Atypical waterfall. My definition for river rapids, artificial falls, ephemeral falls, falls created by altering the landscape, and pretty much any falling water that doesn't fit the "normal" definition of a waterfall. Some folks accuse me of being atypical for calling these things waterfalls, a portrayal that suits me just fine.

big wet rock. A big rock that has an itsy-bitsy stream flowing over it and making it wet. Some big wet rocks have waterfall names, but they look good only during a flood.

blaze. Noun: A marking, usually on a tree or rock, that indicates the correct route of the trail. Verb: To go where no one has gone before.

bonehead. A waterfall visitor who needs to be hit over the head with a heavy object. Usually refers to a litterbug, vandal, graffiti artist, or vegetation destroyer. I wanted to use a different term to reference such people, but since this website is open to all ages, I thought it would be inappropriate.

bushwhack. Noun: A hike on which you must leave a trail or road and walk through the woods. Verb: To participate in such a hike.

buttwhack. Noun: A section of a hike where the only portion of your body that touches the ground is your butt. Verb: To hike on your butt.

cascade. Broken flow that is generally not very high, although I often say things like, “a long, high series of cascades and slides.”

cataract. I rarely use this term for North Carolina waterfalls, as it is typically used to describe waterfalls on large rivers, and often those that have a greater width than height. The few waterfalls we have on large rivers are cascades or only a few feet high. However, it is a commonly used term for waterfalls of the world, so I wanted to include it for reference.

chute. The waterway squeezes into a narrow channel.

clutter. Fallen trees and branches, piles of leaves, or any other natural elements that create unsightly distractions for photographers.

creekwalk. When the trail is the creek.

deadfall. Fallen trees or branches on trails or waterfalls.

documented. In the lexicon of waterfalling, a word I have come to hate. Read "Naming” to learn why.

downfall. See deadfall.

ephemeral (stream). A stream that only flows after a precipitation event, such as rainfall or snowmelt. Ephemeral streams are not fed by groundwater.

forest road. An unpaved road in a forest. Generally, the term is used for unnamed roads that are no longer open for driving. If the road has a name or official Forest Service number, that is used instead.

intermittent (stream). A stream that has a predictable flow but dries up at times. Intermittent streams are fed by groundwater primarily.

FR. Forest Road. This abbreviation precedes the official Forest Service road number, such as FR 475. FR and FS are used interchangeably in many maps and texts. The official abbreviation for the Forest Service agency is USFS, but FR or FS are used for road numbers.

freefall. When the water doesn’t touch the rock.

FS. Forest Service. Like FR, this abbreviation precedes the official Forest Service road number, such as FS 475. FR and FS are used interchangeably in many maps and texts. The official abbreviation for the Forest Service agency is USFS, but FR or FS are used for road numbers.

graded. When referring to a trail, one where the soil has been dug out to establish a good surface for hiking. A non-graded trail is a place where just the leaves have been raked away.

lister. A waterfaller who keeps a checklist of waterfalls visited. Often, the drive to add waterfalls to the list is a detriment to job, marriage, and social skills.

logging grade. A route that was created for a logging railroad or a logging road. Sometimes it's difficult to know which kind it is, but it will be obvious that you're on one of them because your hike just got easier.

logging road. The route of a former road used for logging. Logging roads can be much steeper and curvier than railroad grades.

lost. A situation you don’t want to find yourself in. To avoid it, please read the trail descriptions carefully and assess your abilities honestly.

multilevel. More than one obvious section. I usually use this to describe waterfalls that have at least three distinct sections.

NC (followed by a number). North Carolina. Designates an official North Carolina highway, such as NC 215. Unlike state roads (SR), NC roads do not change names when passing from one county to another.

overhang. A freefalling waterfall that has a grotto behind the falls.

perennial (stream). A stream that flows year-round and never stops.

purple paint. A tree, gate, post, rock, or abandoned vehicle that is painted purple means no trespassing. Consider this: If someone goes to the trouble of finding purple paint and painting everything on their property with it, they probably wouldn’t be too pleased to find you on their land.

quad. A USGS topographical map.

railroad grade. The route of a former logging railroad. Railroad grades are never steep, and they don’t have sharp curves in succession. Many trails follow these grades and bushwhackers love to find them. If you find coal or steel cables, it’s a good indicator you’re on one.

rapid. A disturbance in the waterway. A rapid is one notch down from a cascade and one notch above a riffle.

rhodo(s). Short for rhododendrons, usually referring to rosebay rhododendrons, the bane of off-trail hikers.

rhodo hell. A patch of @#$%^ rhodos you must crawl through to get to the waterfall.

riffle. A minor disturbance in a stream caused by rocks. Riffle and ripple are often used interchangeably, but I think of a ripple as being the tiny waves that are caused when you toss a rock in the water.

ripple. The tiny waves that are caused when you toss a rock in the water. Ripple and riffle are often used interchangeably, but I think of a riffle as a minor disturbance in a stream cause by rocks.

river left. The left side of a stream as you look downstream.

river right. The right side of a stream as you look downstream.

rockhop. Noun: A creek crossing that requires you to hop from rock to rock if you don’t want to get your feet wet. Verb: To cross a creek in this manner.

roostertail. When the water hits a rock and shoots up and out.

saddle. A generally broad, flat area on a ridge between two higher elevations.

scramble. Noun: The same thing as a bushwhack, but generally over a short distance, such as when a waterfall is near a road but no trail leads to the base. A scramble path usually has rocks and roots that must be negotiated.
Verb: To hike such a route.

sick. If you’re under 30: An adjective for describing a really cool waterfall. If you’re over 30: When you’re not feeling well.

sidehill. Noun: A route that traverses a steep grade perpendicular to the angle of slope, as opposed to going up or down the slope. Generally used to describe bushwhacks. Verb: To hike a steep slope in this manner. This is a situation where you need ankle-supporting hiking boots.

slot canyon. A section of the stream where the water has carved out a narrow passage in solid rock.

slide. The water hugs the rock.

sliding cascade (or cascading slide). A very common waterfall type in North Carolina, when you don’t know if it’s more a slide or more a cascade.

spate. High water flow in a stream.

SR. State Road. Always used to precede the road number, such as SR 1305. Unlike North Carolina (NC) roads, such as NC 215, state roads are minor roads that change numbers when you cross into a different county. They usually are designated by four numbers.

T, T-junction, T-intersection. A trail or road junction where the route you are on ends at another route going left and right.

topo. See quad.

waterfall. A: Water flowing over a precipice. B: Something about project management or software development.

There is no universal, accepted definition of a waterfall except perhaps that the water must fall and it must fall over a precipice. So, for instance, rain is not a waterfall. Also, despite many armchair definitions to the contrary, there is no official definition for how high the fall must be to earn the waterfall distinction. As for definition B, I choose not to devote any additional brain activity.

waterfaller. Like being a birder, except you don’t need binoculars. A waterfaller has a passion for waterfalls, often to the detriment of job, marriage, and social skills.

waterfalling. Like birding, except the waterfalls don’t fly. Waterfalling is the act of exercising a waterfaller’s passion, often to the detriment of job, marriage, and social skills.

waterfall food. Rain.

waterfallology. The science that deals with waterfalls.

waterfallologist. A person who studies waterfalls but never earns a degree.

wet rock. Same as big wet rock, but smaller.