Waterfall Hero Hikes: Southern Nantahala Wilderness

Southern Nantahala Wilderness is a Wilderness Area in North Carolina and Georgia, designated in 1984. The wilderness encompasses more than 23,000 acres, with roughly half of the area in Chatahoochee National Forest in Georgia and half in Nantahala National Forest in North Carolina. The rugged mountains at the southern end of the Blue Ridge includes the headwaters of two major rivers - the Nantahala River running north through North Carolina and the Tallulah River running south through Georgia.

Map:

Points of Interest:

Bear Creek Falls:

Bear Creek Falls is a seasonal waterfall on a tributary of Beech Creek.

Beech Creek Waterfall:

Beech Creek Waterfall is a small waterfall near where the trail becomes steep.

Big Laurel Falls:

Big Laurel Falls is relatively easy to access from the Standing Indian area of Nantahala National Forest.

Bull Cove Falls:

Bull Cove Falls is a 40-foot waterfall in two sections on Bull Cove Creek.

There are some scenic cascades on the creek downstream from the waterfall.

High Falls:

High Falls is the largest and most scenic waterfall in the area.

Wildlife:

Southern Nantahala Wilderness is home to a tremendous number of wildflowers. Here are some narrow-leaved sundrops (Oenothera fruticosa) growing along Beech Creek.

Decaying plant material on the forest floor makes for a perfect growing environment for fungi. Here are some mushrooms I found growing on a log.

Invertebrates like spiders, insects, and snails are common in the forest, but you may have to look a little closer to spot them. Here's a snail I saw near the headwaters of Beech Creek.

The many creeks in the wilderness lead to moist conditions ideal for amphibians. The ref eft, or juvenile stage, of Eastern Newts (Notophthalmus viridescens) are easy to spot with their bright orange color.