Gragg Prong Waterfalls

Saturday, we headed out for very wet long weekend in the mountains.  Leaving early, we headed towards Boone and got on the Blue Ridge Parkway heading southbound.  We made a quick stop at Thunder Hill Overlook to let Alex out got some great views from here.

Soon the clouds would roll in and no more views.  Then we continued past Grandfather Mountain to Roseboro Road down into the Wilson Creek area of Pisgah National Forest.  After the road changed to FR-981, we parked past the bridge over Gragg Prong.  From here, we got on Lost Cove Trail (#262) and followed Gragg Prong downstream.  In about 0.7 miles, where the trail crossed a small drainage, we followed a side path down to the base of Upper Gragg Prong Falls.

There was a huge rock jutting into the creek at the base of the waterfall.

I climbed around a little on the rocks to view the waterfalls, but it was very slippery in the rain.

Continuing on the trail, we soon came to Middle Gragg Prong Falls.

I scrambled down a little ways, but it was very wet to move around on the rocks.

Just a short ways further down the trail, we came out at the pool at the base of the lowest drop.

It was just a little ways further to Gragg Prong Falls, the lowest waterfall on the creek.

It was starting to downpour by this time, so we didn't spend much time here and started making our way back.  Near Upper Gragg Prong Falls, we found another path leading down for a view of the waterfall.

Then we made the hike back to the car.

From here, we headed back to Blue Ridge Parkway and stopped at the trailhead for Beacon Heights.

At a break in the rain, we ran out to the overlook.  It was mostly cloudy views, but the colors on Grandfather Mountain were beautiful.

From here, we headed into Blowing Rock and got barbecue take-out from Woodlands and drove back to Thunder Hill Overlook.  It was way too cloudy for any views, but a decent spot to eat our dinner.  After eating, we headed to New River State Park, our home for the weekend.

We were camping at the primitive campsites and had to hike a short ways to our spot.  The park had some wagons so we could cover our stuff with a tarp, a very nice amenity.  The bathhouse was really nice for a primitive campsite too.  After getting our tent set up, the rain lightened up and we drove up to the Dogwood Trailhead parking.

There was a picnic shelter to have a snack and then hike the short trail to the overlook.

Then we headed back to camp and made a small campfire.  Not long after dark, the rain returned and continued throughout the night.