Middle Prong MST Hike

On Saturday, we whisked Harper and Amaroq off to the mountains for a weekend of waterfalls and vibrant fall foliage. We'd planned to hike Black Balsam Knob, but the parking lot was full, so we pivoted to the Mountains-to-Sea Trail lot on NC-215. Heading westbound on the trail, we crossed Bubbling Spring Branch into Middle Prong Wilderness, veered left off the path, and bushwhacked through a campsite to a social trail along the creek. After another crossing, we arrived at the base of Lower Bubbling Spring Branch Falls.

We took turns scrambling over the rocks for photos while keeping the kids safely below.

Refreshed from the falls, we crossed once more and tackled a steep climb, pausing for one final creek crossing before reaching Upper Bubbling Spring Branch Falls.

The rising sun made for tricky lighting, but a striking rock at the base, fringed with ferns, made it memorable.

We retraced our steps to the main trail, where Harper hopped out of the backpack and hiked independently for a stretch.

A mile in, switchbacks led to a viewpoint of Mount Hardy Falls (though the flow was modest in these dry conditions).

Past here were some nice views of the Balsam Mountains.

We pressed on another mile before turning back.

Driving south on NC-215, we stopped at Living Waters Ministry and followed a path to Mill Shoals.

It's a stunning double waterfall where North Fork French Broad River meets Shoal Creek, framed by pops of autumn color.

Shoal Creek Falls is just below the red building.

We clambered over the rocks, then took a short downstream trail past several inviting cascades, including Pancake Falls.

It's a small waterfall but flows over interesting rocks resembling a stack of pancakes.

The short trail ended at Bird Rock Falls. Even in low water, a gentle trickle veiled the massive cliff above the falls.

Several families splashed nearby, but we snapped a few photos and moved on.

For dinner, we pulled into Forks of the River Taproom, grabbing hearty wraps from the Levi's Lunchbox food truck and indulgent cake balls for dessert.  Harper enjoyed playing with the gravel around the picnic tables.  With full bellies, we checked into the Sunset Motel to unwind.