Forrest Falls (Shope Creek)

Forrest Falls is a small waterfall on Shope Creek in Buncombe County, North Carolina.  The waterfall is located in the Shope Creek Area in Pisgah National Forest.

Hike Length: 1.0 miles
Estimated Time: 1 to 2 hours
Difficulty: Moderate
Location: Shope Creek (Appalachian Ranger District of Pisgah National Forest)
Trail Users: Hiking 
Dogs: Yes
Features: Waterfalls (1)
Crowds: Moderate
Warnings: The rocks around the waterfalls are very slippery.
Trailhead GPS: 35.65449,-82.44059
Waterfall GPS: 35.66758,-82.43623

Directions:

From Asheville, head east on I-40 for about 5 miles to exit 55.  Turn left on Porters Cove Road and then right on US-70 and go 1.7 miles.  Turn left on Warren Wilson Road and drive 1.4 miles and turn left on Riceville Road.  Go another 2.3 miles and turn right on Bull Creek Road and then immediate right on Shope Creek Road.  Follow for 2.3 miles and turn left into the parking area.  There is an auto ford near the end and the road changes to gravel FR-220 after this.  There is no parking along the road.

Map:

Hike Description:

Hike past the gate on FR-220 for about 0.1 miles to a fork and go left on FR-220A.  Follow this road for 0.5 miles and go right onto a single-track trail (Forrest Falls Trail).  The trail crosses a tributary and continues following Shope Creek upstream.  Stay on the main trail for 0.2 miles to another split and go right.  The trail will cross Shope Creek in another 0.1 miles just above the waterfall.  There are better views from river left after crossing.

Blog Entries:

04-Jan-2022: Shope Creek