Catawba Falls: A Cascading Wonderland in Old Fort

It was absolutely beautiful! Me and my family have walked many trails but I have to say this one was breath taking! This one was a workout (with 3 kids one being a three year old but he was a champ!)but worth it. We went up the left and went up hills before reaching the top and once we did it had the most beautiful views of moutains. We where walking with the mountains before we met the water fall and stairs that continuously falls down the mountain. The metal tower offers beautiful views of the mountains as well. Will go again! We arrived there at 11am and parking was a struggle by the time we left there were cars parked near homes which clearly stated no parking. They do need more parking options when they have a beautiful trail being walked by even people out of state.

Great destination! Enjoyed the open trail and peaceful outdoor atmosphere.

This one of my favorite hikes and a good place to jump in the water in the upper fall.

Great destination! Enjoyed the open trail and peaceful outdoor atmosphere.

Both Upper and Lower Falls are now open (May 31, 2024) after being closed for 2 years to improve safety of route to Upper Falls after many serious injuries and some fatalities-remember the rope and steep slope you had to traverse in the past? Unfortunately, the route to Lower Falls no longer follows the creek and is a one lane gravel road now much of the way but that’s a small sacrifice to make to make Upper Falls more accessible to more people. The NPS came up with an ingenious idea of 530 steps and a 40 door steel tower to traverse what was previously a dangerous route to the Upper Falls. There are 2 options, a 3.6 mile loop or a 2.6 mile out and back on the River Trail. The 2.6 mile out and back allows the option to just see the Lower Falls ( about 2 miles) or go up and down the 530 steps to the Upper Falls whereas the loop would allow one to come down the steps without having to climb up and down them. Even though this new set up is much safer I would still not advise in wet weather. And please wear suitable footwear (tennis shoes are ok if you don’t want to wear boots but please leave your flip flops and sandals at home-yes you’ll see some wearing them but it’s not as safe). Kudos to the NPS for the hard work they’ve done and continue to do. Yes, some purists are hurt that the overall trail is not as nice as the old trail following the creek but the new safer route to the Upper Falls opens them up to many more people to enjoy. And it is worth the trip up to the Upper Falls! UPDATE 12/17/24: As this area was severely damaged by Hurricane Helene, please check on line with the Parks Service and other resources to learn about current closures.