Kiesee and Hooker Falls

Sunday morning, we headed to the Courthouse Creek area in Pisgah National Forest to get Kiesee Falls. It was raining the last time we were here and we were unable to get all the way to the base of the waterfall. We drove up Courthouse Creek Road (FSR-140) from NC-215 and parked near the trailhead just past where the road crosses Kiesee Creek. From here, we hiked up the old road with yellow Closed to Vehicles sign for about a quarter-mile to a split and went right. At the next split, we went right again and the trail became progressively more difficult. We first had to get around some rhododendron and soon the path became so overgrown, it was hardly better than nothing. But we just needed to follow the creek upstream. The path ended at the creek, where we crossed and bushwhacked through dog hobble up the other side. We came out in the creek just below a small waterfall below the main one. We then went up a very steep path to the cliff face. Directions I’ve read indicate you have to climb up the cliff and scale across and then back down to the base of the waterfall. I think we found an easier way. Instead of going up, we carefully went down the wet rock towards the creek. There were enough down trees that we could climb across these right to the base of the waterfall. This seemed a lot easier and safer than climbing up the cliff and then back down.  Kiesee Falls is small, but very scenic.

We got a couple pictures and then headed back. Next, we headed to DuPont State Forest for a quick hike to Hooker Falls, as Sandy has never been to this one.  Midday sunlight was shining right on the waterfall, so there was no reason to spend much time on pictures.

From here, our plan was to head to Wintergreen Falls. But the Guion Farm parking area was completely full, so we started heading home. On the way, we stopped at Crowders Mountain State Park. Starting from the Linwood Access, we hiked a loop up to the summit of Crowders Mountain and back. It was a beautiful day and so the summit was very crowded. I climbed up a rock to get a couple pictures and then we took the Tower Trail back to the parking area.

Then we made the drive home.