North CarolinaNC Waterfalls

I’m including directions for Upper Bear Creek Falls and Bear Creek Falls.

Quick Glance

Sorry, can’t make this one quick.

Detailed Look

The hike begins on Lakeshore Trail, which is a continuation of the road. In about 0.1 miles, you’ll come to a tunnel. Yes, Lakeshore Trail passes through this 0.2-mile-long tunnel. Beyond the tunnel, the roadbed changes to a trail. Tunnel Bypass Trail soon comes in from the left. Horses and claustrophobic hikers use the bypass. Mountain laurel is abundant here, as it is along the entire route. If you’re hiking in May or early June, its blooms are a special treat.

Shortly beyond Tunnel Bypass Trail, you’ll come to Goldmine Loop Trail on the left. Swing to the right around the ridge, remaining on Lakeshore Trail. After an easy section, you’ll ascend moderately for over 0.5 miles, cross a ridge, then descend for over 0.5 miles to a fork.

Whiteoak Branch Trail goes right at the fork. Take the left fork, remaining on Lakeshore Trail. You’ll descend for about 0.1 miles to an old road. Turn sharply right onto it and hike 50 yards to a bridge over Gray Wolf Creek. The road turns right beyond the bridge, while Lakeshore Trail, your route, goes straight ahead. The trail follows an easy course for about 0.25 miles, then makes a sharp right turn around a ridge and descends moderately for about 0.7 miles to a T-junction at Forney Creek.

At the T, Lakeshore Trail goes left. Turn right and follow Forney Creek Trail upstream. In less than 0.4 miles, you’ll reach Bear Creek Trail, on the left. Take it. You’ll immediately cross Forney Creek on a wide auto bridge.

In less than 0.2 miles, you’ll cross Bear Creek on an auto bridge. Bear Creek Falls is not far upstream from this bridge. You can follow the creek upstream to it, but it will be slow going in the creekbed—slower if you try to wade through the rhododendrons on the bank. The easier way to reach the falls and to see Upper Bear Creek Falls, is to continue Bear Creek Trail.

Beyond the bridge, the trail swings away from the creek and ascends moderately for 0.3 miles to a left switchback beside Welch Branch. A little footbridge spans the branch, but don’t cross it. You need to turn left on the switchback to remain on Bear Creek Trail. You’ll soon swing back into the Bear Creek drainage.

In about 0.4 miles from the switchback, you’ll hear Bear Creek Falls and barely glimpse it through the trees. In winter, you should see it without any trouble. No trail leads down to it, and there are no good indicators for where to leave Bear Creek Trail. GPS for the point I left the trail is 35.47257, -83.57304.

It’s less than 0.2 miles from the trail down to Bear Creek Falls, most of the route through fairly open woods. When you get close to the creek, you’ll have to wade through the typical rhododendron jungle.

Upper Bear Creek Falls

To reach Upper Bear Creek Falls, continue Bear Creek trail for 0.4 miles from the GPS point listed above. The point at which you’ll leave the trail is at a small ravine, just past where the trail makes a sharp right turn. GPS for the ravine is 35.47136, -83.57748. A short distance beyond this ravine is another, deeper ravine that’s filled with rhododendron. If you come to it, turn around and go back to the smaller ravine.

Follow the ravine down to the creek. You’ll come out close to the top of the falls. Cross the creek, which could be a wade if the water is up. Work your way downstream to see all the drops. There’s an old overgrown logging road a short distance up the bank on river right. Utilizing it might make it easier to work your way down, but it’s going to be a rhodo scramble no matter what.

By approaching the waterfall this way, from the top, you’ll take the easiest route down to the creek from the trail and you’ll avoid some small cliff areas on the river-left side. Once you reach the base of the falls, you might be tempted to climb back up to the trail from there, but it will be much easier to go back up to the top of the falls and climb back up in the ravine. See the Overview section for info about continuing downstream to see Bear Creek Falls.

Hiking Between the Two Waterfalls

If you want to see both waterfalls on the same hike, you can follow the creek between the two instead of climbing back up to the trail. The two waterfalls are close enough together to make this seem the logical choice. It might be, depending on your appetite for creek walking. If you stay in the creek as much as possible, it won’t be too bad, but the rhodos will make life hell when you get out of the creekbed. And, of course, you’ll have to get out of the creek to get around Bear Creek Falls.