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Post by jamesray01 on Apr 21, 2016 12:13:11 GMT -8
Hey all,
My fiancee and I are getting married next month (May) and we are spending our honeymoon in Asheville. We'll be at a bed and breakfast in Asheville for a week, but before we head back home we were wanting to spend a day or two hiking. We're looking for a 10-15 mile hike, with the end point preferably a waterfall. Even if the end point isn't a waterfall, it would be nice to have one (or some) along the way, as we try incorporating waterfalls into all of our hikes. Suggestions for anything around Asheville or WNC would be greatly appreciated!
Thank you guys so much!
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Post by kevinumberger on Apr 21, 2016 13:06:23 GMT -8
overnighter or dayhike?
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Post by kevinumberger on Apr 21, 2016 13:07:40 GMT -8
probably the shining rock wilderness area..
ive only done a hike out to shining rock----which doesnt pass any waterfalls-----but has some great balds...
i do believe there is a waterfall in the graveyard fields area though......
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Post by jamesray01 on Apr 21, 2016 13:14:20 GMT -8
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Post by ashepabst on Apr 21, 2016 14:12:20 GMT -8
there are three or four waterfalls in the Graveyard Fields area. it's a little busy with tourists (right off the Parkway), but a really interesting, high elevation boggy kind of interesting, area.
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Post by kevinumberger on Apr 21, 2016 19:17:32 GMT -8
along with shining rock, another area to check out would be mount rogers...
those two places are popular for various reasons.......
mount rogers has the wild ponies, and balds and you'll be up in high elevation country........
on the route i would suggest (and the only one i have done) is parking at massey gap, taking the at over to a trail i cant think of right now, then hitting the AT back to complete the loop......
no waterfalls though---in fact, there only one stream that can be hopped across.....
or, take the AT from carvers gap over to 19E....
also a popular route, as you pass over some absolutely wonderful balds........again, no waterfalls since it is up high....
or, the smokies are just a 1-2 hour ride from asheville.....
and if you've never been to asheville----have fun.....it a great city, with great local food, and local shopping.......be prepared to spend a few hours downtown wandering......
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FamilySherpa
Trail Wise!
Tangled up in Rhododendron
Posts: 1,791 
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Post by FamilySherpa on Apr 22, 2016 4:27:48 GMT -8
There is a very large waterfall in the middle prong wilderness.
It gets very little activity because its off trail a ways down into the gorge, but if the flows are right, it is comparable to looking glass falls imo. Doesn't qualify for your 10-15 mile trip, although you could go up to Haywood Gap and back if you wanted to get mileage in.
Graveyard fields has a series of waterfalls, but like ashepabst said, it gets crowded.
Another option in the opposite direction would be the Wilson Creek area. North Harper Creek is fantastic and is well known for having 3 or 4 notable falls. But you're probably looking at an hour and a half drive.
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Post by kevinumberger on Apr 22, 2016 16:35:25 GMT -8
hey UL----how easy was it to follow the trails in middle prong?
that place has been on my head from a while now----thinking of doing a loop going down from the parkway......
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Post by ashepabst on Apr 22, 2016 18:48:55 GMT -8
you could do Slickrock Creek Trail up to Wildcat Falls. it's hard to get a good view of, but really neat series of falls. i saw an eagle when i was there last summer on the lakeside portion. there many great creekside campsites along the way, and loop options for your return trip.
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Post by kevinumberger on Apr 23, 2016 11:30:08 GMT -8
yeah.....
there are a few eagles in the slickrock area......
mainly down where it dumps into the lake but i have also seen one at big fat gap.....
and as ashe says, there are great, great campsites in that area....
slickrock creek is a favorite of mine (even though ashe made me do the nutbuster portion----at least i went downhill)......
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FamilySherpa
Trail Wise!
Tangled up in Rhododendron
Posts: 1,791
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Post by FamilySherpa on Apr 25, 2016 4:33:23 GMT -8
hey UL----how easy was it to follow the trails in middle prong? that place has been on my head from a while now----thinking of doing a loop going down from the parkway...... easier than shining rock imo. The problem with the parkway is you get all those foot paths around the art loeb, MST, and the pull offs. If its your first time, and you are coming down from the parkway, you could get on the wrong trail. I'd do it going up. Park at the gate at the sunburst entrance and go up. Plus, sunburst is easier to access from the interstate than the parkway is. |
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Post by kevinumberger on Apr 25, 2016 9:19:52 GMT -8
interesting...
i was just thinking it would get less use than shining rock and the trails would be overgrown or something like that...
and hmmm......thought about starting at parkway and going down, as i think theres a campsite at the split of the trails......
is there any other campsites along those trails (which i cant think of right now and dont have map with me).....
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Post by jamesray01 on May 10, 2016 3:12:22 GMT -8
Thank you all for your help! I've got some great ideas to work with now.
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Post by jamesray01 on May 17, 2016 10:14:23 GMT -8
hey kevinumberger,
have you done anything in the mills river area? I was looking at the south mills river or squirrel gap trails. any comments on either of those?
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