me through the misty breeze of my waterfall." - Jimi Hendrix

7-13-08 - I'll be participating in a showing at Gallery 86 in Waynesville beginning  July 30 and running through August 23. Opening reception is Friday August 1 from 6-9pm. I'll be at the opening - please stop by and say hello! You can get directions from the Gallery 86 web site. I was invited by the Southern Appalachian Photographer's Guild - a small group of very talented and accomplished photographers here in western North Carolina. All of the photographers in SAPG will have prints on display.

Bad news - effective 2-29-08, the Grassy Creek parking area for Gorges State Park is closed for construction of new facilities. It will remain closed but a new parking area and trail will open in it's place. This means that there will be no parking for access to the Horsepasture River since the Nantahala National Forest hasn't constructed a parking area for this heavily visited section of their forest. They have been relying on the Gorges State Park parking area. More info on Gorges State Park and Horsepasture River can be found on those sections of this site.

I still think the biggest recent news is the opening of the waterfalls on the upper Catawba River to the public without having to trespass as many of us did. I've updated my Catawba Falls page with directions to the trail head and a detailed trail report. The Foothills Conservancy was instrumental in securing this deal and is currently in it's Spring membership drive. Memberships are as low as $35. They are saving lands for us to use for generations to come! Please click and give what you can - thank you!

Dry Falls in Highlands is currently closed to visitors due to construction and improvements in the parking area. The falls was closed in September 2007 and construction is expected to take at least a year. I spoke with someone at the Nantahala District office recently and it sounds like the improvements will be worth the wait.

The frequent visitor to this site would know to check my PBase galleries for any new pictures. If you are new here and don't care to read all the rambling on directions and stuff and would rather just look at pictures, check the galleries. I'm out in the forests quite often. The first thing I do when I get back here is sort through photos and post new stuff to the appropriate gallery in my PBase account. Most of the new stuff will be posted in the 2008 Waterfalls Gallery. Any images of falls I go to will be added here. The most recent are at the end. The pictures in PBase are bigger than on this site and there are more of them. Or you can click the 'recent' link at the top of the main gallery page to see if I've added images to other albums.

Kevin Adams' newly updated North Carolina waterfall guide book has a wealth of info and should be in your local book store - or you can order it on Amazon.com. You may find his book better organized than my site, so a combo of his book and my site would be helpful if you are planning a trip to this area. Check out this page of his web site for the most current info and info on the many other books and articles he has authored. He is also going to supplement his book with online updates on this page. He's already listed several since the book was published.

All updates to the site are listed below so you can tell if anything has changed and if there is a link, it will take you right to the new stuff. I really appreciate all the nice emails I've received saying how much you enjoy the photos and info, or how the site brings back old memories of visiting or living in the mountains. This site has grown tremendously in the past year and unfortunately I don't have the time to respond to all of them. I do read them all and do the best I can. If someone would send me about a million $$$ I could probably quit my job and devote more time to updates and answering emails. Thanks for visiting!

7-20-08 - added several new prints to the collection - Cedar Rock Falls, another Upper Catawba Falls, a secret waterfall, a waterfall on Fall Creek in SC, and one from The Narrows in Eastatoe Creek Heritage Preserve

7-19-08 - added 2 new videos from the Horsepasture River - sliding at Turtleback Falls and swimming at Stairway Falls

7-13-08 - added 4 new video clips

6-23-08 - made some big changes to the DuPont State Forest section and added Wintergreen Falls to the bunch -

6-19-08 - Just a little something before I head off to work. We came across this dancing dragonfly while on a recent hike, so I pulled out the camcorder and shot some video. I guess it's actually laying eggs. Click here to play the video - if you have a slow connection, hit the pause button until the video buffers. You'll need a Flash player installed to view this.

6-16-08 - updated the Soco Falls page - there is now a nice viewing deck and the waterfall can be considered kid friendly from this vantage point

6-9-08 - the North Harper Creek Falls page now has a much needed update - also added Chestnut Cove Branch Falls to that same page

6-1-08 - updated Raven Rock Falls info

5-26-07 - updated the Harper Creek Falls and South Harper Creek Falls pages with better directions and photos

4-7-08 - finally added the new Ranger Falls near Highlands

4-4-08 - added 2 new Flash videos - these are experimental, let me know what you think!

3-7-08 - added a new video from an off trail exploration of Wilson Creek in Oconee County, SC last week end

3-3-08 - added Jack's Cove Falls - I found this waterfall last year in the Moore Cove area of the Pisgah Forest. This one isn't on the map, but there's an unmarked trail that goes to it :)

1-26-08 - added 4 new video clips to this site and added a larger video to YouTube - let me know if you have any problems viewing it

1-21-08 - I've been adding more images as Prints for Sale - especially in the fall color

12-22-07 - Dang, has it been 3 months since an update?? - that's pitiful, sorry. At least this one is a good one. Take a Christmas hike to Catawba Falls.

9-17-07 - finally revisited Hunt-Fish Falls and the waterfalls on Gragg Prong - it was my 1st time seeing the upper waterfall - also updated the directions for the waterfalls on Little Lost Cove Creek

9-8-07 - updated the Paradise Falls page

8-11-07 - added a new waterfall on a tributary of the Thompson River - one of those updates that I am way behind on

8-10-07 - added 2 new videos from our lastest trip on the Thompson River

8-6-07 - I'm updating the Thompson River section with new trail descriptions and by adding waterfall #'s 1 and 2 on the lower section of the river. I'm not done yet and hope to add more this week

7-30-07 - changed the Catawba Falls page to reflect the new news, also added more pictures

7-29-07 - I changed the 'waterfalls west of Cashiers' page to 'waterfalls of the Nantahala National Forest'. I've been meaning to do this for about 2 years now... Please let me know if you find any broken links. I also added the waterfalls on Middle Creek to that section.

6-28-07 - I'm adding more video clips from upper Whitewater River. I've got 3 new ones of Bedrock Betty cascades and will be adding more this afternoon and evening.

6-11-07 - I know it's not much, but I did just add 2 new video clips of the upper Whitewater River. Especially check out the gorge one. Good news about Connestee Falls and Batson Creek Falls also!

5-9-07 - updated the Hanging Rock State Park page with some new photos - I still need to head back and reshoot some more area

4-12-07 - have a little free time today so I added Bard Falls

3-11-07 - there are signs welcoming hikers, so I'm adding Grassy Creek Falls near Little Switzerland. I believe it's on private property, so it's very gracious of the landowner(s) to share the beauty

2-19-07 - added the waterfall on Little Fall Branch with directions to Max Patch Mountain since it's close by

2-11-07 - added Moravian Falls

2-5-07 - added Mashbox and Misty Falls in Caesar's Head State Park, SC

1-14-07 - added 7 more videos including an aerial of the Biltmore House and also added Mill Creek Falls and waterfalls on Carrick and Green Creeks in Table Rock State Park in South Carolina

1-13-07 - added 3 new videos from last year's aerial shoot

1-12-07 - I've redone the Prints for Sale page and am now offering more images for sale

1-8-07 - added Opossum Creek Falls and the newly rediscovered Sid's Falls in South Carolina

1-7-07 - started a 2007 Waterfalls gallery on PBase with some South Carolina waterfalls - Opossum Creek Falls, Sid's Falls, and a small waterfall on Camp Branch

12-22-06 - added Wildcat Branch Falls to the South Carolina section

12-11-06 - added Chasteen Creek Cascade in the Smokies

11-28-06 - posted new shots of High Shoals Falls in South Mountains State Park along with shots and info for the falls on Little River

11-19-06 - added a new waterfall on upper Flat Creek! also rewrote and changed pictures on the Flat Creek Falls page

11-5-06 - added Grassy Creek Falls to the DuPont State Forest page along with other info and pics

11-4-06 - I posted the aerial shots from October 30 in a PBase gallery.

10-30-06 - updated the Jones Gaps Falls, SC page with trail closure info and new pictures

10-2-06 - started a PBase Gallery for various fall color shots - Chasing Autumn's Colors. I'll try to update it as much as possible - I'll be out hiking and shooting a lot, but might not have much time to spend behind the computer.

10-1-06 - I made a returm trip to Max Patch Friday afternoon. If you've never been, you really should go. Some pictures are here.

9-26-06 - Yea! Just added a new waterfall - the waterfall on Hickory Branch. Boo, now I have to go to work....

8-28-06 - added new photos and trail info for Raven Cliff Falls in SC

8-21-06 - added a waterfall on Billy Branch in the Pisgah Forest - it's on the way to High Falls and on the same page, scroll down - also just added a waterfall on Chastine Creek - also updated the Silver Slip Falls page to indicate the Millstone Inn may be closed for the season. also added 2 closures to the Blue Ridge Parkway page

8-18-06 - updated info on Panthertown Valley, mostly dealing with the Panthertown Trail Project - also updated the Raven Rock Falls page with trail conditions and new photos and added Fisher Falls to the bottom of that page

8-4-06 - Dang, an update! Just added the waterfall on Steels Creek in the Wilson Creek area.

6-5-06 - updated the Falls Creek Falls (South Carolina) page with new pictures and info from my recent revisit

6-4-06 - I am now offering a few prints in 2:3 sizes up to 20x30"! Please click here for details.

6-2-06 - posted shots of our Middle Prong adventure last Saturday in my PBase galleries - click here then click 'next' on the picture page to continue. If you do this later than today, you may see additional photos, but it should be obvious where the Middle Prong stuff ends.

5-7-06 - added Sloan Bridge Falls and Hiker's Peril in South Carolina

4-17-06 - added Bearcamp Falls (aka Hilliard Falls) to the site

3-26-06 - updated the info on Moonshine Falls in South Carolina - also added a PBase gallery of my day on Lake Jocassee

3-7-06 - added one of the waterfalls on Fowler Creek

3-6-06 - added some info about waterfalls below Still House Falls

2-26-06 - updated some info on Setrock Creek Falls and added a nice little waterfall on Whiteoak Creek in that same general area

2-6-06 - no waterfalls, but I decided to go in search of snow Sunday morning. The weather people said it was going to, so there had to be some! I picked Max Patch for my destination and was treated to one of the most gorgeous sights I had ever seen - pictures are here

1-29-06 - added Duggers Creek Falls and update Linville Falls with some winter directions - I also added a few new shots to my 2006 Waterfalls gallery

1-23-06 - added a new South Carolina waterfall - Virginia Hawkins Falls (Double Falls) and also Upper Buck Creek Falls near Highlands, NC

1-22-06 - added a few photos to my 2006 Waterfalls gallery from this week end - they start with Looking Glass Falls

1-16-06 - added more new videos

1-15-06 - I finally have some time to work on new videos - added 2 new ones and deleted a bunch of the old ones. I might add some more today or tomorrow...

1-5-06 - started a 2006 Waterfalls gallery on PBase. Last year's gallery proved to be very popular and this year's will be a good place to post shots I don't add to this site - and they'll be a bigger size!

11-19-05 - reworked the Thompson River section and hopefully made it easier to find directions for the waterfalls on and around the river - on that same page, I also added a link to a new waterfall on the site - D.E.W. Falls

11-10-05 - added Upper Dill Falls and new info on Dill Falls and updated Sols Creek and added upper Sols Creek Falls

11-09-05 - added new waterfalls! Both are from Kevin Adams new book - a waterfall on Scotsman Creek plus a bonus waterfall that Harry found and Silver Slip Falls

10-6-05 - finally made it to the upper waterfall on Sam Branch! These photos are in one of my PBase galleries. I'm also going to try to get out as much as possible to shoot fall color and have started another gallery here .

10-4-05 - I'm kinda behind on updates - I've been out, but mostly to waterfalls already on the site. If you haven't seen it already, here's my PBase '2005 Waterfalls' gallery click on the number 12 to see the most recent. Some of those seem to be on private property, so I can't add them to this site. In my North Carolina Waterfalls gallery, I finally finished arranging all the falls in alphabetical order. In my Panthertown Valley section on this site, I added some info on where some of the primitive camp sites are located.

9-1-05 - added  8 new prints for sale - look for the red 'new'

8-9-05 - added a little waterfall near Courthouse Falls - scroll to the bottom of this page to see it

8-7-05 - revised Cove Creek Falls page

7-15-05 - added directions to Courthouse Falls from Hwy 215 via the Summey Cove Trail

7-15-05 - Lisa Walton just sent me an email with her amazing story of survival on a recent trip to the Horsepasture River. Please click here to read her account of what happened that day.

7-14-05 - posted revised directions for and a couple of new pictures of Mingo Falls - also updated info on Kiesee Falls

7-9-05 - posted updated and hopefully clearer directions to Raven Rock Falls

7-8-05 - added a secret waterfall and photo of Mingus Mill to the Prints for Sale page. If you didn't notice above, FR475 is open west of the parking for Cove Creek Falls. This means you can now come in the 'back' way to see this and Daniel Ridge Falls. Click here for more info.

6-21-05 - added 2 photos of Toms Creek Falls and 1 of Crabtree Falls to the Prints for Sale page

6-1-06 - revisited Toms Creek Falls near Marion and posted new pictures

4-27-05 - posted photos and info on our latest attempt to conquer Corbin Creek Falls

4-20-05 - added new photos of Big Laurel and Mooney Falls and some cascades Harry and I found at Bearpen Gap off the Blue Ridge Parkway

4-17-05 - added new photos of Rufus Morgan Falls - these aren't that great either but they're better than the ones I had.

3-21-05 - It's wildflower season again! I headed down to upstate SC last week end to catch some in bloom down there and decided to start a new PBase gallery for wildflowers I shoot this year. You can click here to see what I've got so far.

2-28-05 - Added photos and a little text of a waterfall on Robinson Creek, Slatten Falls, Jennifer Falls, Rock House Falls, Thurston Hatcher Falls and High Falls on the west fork of the Tuckasegee River to my PBase Gallery here.

2-20-05 - Added Kuykendall Falls - finally

1-15-05 - I just got finished adding a lot of new images to my Southern Appalachian Wildflowers gallery on PBase. I now have 95 different varieties!