Hike Length: 1.4 hours
Estimated Time: 4+ Hours
Difficulty: Extremely Difficult
Location: Nantahala Ranger District of Nantahala National Forest
Trail Users: Hiking only
Dogs: Yes, but the trail is not dog friendly
Features: Waterfalls (1+)
Crowds: Low
Warnings: The rocks around waterfalls are very slippery. There is absolutely no trail to the waterfall and it is an excruciating bushwhack through dense rhododendron.
Trailhead GPS: 35.00693,-83.32907
Waterfall GPS: 35.01264,-83.33616
Directions:
From Highlands, head south on NC-106 for 9.3 miles from the intersection with US-64 to a pull off on the right side of the road at a yellow school bus sign. There is only room for one or two cars here to park.
Map:
Hike Description:
Follow the obvious path from the parking area that leads down and under some power lines to a split after a couple hundred feet. Right goes to Upper Middle Creek Falls. Go left and head up a ridge. This part is confusing with numerous side paths that go nowhere. In 0.2 miles, a trail comes in from the left. Ignore this as it goes to private property and turn right instead. In about 0.3 miles, a side path on the right goes to the top of Middle Creek Falls. Go left towards the base of the waterfall, but before getting to it, get off the trail and head down and away from the creek. There is no trail and it is miserable wading through dense rhododendron. At about 0.5 miles from the start, you should come out at an unmarked tributary that drains into Middle Creek. Supposedly, there is an old logging road to follow, but I never found it. I think the easiest way from here is to creek walk downstream and bushwhack around cascades. This nice drop is right above Dome Falls.
When you reach the base of Dome Falls, there is an island immediately downstream. Cross to the island for a view of the falls.
The water splits around a big rock dome and then flows around the island. Most of the water flow was on the river left side.
It's kind of an interesting waterfall with the big dome, but hard to photograph and given the extremely difficult hike, not worth the effort. I doubt I'll ever return for this one. Here's a video of the falls.
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