If you are in the Graveyard Fields area of the Blue Ridge Parkway and the crowds in the parking lot put a frown on your face, drive a few more miles and head to the waterfalls on Sam Branch and Wash Hollow. I've been to these several times and have only run into 1 person in all my visits! From Graveyard Fields, head south on the Blue Ridge Parkway for a few miles and get off on Hwy 215. Head north (left) on 215 for 4 miles, passing the pull off for the view of Bubbling Springs Branch Cascades on the right at 1.8 miles. Back to Sam Branch - park on the right shoulder in the left-hand hairpin turn at the guard rail, then walk back up Hwy 215 a few yards to the path that leads up the bank. At the top of the bank, take the easy trail to the left for about 7-10 minutes to Sam Branch. The waterfall is a series of cascades heading up the mountain for as far as you can see and is really nice! The landscape in this area has changed quite a bit since the hurricane floods of 2004. The 2 boulders at the base of the falls were moved significantly moved, but more noticably, the area down creek has been cleared of all the clutter and if you can get to the base, you'll find another nice falls! The next 2 photos are post flood. The first is up creek from where the trail crosses Sam Branch - the second is from the very bottom. Kevin Adams talks about waterfalls up creek from this bottom falls. I finally made it to the top in late Sept '05. Cross Sam Branch and immediately look to your right and up that rock. That's the way up. If that part looks creepy, then don't attempt it - it gets a lot worse. If you want to see some of the sights we saw on the way up, click here.

Carefully cross the creek and continue up the trail for about 100 yards to see the 50 foot falls in Wash Hollow on a tributary of Sam Branch.

The trail ends right at the falls and, no I couldn't move over far enough to the right to get that tree out of the shot. Below are 2 more shots from return visits in wetter weather.