Hidden Gem

Catawba Falls is a beautiful set of multiple falls with two distinct sections -- the lower falls, which is actually a series of cascades, and the upper falls, which is a single, more dramatic fall but is difficult to access. Catawba Falls was frequently pictured on postcards and in publications at the end of the 19th century, but it received relatively little attention in recent years because until recently there was no public access to the falls. The hike to the lower falls is about 2.5 miles round-trip and moderate in difficulty. It is NOT recommended that you hike to the upper falls until access is improved and made safer.

Catawba Falls is located just off of I-40 in the Pisgah National Forest, near Old Fort, in McDowell County, North Carolina. Although the falls are on National Forest property, the falls were off-limits to the general public for many years because the access trail was on private property.