Cathedral Falls

Sunday, we checked out and started heading towards Raleigh.  In Marion, we got off the interstate and headed to Linville Gorge.  Parking at Conley Cove Trailhead along Kistler Memorial Highway, we hiked down Conley Cove Trail (#229).

The trail descended steeply to the gorge through a break in the cliffs with many switchbacks.  Near the bottom, we found an area with a lot of red trillium blooming.

There were some hepatica here as well.

At the end of the trail, we turned left on Linville Gorge Trail (#231) and went about a half-mile to a scramble path down to the river where Cathedral Falls was flowing in from the other side.

It was a really pretty waterfall and flowing well.

We had lunch down here and then made the hike back up.

Back at the car, we made the drive home.

Middle Prong Waterfalls

Saturday, we got breakfast and then headed towards Sunburst Campground to Forest Road 97.  It was gated after the ford, so we parked and hiked the road to the second switchback and got on FR-97H to head towards Middle Prong Wilderness.  There are several waterfalls along this gated road, but we continued to near the end and took an unnamed road that ended at Big Beartrap Branch.  From here, we followed a steep and narrow path for almost half a mile to Big Beartrap Falls.

We came out at the base of the main upper drop that was very scenic though the lighting was not cooperating.

There were some cascades just downstream of the main drop and then it cascaded down some more.

We had to backtrack and climb back down for the base of the lower cascades.  The upper portion was not visible from here.

After some pictures, we headed back to the main trail.  At FR-97H, we first went right to the end of the road at Middle Prong.  The small but scenic Laurie Falls was right at this point, but the lighting was very poor by midday.

Heading back along FR-97H, we got off the trail and headed down a steep path to the top of Middle Prong Falls.  There was a little rainbow in the spray.

We took the steep scramble path heading towards the base.  A massive tree had fallen and we had to scale up and around on a cliff to get around.  We eventually made it to the base but the lighting was really bad, a shame as this is a really nice waterfall.

We headed back to FR-97H and continued back to Little Beartrap Falls.  Climbing up from the trail, there's a near little canyon above the main drop.

Just above the old road is another scenic cascade.

We then climbed down from the road to see the downstream cascades.  The sun was shining right on Berry Branch so no possibility of a picture of that one.

We then took the unnamed road here back to FR-97.  Some bloodroot were blooming along the trail.

Once at FR-97, we followed that back to our car past the gate to finish our hike.

Heading back to Waynesville, we had dinner at Bogarts and then retired for the evening.

Hidden Dome Falls

Friday, we headed out to the mountains without the dog to get some difficult waterfalls.  Leaving early, we arrived at Brewer Road to access Thompson River at around 930.  We started off hiking down the gated Forest Road 87 that runs along the river.  In about a mile, the road crossed the river and with recent rains, the water level was up quite a bit and the river was really flowing.  The crossing was tricky but we made it across safely.

I don't think it would be passable if it was any higher.  In another mile or so, a very overgrown road split to the right and followed an unnamed tributary upstream.  It was so overgrown, we had to belly-crawl through several areas of dense rhododendron.  After about a quarter-mile, the road crossed another tributary and we started following it upstream.  This part was even more overgrown and there was no old road to follow.  Eventually, we realized it was easier to get a little further up and above the rhododendrons and follow the tributary upstream.  Another unmarked tributary came in and we crossed and got in the little island in between the two.  At this point, we could see the waterfall, but there was no easy way to go except through more dense rhododendron.  Eventually, we made it to the base of Hidden Dome Falls.

With high water, it's a nice waterfall but the hike is brutal.

We hung out here and had lunch at the base.

It's hard to get a picture of the whole thing being so close, but viewing spots are limited.

On the way back, we stayed up above the creek on river left and found it somewhat easier than being to close to the creek.  It was good to get back to FR-87 and a clear trail.  Some little yellow violets were blooming along the trail.

Before we got back to the ford, we made a quick trip down to Simon Falls.  It's small, only about 20 feet, but rather scenic and one of the easier ones to reach on Thompson.

After that, we crossed Thompson again and made the hike back to the car.

We stopped at the food truck at Forks of the River Taproom for dinner then drove to Waynesville to stay at the Waynesville Inn and Golf Club.

Daffodil Flats

Sandy had Sunday off, so we took Alex out for a hike at his favorite place - Linville Gorge.  We left early and got to the Pinch In Trailhead just before 8.  Pinch In Trail descended steeply down to the gorge.  The trail is open due to recent fires, but it was too cloudy for a view on the way down.  When we reached the river, we took a short break here.

Then we got on Linville Gorge Trail heading south.  It was early in the season, but we spotted a couple bloodroot flowering.

In about 1.5 miles from Pinch In Trail, we arrived at Daffodil Flats.

An old homesite from before the gorge was a wilderness, the only thing left is the field of daffodils that bloom year after year.  Despite the challenging hike, it is very popular and there were numerous other groups coming and going.

We had lunch down here, then started making our way back.  The climb back up Pinch In Trail was brutally steep, but the clouds had cleared so numerous opportunities for a break.

Near the top, there was a big rock to climb on for fantastic views of Linville Gorge.

We slowly made our way back to the parking area.  It was really hot for Alex.

Driving out on Kistler Memorial Highway, there were cars parked up and down the road at all the access points for Daffodil Flats.  This sure has become a popular spot.