Elk Falls

Elk Falls is an impressive waterfall in North Carolina, about a stones throw from Tennessee. In fact, it's so close to the Tennessee border that I first heard of it when it was included in the Waterfalls of Tennessee book by Gregory Plumb. Quite a volume of water plunges 45 feet into the plunge pool below.

Getting there is rather easy: Take U.S. Highway 19E to Elk Park, NC. Follow the signs to Elk River Rd and then drive about 4 miles to the entrance of Pisgah National Forest. The road ends at a small paking lot, and from there it's about a 5 minute walk along a well developed trail to this vantage point.

Waterfalls do contain an element of risk, and several people have died here over the years, including a man in 2010 who either jumped off or fell off the top, and a teen in 2007. The pool below is quite deep and apparently there is a storng current to pull under there.

A drive through the Appalachians

The interstate doesn't always make for picturesque views. However, when I-40 is about to go through the mountains around Tennessee and North Carolina, I believe the view is breathtaking. And then we drive the interstate up there and it gets even better.

This is somewhere around mile marker 442 in Cocke County

Dry Falls in the Blue Ridge Mountains

Dry Falls is along the Cullasaja River just outside of Highlands, NC. The small parking area to see this easily accessible 65-foot waterfall is located on hgihway US64. A small ramp leads to this new-in-2009 observation deck, or for a closer lock, a short path will take you under the falls.