Wayah Bald Area

Wayah Bald is 5000-foot peak in the Nantahala Mountains, located in the Nantahala Ranger District of Nantahala National Forest.  It is just west of Franklin in Macon County.  The surrounding area has numerous waterfalls, camping and miles of hiking trails, including two long distance trails - the Appalachian Trail and Bartram Trail.  Wayah Bald itself is an open peak with an observation tower at the summit providing great panoramic views.

Map:

Trails:

Rufus Morgan Trail (#27):

Rufus Morgan Trail starts from a trailhead along FR-388.  It makes a one-mile loop passing the 60-foot Rufus Morgan Falls about half-way through the loop.

Points of Interest:

Berties Falls:

Berties Falls is a roadside waterfall on the headwaters of Wayah Creek.

Camp Branch Falls:

Camp Branch Falls is a small, but scenic waterfall on a tributary of Wayah Creek.

Camp Branch Upper Falls:

Upper Camp Branch Falls is just a few hundred feet upstream of the lower falls.

Rufus Morgan Falls:

Rufus Morgan Falls is a 60-foot waterfall on Left Prong Rough Fork, a tributary of Wayah Creek.

Shot Pouch Falls:

Shot Pouch Falls is a cascading waterfall on Shot Pouch Creek, accessible by a short hike on a gated forest road.

Wayah Bald:

There is a stone observation tower at the top of the 5,342-foot mountain.

Wildlife:

Leafy brain fungus (Tremella foliacea)

Blog Entries:

02-Jan-2021: Wayah Bald

01-Jan-2021: Rainy First Day Hike

28-Dec-2020: Wayah Road Waterfalls

27-May-2017: Beech Creek Loop Hike

23-Oct-2014: Franklin Waterfalls