Adventure Village Camping Trip-Headwaters State Forest

Catawba rhododendron in bloom 

Adventure Village Camping Trip-

Headwaters State Forest 

Dana & Kenny Koogler 

Friday , May 22 -24, 2020

Adventure Village Camping Pix Here

  We took a long weekend get away for Memorial Day this year. Just the two of us.    We stayed at Adventure Village.  We were thrilled to be able to get a campsite last minute.   We arrived a little after lunch on Friday.   We stopped by Ingles to get groceries.  We wanted to have lunch in town, but the covid19 pandemic made that a difficult.   You can't use a drive through towing a camper.

You can't go in.  Finally we went to Ingles for groceries.  Once we got that done we simply fixed sandwiches in the camper.  It was quick and simple.  

      We arrived at the campground and found it pleasantly full and busy!

It was nice to see people fishing, swimming, biking, and grilling out.  

People walking their dogs.  It is normal and that is at a premium right now far as I am concerned.   

Above: Pink Shell Azaleas in bloom on the parkway

       \We did not have a lot of time for activities today with only half day left. 

We opted for a loop drive around Rt 215 up to the Blue Ridge Parkway, back down 276 and back through Brevard to the campground once more. 

The parkway was beautiful.  It looked to be about a month behind the lower elevations.   Pink shell azalea was blooming and it was just too pretty. 

The views were nice, but up near Devils Courthouse it was chilly and a dense fog was moving in.  

Below: fog engulfs the Devils Courthouse

Below: a very moody looking view down into the valley toward Pisgah Forest






Above: Blue Ridge Parkway was not all foggy.  Early Spring up here.
Below: view of Looking Glass Rock. Look closely at the tiny puff of cloud near it!



above: Flame azalea was along Hwy 276 heading off the mountain

     We made our way back to the campground and prepared dinner and relaxed.
It was a quiet, restful evening.  We planned to go the next day to check out Reece Place Falls in Headwaters State Forest.   We had directions and GPS coordinates. What could go wrong? 

      We set out after breakfast the next day to try to find Reece Place Falls.
We found the back entrance avoiding Busted Rock road, but went one parking area too far.   Oy!    Somehow I had gotten part of Rich's directions from two different routes and combined them into one big mess.  By the time we figured it out we were disgusted and tired. We decided we'd best regroup and try again the next day.  We'd do something else today and see what we could get into.

   On the up side.. we saw some lovely mountain laurel in the parking area.





If you are trying to find Reece Place Falls.. this photo below will let you know you are NOT there!

This trail heads out to Bursted Rock.
Below: we saw some pink lady slippers



Headwaters State Forest is new enough to still be a work in progress.  Trail was pretty!


Further out the trail it was a burned over area.

What a bluebird day we had!

Below: more deep pink mountain laurel





Above: sweet white violet was one of the flowers along this pine ridge trail

     Once we figured out what we'd done wrong we ambled back.  We headed toward Brevard.   We decided to stop at Connestee Falls.We had not visited this falls since 2003.    We stopped by and there were a few folks in the parking area. Most of them were leaving as we were arriving.   There was an overlook when we were there before, but now it has changed. It is sturdy and metal. It  is in a slightly different position.  It is possible to see Connestee Falls a little bit and a decent view of Batson Falls.  It was pretty.  Lots of water gushing.  Mountain laurels pink blooms cascaded down alongside Connestee Falls.   I could see how the old overlook used to be.    It was nicer when you could maneuver for a better view of either falls.


Batson Falls comes in at angles to Connestee Falls


Above: Connestee Falls and Batson Falls on the bottom left corner of the frame. Batson across the way. (video if you click the link)

     We headed back to the parking lot.  We got out our lunch and had a sunny picnic there at the little park area for the falls.  It is worth mentioning that they have bathroom facilities there near the parking.




   Once lunch was over we decided to head to Pisgah Forest to do some hiking in a different area.   I had waited at least two years to experience Pounding Mill trail.   I told Kenny today was the day.   We found our way to a trail access point just outside Brevard at Turkeypen Road.  It seemed obscure to me, but it was busy!  We found a place to park though we wondered if we would.    The hike starts off beside the parking area.  It is South Mills River Trail. 

Fortunately for us the crossing of the river was bridged!
Below: a photo of the neat suspension bridge across the stream.






Above: Looking upstream on South Mills River
Below: Pink lady slippers were the flower of the hour


South Mills River trail is pretty heavily used by horses, hikers, and mountain bikers.  It is a popular trail for sure.

Above: South Mills River trail
Below: more pink ladies


Below: South Mills River




   We finally turned onto Pounding Mill Trail.   It went from the wide track fit for multi use to foot travel only.  It was nicer that way. 

Above: Kenny behind me turning onto Pounding Mill Trail.

Pounding Mill Trail was very pretty.  The slopes were lined with ferns.  The sun shone down through the tree canopy.  It was green paradise.  Vasey's trilliums were seen along the trail.



  One place had a very sketchy improvised bridge across a mucky area.






Below: My favorite color is green.  Fern city!




  We did not find what we were looking for along the trail, but we had a good hike just the same. 

Pounding Mill Branch is a nice little stream.  See the picture below



   
   We were dreading the hike back out.  It was going to be an uphill climb out of there.  Thought it was hot and humid we managed fine.   It was less uphill than it seemed.   Once back at the truck we were ready to go back to the camper and get a shower and relax.   I knew I'd sleep like a rock tonight!  I sure did too!

   We decided to get supper from Pisgah Fish Camp after we got cleaned up.
We had to do take out, but they got our order right and it was quick.   I miss being able to go in and sit down somewhere to eat a meal.

          Sunday we would try try again to find Reece Place Falls. Kenny had figured out what we needed to do.   We had made it way harder than it had to be. 
   For anyone who tries to visit Reece Place Falls click this link here and use Rich Stevenson's  great information on how to get there. Coupled together with reality.. that the way has become much more open and official.. you'll get there easy peasy.  He describes several ways to reach it, but stick with the simplest

It starts off like this The first way in to Reece Place Falls that I mention above is about 1.5 miles one way.

 We parked along East Fork Road and pulled over to where there was parking for possibly four cars.   We walked into a flat gravel lot with a sign by it saying it was Rescue point # such and such for the Connestee Falls EMS.    Walk to the back of the flat area and watch for an opening in the trees where there is survey tape flagging.  Follow the flags down hill and across a very small stream.  It is an easy rock hop.    Turn left and follow the trail that by now is quite well worn to the falls.  Below is the first part of Reece Place Falls. It is huge!



Below is a better image of the entirety of the falls.  It is really beautiful!

    We climbed up into the falls and took a look at it from the upper vantage point. The spray taken together with the fact you are now right on top of the falls you really can't see it as well.   It was still fun to scramble around there and see different parts of it. 

    Next we headed to Sassafras Knob to enjoy the lookout tower that sits at the line for NC/SC.    It was a nearby drive and so pretty.   It was cooler up there.
Lots of people around.   We also arrived just as it began to thunder. We wondered if we were going to get a chance to really see it or if the storm would send us packing.      We need not have worried. It was fine, but it was neat to be up there and see the storms power in the distance.   It was raining hard where we had just come from!  All we experienced here was thunder and some wind and some views of dramatic skies.




Sassafras Knob Lookout click the link to see the video







   Once we had our visit at the lookout tower we headed back down the mountain to continue our day in Headwaters State Forest.   We stopped by a couple spots along Glady Fork Road that we wondered about.  We noticed them on the way to the tower.

  One is Whiteoak Bridge access to Headwaters trail system.  A hike from here across the bridge and left turn would take you toward Graveley Falls.  The other access was more southerly on Glady Fork Road.  It had a kiosk and was obviously someone's home site or camp site?  It had a dog house there. I am not aware of the name of this one, but I called it the Dog House access.   It helps me keep it straight in my own mind.    We didn't really find anything exciting there so we pushed on back toward East Fork Falls.  We took a quick stroll to the falls.
Only our second time here.  
Above: East Fork Falls (click the link to see the video)
Below: more beautiful mountain laurel.


We barely made it back to the vehicle from East Fork Falls til it began to rain again in earnest.     We were tired and done for the day so we headed back to camp.  We felt vindicated. We'd found Reece Place Falls. We got to visit before it became too popular and crowded.   We made a day of it in the newly acquired state forest.   I am sure there is more there to be found, but I am content to wait for others to find it and I'll come on afterwards.

   We had dinner that evening and were relaxing and talking some.    It was such a beautiful evening.   I did not want to sit around indoors.  I wasn't in the mood to be inside. I'd had a shower and dinner and some rest. I had my second wind.  I was ready to go again!

    We went down to Cathey's Creek Road and went to visit Cathey's Creek Falls.
I was very glad we did.  The drive back that road was prettier than I remembered. The short walk down to the falls was still steep and slippery,but easier than before.   Some of the debris at the bottom of the path was gone.   The falls was roaring!  We had never seen that much water on it before!  It was more than worth the effort to visit.


       Above: Cathey's Creek Falls with lots of water.

  We drove slowly back toward the camper and stopped in one spot to check out a pretty cascade at the back of an open spot.  It now has a no caming sign, but you can tell it has been used for that purpose in the past.

Beautiful little cascade within sight of the road
Looking downstream



Smaller cascade viewed from the side

And below.. the real story of that second little cascade.
Some one's nasty underwear hung on a branch.  ha!  Wouldn't be a Dana style trip without finding something gross or funny to report.

   We headed back to the camper and rested well that night.  Monday we packed up and headed home.    It was a nice get away.  We are planning to take another one around July 4th. Gabriel has been wanting to go back to Adventure Village camping.   We'll make sure his wish comes true.   

Below is a video of Reece Place Falls 

Autumn in Western North Carolina--Gorges State Park & the Blue Ridge Parkway

Autumn in Western North Carolina--

Gorges State Park & the Blue Ridge Parkway

Saturday Oct. 29 and Sunday Oct. 30, 2016

Dana Koogler 

Mary Anne Brewer

Hiked approx. 9.5 miles total

Pictures are here starting with frame 351

  The hubby had a series of several Saturdays he was gonna have to work.  I made plans to get together with some of my girls to go hiking. I figured it would be a good time to see some Fall colors, finish some of my waterfall challenge , and act upon some plans made in the past.   It didn't work out for Vickie to go, but Anne and I went ahead.  She had experienced the Blue Ridge Parkway in the Asheville area, but not done any hiking in Western North Carolina.   We used some rewards points and got a free stay!  The Autumn colors in the area were lovely.    Anne met me at my house and we
went on from there.  We had no travel problems.  We decided to skip lunch and just hit the trails since we were both pretty stoked about hiking.  I had not been to Gorges State Park in fourteen years!

     We arrived at the visitor center for Gorges State Park and took a little bit to check that out.
It is really nice. Restroom facilities, picnic area, overlooks, free parking, free maps, nature exhibits, etc.  We went in and bought souvenirs in case the center was closed when we finished up later.
Glad we did.   We parked at the Grassy Ridge lot. It was busy, but we still found a parking space.
I was thrilled that it was not crazy busy.  The plan was to hike to the main attraction waterfalls adding
Stairway Falls into the mix.   I hoped that I would recall the trail system.   I was not disappointed.
Many changes have been made, but not enough to mess me up.

     

Rainbow Falls was the first place we stopped. It was looking good today.  Like seeing an old friend!

  The next stop for us was heading upstream to Turtleback Falls.  

Turtleback Falls is a good sliding spot during low water.  Swimming at Gorges State Park is supposed to be prohibited.   I am a law breaker apparently.  I had no idea.  

This photo is also of Turtleback Falls. It shows the short distance downstream to the brink of a 125 ft drop over Rainbow Falls.  

    We continued on to see Drift Falls which technically lies on private property.  It is easy to get a good view of it from national forest land though. It is worth a stop. Such a pretty spot and easy to reach.  Why would you leave it out?

Beautiful Drift Falls.  

     We headed back the trail along the Horsepasture River.  We would take a break and hit the last falls of the day.  My destination was to reach Stairway Falls which was one uncompleted on my CMC Waterfall Challenge up to then.  We ran into a couple while leaving Drift Falls. I asked them where they were headed next?  They indicated they were going to Stairway Falls.  I was glad and said we were too. I hoped we could just go at the same time.   After our snack and rest break we continued on.  I made a false start taking the left at the campsite.  It lead down to the river, but it only took me a few seconds to realize I had messed up.  We went back down the trail a bit further and picked up the correct unofficial path. It perfectly matched Kevin Adam's description in the guidebook.   It was a short, tough bushwhack.   It went along an embankment and got narrow and rocky.  I had my misgivings about it, but Anne was ever the trooper.  She was game so we continued.  I could see from the worst point that if we could just get past that we'd have it made.  

        A few minutes and some butt scoots later.. we stood by the falls congratulating ourselves on having made it.  I could not tell with certainty that the other couple did not get there, but the path up to then appeared totally undisturbed. No tracks of any kind.  I am guessing they changed their minds about going.   

 Golden glow of Autumn and gathering gloom along the Horsepasture River.

Stairway Falls is not as dramatic as some others along the river, but it has lots of character!  It was appealing that we were the only ones there

   We made it back up the trail such as it was.. and before we knew it we were on the real trail. We began the long trudge back to the parking area.  It was during this time our decision to skip lunch began to show ill effects.  We lacked energy from not eating enough.  I'm guessing it was 1/2 mile from the parking lot I began to have cold chills. It felt like electricity was crawling all over me. My hair stood on end in goose flesh.  Anne pretty soon got in the same shape.  We were flushed and our butts dragging.  We did make it back though and were we ever glad.  We were ready to head out.

I changed shirts, changed shoes, wiped off and put on some deodorant.  We were going to have to stop on the way back through Brevard and eat.  We both needed to refuel.  We stopped at Hawg Wild Barbecue in Brevard.  We ate delicious Carolina Style pulled pork BBQ. My all time favorite style.

Pure vinegary, smoky goodness. Only way to make it in my opinion.  Slaw and sweet tea and pork and we were feeling better about life.  It was back to the hotel to shower and sleep.

       Sunday morning we had breakfast. We stopped by Subway and took along a sandwich.

Not wanting to repeat the same mistakes as yesterday. We were in the negative on calories even after having eaten supper!  We headed up Route 276 stopping first at Looking Glass Falls which was new to Anne.  She knew of it, had seen it in photos, but had not visited until then.  

      Looking Glass Falls is a roadside attraction.  

We continued up the road a bit further to Sliding Rock which was also a new location for Anne.

Sliding Rock minus all the people!  A bit cool for sliding and swimming.

  We stopped by the Cradle of Forestry for a visit and bathroom break.  We then continued up to the Blue Ridge Parkway.    Our first stop was Looking Glass Rock Overlook where we parked to hike to Skinnydip Falls.  

 Blue Ridge Parkway colors

Looking Glass Rock in the distance from the overlook

  We hiked the 0.42 miles to Skinnydip Falls. We sat enjoying the bench at the Falls and ate lunch.

While there folks started rolling in.  By the time we were done eating lunch and ready to take photos the place was crawling with people.  I still got a few fair photos of the waterfall.

Above two shots of Skinnydip Falls.  To me the attraction at this waterfall is not the falls itself but the pool of clear, sparkling water.

    We headed back out and pushed on toward Graveyard Fields. I told Anne in advance that if we had difficulty finding parking to hike to Upper Falls I was not willing to fight the crowds. I would wait til another time to complete that hike.   Sure enough there was no parking to be had.  It was a mass of vehicles and people.   She was with me in not wanting to fight the crowd.  We went further down the parkway instead enjoying overlooks.   We planned to hit up Dill and Upper Dill falls on the drive down Hwy 215.  

 View from Fetterbush Overlook on a bluebird day.

 Graveyard Fields

Patchwork of colors in the mountains above Skinnydip Falls.

 Lastly we hiked to Dill Falls. Not much water, but still pretty.

Upper Dill Falls was a little harder to reach.  Steep downhill to get to it.  

      The leaf color was a treat for the eyes the entire drive on Rt. 215.   We had a good time.

We headed back toward Asheville and the interstate for home!  I had a very blessed weekend with my friend. I can hardly wait for the next trip! 

Below is a short video of the highlights of Saturday's adventure.