Waterfall Keeper Duties 2022--Alarka Falls

Above: yellow violet near Huckleberry Creek Falls

Waterfall Keeper Duties 2022--Alarka Falls

(perfunctory entry)

Sunday April 3, 2022

Dana & Kenny Koogler

Alarka Pix Here

Waterfall Keepers of NC Info

I belong to Waterfall Keepers of North Carolina. I am a second adopter for Alarka Falls. I am also the keeper for Little Fall Branch Falls in Harmon Den.

I had to make a run over to Alarka Falls for Spring clean up. I recruited Kenny to go with me on a pretty Sunday. I had the good fortune to speak with a fellow Waterfall Keeper who had just that week hiked to the falls from the bottom trailhead. She found it in perfect condition with no trash at the parking area, the surrounding area or on the hike to the falls. All was in fine shape. I decided to forego the bottom trailhead and focus on the top. The road had just opened up March 31st, 2022. I had been waiting to make the trip until after it was open. I did not want to clean up the bottom and neglect the top part. I doubt the other adopter ever goes up there. After discussion with Kevin we figured it best for me to make that my primary focus.

In keeping with that we headed up to the top through Whittier, NC.

It is a long drive up there. I had been studying on the streams that were further out the main road. I saw where there should be a waterfall on Huckleberry Creek.

I switched over to satellite view and there it was! Sure enough there was a falls visible from satellite! I made up my mind that my reward for going up there to pick trash today would be riding on out to field check my findings.

Connelly's Creek Road was in excellent shape. It had been resurfaced and since they have been closing it seasonally that has helped prevent so much damage to the surface of the road. It used to get like a wash board covered in peanut butter.

Nasty and scary to drive on. It has so many kiss your butt turns that driving on it when it is in that shape could have you slide off the mountain. We got up to Wesser Gap and I began picking up trash from there on out. We stopped at Pigpen Flats TH for another big pick up of shotgun shells, plastic, and some other human nastiness. They had done a controlled burn from there on out on the right side of the road. This made it much easier to see the beer and soda cans. I met the forestry service up there and they were tickled to death when they saw what I was doing. I know they appreciate help for what can often be a thankless job.

I picked up trash on both sides from Wesser Gap all the way through to the upper trailhead. I found it in better shape than it was in Autumn. It was drier and it looked like they'd cleaned up and graded where someone spun up the soft ground.

Once I had my trash pick up done... we motored on toward Huckleberry Creek

This road we were on goes all the way in to Franklin. We did not drive all the way today, but I'd really like to do that sometime. I need to do that during Summer to see what wildflowers bloom out there. We went past the home of Walton Smith who I am doing my service in memoriam of him and his contributions to the Nantahala National Forest conservation.

It wasn't long until we were alongside Huckleberry Creek. I got out of the vehicle and began walking along the road. We found a place to park that was safely out of the way. Sure enough there it was! I could see the waterfall down over the bank. We found a way to work our way down to it. I also found that the old road that is shown by it exists in real life. It is easy to see in some places, but is overgrown and not easy to walk on the whole way.




Above: an undocumented 30 foot falls on Huckleberry Creek

Above: the bottom part of the drop. It is covered in downfall







Above: more of the base of the falls . It is not the most exotic waterfall, but it delighted me to be correct and to find it and get to visit.




Below is a video of Huckleberry Creek Falls







We drove on out the road a bit further, but it just went ever onward. We had no intention of going all the way to Franklin so we turned round and headed back.


I knew there was a very nice cascade on Connellys Creek that was in a weird spot by the road. You can glimpse it down there. You can hear it really well. You can see by the terrain that there should be a nice waterfall down in that hole. There is not much place to pull over though. Today I was going to reward myself for cleaning up by finally getting a look at that falls. Kenny said he'd pull the jeep over and let me out. He would stay with it and if any cars came along he'd pull down the road and turn and come back if need be. The road doesn't see a ton of traffic so I finally got my wish.


I carefully picked my way down over the embankment. The cascade down there was not huge, but it sure was pretty. It was running great. Lots of pretty Spring wildflowers were on the bank also. I sat down and butt scooted part the way.
I ended up with the dirty butt, but safe.


I picked my way among the boulders until I got to a good vantage point to photograph the falls and make a short video.
Above: my first look at the cascade on Connellys Creek

Above and below: two photos from different view points of the cascade



Below is a video of the waterfall






I had the satisfaction of finding one falls and finally seeing another undocumented falls that I had long wanted to see.


Above:blood root blooming near the new cascade on Connellys Creek
Below: a hepatica blooming on the same slope





We headed back toward Gatlinburg and home. Kenny pulled over at a couple spots for me to photograph wildflowers. At Fort Harry I saw a few good ones.
Below: a close up of fringed phacelia
Below: golden alexanders



Above: some sort of reinforced concrete anchor at Ft. Harry? IDK what from





The three photos above are at Ft. Harry and the carpets of fringed phacelia looking like snow.

Above: common blue violet

Above: common blue phlox close up


Below: Blue cohosh close up

Below: golden ragwort



a little further down the road toward the Chimneys Picnic area a slope of great white flowered trilium

Above: a quartet of trilliums by a rotting log along the road



Above: roadside covered in phlox.


Our day of trash pick up was productive. We got to see lots of pretty scenery and wildflowers. We went home happy and satisfied. It was worth the drive!