Hi. I hiked the Catawba Falls Trail today and had a great time. The weather was cool and sunny and the sky was brilliant blue - an absolutely beautiful day for hiking this gorgeous local trail. This beautiful 88-acre area was recently acquired by the Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina - "a regional land trust, dedicated to working cooperatively with landowners and public and private conservation partners to preserve and protect important natural areas and open spaces of the Blue Ridge Foothills region, including watersheds, environmentally significant habitats, forests and farmland, for this and future generations. " The aquisition of this acreage by the Conservancy was significant in that it finally, in 2007, provided public access to the Falls, which have been part of Pisgah National Forest since 1989. This conservation process concluded with the Conservancy's recent sale of the acreage to the US Forest Service. Please check the links above - they provide good insight into both the trail and the conservation efforts of the Conservancy.
This trail is only a short distance east of Asheville. The drive from Asheville to Exit 73 at Old Fort is about 24 miles and the trail head is approximtely three miles farther, down Catawba Falls Road. The trail and area are nearly pristine, I don't recall seeing any trash or debris. Be advised, to get to the upper falls one must be prepared for some fairly strenuous hiking up a steep trail for approximately the last 1/2 to 1/3 of the hike. At one point, there is a short stretch so steep that a rope is provided to aid hikers in their ascent. Although I observed some hikers with pets, I really don't think bringing a pet on this trail, especially if one plans to reach the upper falls, is a good idea.
Catawba Falls - one more natural gem now accessible to those of us Living in (and visiting) Asheville, North Carolina. Please take time to visit this beautiful spot, you'll get a nice work-out in the process. And please also treat it with respect - nature, and most recently the Foothills Conservancy and generous donors, have worked to create this place make it accessible to you and I. Hopefully, countless future generations will also have the opportunity to enjoy what's been made accessible to us. Happy Hiking!
