Dry
Falls
Dry
Falls
7-29-09 The Nantahala National Forest covers over 530,000 acres in the far western section of North Carolina. Parts if it border the Pisgah National Forest on the east side. At least part of Hwy 215 is a border between the 2 forests. The Blue Ridge Parkway towards Cherokee acts an another boundary, then Smoky Mountain NP to the north, Tennessee to the west and Georgia and South Carolina to the south. The Native American word Nantahala means 'land of the midday sun'. It's an appropriate name since the deep tree lined gorges and valleys are only lit during the middle of the day.
Click here for the official web site for the North Carolina national forests which will include info about Nantahala. There is a ton of info here if you dig deep enough including other recreational activites in the forests. When I talk about roads that start with FR, this indicates a forest road and will probably be gravel. Most of these are narrow and you should drive slow! No telling if another vehicle might be coming around the next bend. Also, forest roads are subject to temporary closings - especially in the winter - so call ahead during business hours or have a Plan B just in case. This is by no means a complete listing of all the waterfalls. It's only the ones I've been to so far. I still haven't been to the Fontana Lake area, or Robbinsville, Wesser areas.
It is very important that you are aware that hunting is allowed in the national forests at certain times of the year. You should wear blaze orange during these times!! You can pick up a vest cheap at WalMart or other stores. Please check the ncwildlife.org site for a complete hunting schedule. The main ones you should be concerned with are bear and deer season in the fall and turkey season in the spring. You are probably safe in the most popular and visited areas of the forests, but why take a chance?? In the 2008 fall season, a man was shot and killed when hunters mistook him for a deer. The vast majority of hunters are careful and they have just as much right to be in the forests as hikers do.
Click here for a listing of proposed actions for 2009 in the NC national forests. Scoll down a couple of pages for locations and phone numbers for the various ranger offices.
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Dry Falls - Dry Falls has reopened! 7-22-09
Panthertown Valley - Schoolhouse, Granny Burrell, Frolictown,
waterfalls of the Thompson River area - White Owl, Twin, Slippery Witch, High, Big Falls