We found this place by chance while visiting the Piscah Forest area…read more The accommodations were absolutely wonderful with a magnificent view. The host was great the the prices were more than fair. They serve a complimentary breakfast which is delicious. Highly recommend.

My now-wife and I came across this place over a year ago, and in that time have not only stayed…read morehere 4 or 5 times, but got married here last September. The Inn is situated in a picturesque valley in the NC mountains, and is a very tranquil location. An ideal place to get away from it all and unwind. The cabins and main house are beyond charming and all your worries seem to melt away while you're here. The owners are incredibly nice people and you really get to know them during your stay. The breakfasts are definitely something to write home about, and all it takes is one visit and you'll want to make it your own recurring getaway. 10/10 would recommend.

CASCADE LAKE DAM FALLS is probably one of the most amazing dam overflows you may ever witness…read more Without a doubt there are far larger and more impressive dam overflows around the country and the world... but for a small lake dam in the back woods of North Carolina, it is TRULY SPECTACULAR!!! One of the things that makes it so outstanding is the natural setting it is located. Part of the dam uses the natural cliff surrounding it, giving it a little character when the waterflow is high or low. PRO TIP - There is a sign posted saying no trespassing near one of the two goat trails to the top of the dam from the road, so you might want to think twice about climbing down. However, if you do there IS a metal rope to help with the steepness of the trail on the right. Just know the dam is easily photographed from the road without illegally trespassing, although I don't quite understand how it is trespassing when you can literally kayak to the dam from Hooker Falls! [ THE LAKE ] The dam is said to have been built more than 100 years ago and the surrounding property has been owned and managed by the same family for most of that time. A battle over the will & testament of Charles Pickelsimer has left the lake, dam and even a campground in peril. Some websites say the dam is in need of inspection, but nothing has been done as the court battle raged on between Pickelsimer's children whom contested parts of the will. Charlie's father is said to have built the dam as well as started an electric and telephone company. You can still see an old wooden tube now damaged and decayed, but once upon a time it send massive amounts of water downstream to a mid-1900's hydro-power plant. [ THINGS TO KNOW ] Total Hiking Distance: 0 miles (roadside) Difficulty: Easy to see from the right spot on the road Creek Crossings: NO Elevation Gain: n/a Waterfall Height: 40-50 feet approx. Access to top of falls: YES (but may be considered trespassing) Access to base of falls: NO Pool of water @ base of Falls: YES Sitting areas @ base: NO RESTROOMS: NO PARKING: YES (room for about 2 cars along road) [ FINAL THOUGHTS ] CASCADE LAKE is where all the water from nearby Hooker, High and Triple Falls flows to become impounded by CASCADE LAKE DAM. It inevitably continuing its journey down Little River and eventually joins the massive French Broad River that flows through the heart of Asheville! From there it makes it to the great Tennessee River and butterflies kisses the Northwestern tip of Georgia before eventually releasing into the Mighty Mississippi and then Gulf of New Mexico. Just a fun little geography journey for those of you who wonder about the "Eastern Continental Divide" signs scattered throughout the area. All the water that falls on the east side of the divide flows toward the Atlantic Ocean while all the water on the western side of the divide flows toward the Gulf of New Mexico. 2021 / 49

Definitely not a tourist spot because it's located behind private property. Multiple of signs that…read moresay no trespassing, yet the rope was down and there was fresh tire marks on the gravel before I got there. It's about a 0.6 mile drive up a very gravel, windy road to the dam. Only one car can fit the road so once you drive up to the dam, you have to carefully reverse your car to make a save U-turn. This place hasn't been taken care of in years. The trees are so high and leafy that you can't get a clear view of the dam. You can definitely hear it and feel the mist. It was honestly worth the drive for me, coming from Orlando. We don't get much dams or don't have any dams at all. I hope this place gets taken care of soon. It's too beautiful to pass up, but also so dangerous to risk driving up the gravel. The neighbors will definitely eye your car when driving to the dam. A beautiful sight to see though with the farm land and mountains.

MERRY FALLS is a beautiful roadside waterfall found along the gravel portion of Cascade Lake Road…read morejust outside the boundaries of the beautiful & rugged Dupont State Recreational Forest of North Carolina. The exact GPS location is 35.200645, -82.643481, but if you are skilled at reading maps, the waterfall is located just north of where the East Fork of Laurel Creek merges with a lesser no-named creek or about 500 feet south of where the East Fork merges with the main Laurel Creek. There is no hiking required to view the falls, but if you wanted a closer, more in-person pic at the base it would require a fairly easy goat scramble down the semi-steep roadside embankment. Different hiking websites claim the falls to be anywhere from 30 to 50 feet. However, using the topography lines on AllTrails I have calculated the height of the waterfall to be approx. 47 feet tall from top to the lower cascade. The main two tiered fall itself is approx. 35 feet tall with another 12 feet of cascades from the base. On the day I visited the falls it had rained 4 of the previous 6 days, so the falls were full and beautiful! FINAL THOUGHTS This is not a typical destination waterfall, but it IS an excellent bonus stop when touring the larger high volume waterfalls in the area such as nearby Triple Falls, High Falls, Hooker Falls and Raven Cliff Falls. You could also visit the spill wall of the Cascade Lake Dam approximately 2.25 miles north of Merry Falls on Cascade Lake Road. It is built in such a way that by itself it is a beautiful drive-worthy waterfall. ENJOY!!! 2021 / 42

When I roll into a town and find the hotel room prices in excess of $100 I always check out the…read morelocal B&B's. One because it helps support a small business, two it's almost always a better experience and three cause you get a breakfast that's actually worth eating. When it comes to the Brevard area this is certainly the case and the Key Falls Inn is with out question the spot to go lay your head be it for just one night or for an extended stay! I rolled into the Key Falls Inn on a Wednesday around 5pm completely unannounced without any reservations, and having already checked there website figured no one else was staying there since the online reservation system showed all rooms as available. For nearly every bed and breakfast out there this is when customers will almost always find you at your worst. I located Bryan, outside serving meals to some people visiting for dinner, apparently the run a full service restaurant as well, more on that later. He was more than happy to accommodate my request for a room for the evening and had Kim show me the different rooms that where available. I had already seen the photos of all the rooms on the website but the website photos that are extremely dated and in need of updates really don't do the place any justice. First note on the rooms is they where all spotless and ready for guests. While this may be normal for hotels, when it comes to a B&B not expecting guests this is rare. I had originally planned on going for the cheapest room available, the Cochran Room, but decided against it since I was only there for one night and the Cochran's bathroom isn't connected to the room. I ended up going with the Pisgag Forest Room which is the only bedroom on the first floor. I am not sure I would normally have gone with this room, since its located on the first floor where all the common areas are, but on this visit I was the only person staying so I wasn't overly concerned about noise levels. Once I was checked in I took a walk along the nature trail to the Key Falls. The walk is a short, and only takes about five minutes. The trail could use some work as there are a number of blow downs but nothing that isn't manageable. At the end of the trail you will find a sitting area with a fire ring and the top of the falls themselves. Its worth noting that if you want to see a full view of the falls, when you reach the road that crosses the trail hang a right and walk a couple hundred yards up the gravel road to reach the base of the falls. Sadly during my visit water levels had been low and with not much rain over the summer the falls where mostly just a trickle. That said if its been rainy I can see the falls as being a beautiful site. After my short trail walk, I head over to the outdoor eating area to grab some dinner. They do have a full restaurant onsite with a menu that changes on a weekly basis. As soon as I saw the menu I was a bit surprised at how low the prices where for dinner. The first thought I had was "there is no way these are dinner portions". When my meal arrived my thoughts where confirmed and found that the serving portions are extremely small. I ended up actually ordering two separate meals for dinner of the menu. While they may have been small in size both where amazingly good, and at only $9.00 each the total cost of two still came up lower than I would have expected to pay for a dinner of that quality. After dinner I headed to my room and almost immediately feel asleep. The room was nice, clean, and the bed was super comfortable. I could have done with out the massive number of decorative pillows on the bed, but I get it thats an appearance thing. In terms of the room it had a full bathroom with a tub, a gas fireplace (that I assume worked, but since it was summer I can't say one way or another). While it didn't bother me at all it is worth noting that there is no TV in the room, which for some might be desirable. The only thing I think that could be improved about the room, is in this day and age of technology, there needs to be some power outlets that are more accessible to guests. At minimum every one these days has at least a cell phone that needs to be charged overnight. I woke up in the morning and watched the sunrise from the front porch which was extremely peaceful and shortly there after Bryan let me know coffee was ready. He even offered to bring it out to me on the porch if I wanted to have my morning coffee on the porch. He also let me know Breakfast would be ready shortly. Bryan was awesome about the breakfast side of things, the B&B normally serves breakfast at 08:30 but I had a 9:00 class that was about a twenty minute drive away. Bryan was more than happy to make me breakfast early to ensure that I was able to get to class on time. Breakfast was amazing and the portion size was wonderful. I will definitely be returning here again in the future. Pros: Price, Food, Friendly Staff, Accommodating to needs, Comfortable!

We loved this charming Inn for many reasons: the room was large and extra clean, really comfortable…read morebed, gracious and fun hosts, a beautiful waterfall close by and close to lots of Brevard NC venues. But what made it outstanding was the incredible food at their restaurant. World class food at a quaint B&B? . Thanks for all your hard work, Richard and Anna. We will be back!

On a not-quite-hot day that was a bit humid, this was a bit of a workout for someone like me who…read moredoesn't hike much. A level parking lot with restrooms, I left the van there and followed a family carting a cooler, a baby stroller and a bunch of towels. I figured that if they could do it then I sure could. And then they peeled off at the level part and I started up the hill. There's a sign with a warning that it's steep. I ignored the sign at my own peril and climbed up to the view point. Totally worth it. It's quiet other than the sound of crashing water and a few birds in the distance. The view of Triple Falls is amazing. Not an easy climb - I would say this is "moderate plus" because of the incline. It is somewhat smooth but not wheelchair capable and there's a definite risk of slipping on the climb back down. [Review 20013 overall - 3454 in North Carolina - 988 of 2023.]

Easy and beautiful, I hate that it's a little drive for us…read more The leaves are amazing this time of year

I arrived to magnificent Skyterra on  August 22nd assuming I would stay 4-6 weeks to lose the 30…read morepounds I had gained during COVID and that was it. But truth be said, a few days into the program I realized the weight was the least of my problems. I was  actually emotionally and physically bankrupt. Furthermore, I realized many of the wonderful guests/ people I met were there for all kinds of reasons. Some to recharge, recover from a recent loss , medical reasons, learning  to eat better, weight loss, however what impressed me the most was the amount of return guests. Anyways from  the first day at Skyterra everyone took me under their wings Teresa (My  second guardian Angel), Greg, Lindsay, Mitchell, Anne , Allie, Misty, Jaida, Shelby, Trey, Jessi, Lisa, Katelyn, JT, and please the rest of the team. When I first arrived there, I found myself so lost, I could hardly do any of the classes / even walking was such a task. But shortly after attending their educational classes, following their food regimen, their exercise classes  doing the daily walks, plus the support of their entire team my life began to change. I have lost 24 pounds and am back to my size 8. I walk 3 to 3.5 miles 5 days a week. AND the best part, I have stopped starving myself. It took me forever to listen to Lindsay the dietitian that I needed to eat to lose weight. Starving myself then binging was the worst thing I could do. Today I am able to treat myself, enjoy life and no longer be miserable and deprived. I have been home for 4 plus weeks and I continue to be followed by The Skyterra at home program by having Lindsay ( amazing person / Skyterra dietitian) as my weekly Coach . Their Skyterra At Home program is like having a bit of Skyterra back with me. With educational classes , exercise classes , recipes, and so much more . Even being able to shop for their amazing quality Skyterra clothing .. Guests would ask me how long I was there. I was embarrassed. I kept on telling them I was spending my adult children's inheritance. I actually stayed 88 days and miss Skyterra and everyone so much. I am writing my last name. You are welcome to contact me if you have any questions. Linda Glottmann Pembroke Pines , FL

Restaurant & Chef is best keep secret around! We actually booked an AirBnB here when they didn't…read morehave a retreat going on. It was a last minute booking due to travel plans changing suddenly. If we'd have known the resort would've been so serene, we wouldn't stayed longer. They had a fire going during the day that was so nice and inviting. The pool was wonderful and walked out from the spa and near the fire. They had a nice bar set up by the pool, although we didn't have time to indulge before checking out. There was also a nice swing and play set for kids, and lots of space to run around. There are lots of trails to walk on the property too. The room was pet friendly, and looked out onto a beautiful forest! The bed was comfy and the room was fine for what we needed. Sunset and sunrise were breathtaking. BUT, the best part of the entire experience was the restaurant! Although our server seemed new, he was quick to ask the kitchen on things he didn't know, instead of giving us the wrong answer. We came in for breakfast as a family of four. White table cloths and a beautiful dining room made for the perfect ambiance! We were slightly worried about our kiddos not dressing super fancy and in ball hats, but it didn't matter and we felt very welcome. We ordered a couple typical breakfast items, which were delicious, but I got the shrimp and grits. They were made with a tomato broth instead of a cream, and the seasonings and ingredients tasted like New Orleans gumbo. It was perfection!! My son got blackened fish for breakfast, and he LOVED it! Even the coffee was dark and lovely. The best part, was that the chef came out to our table to greet us, ask us about the meal, as us where we're from and talk to my kids about sports and their team gear they were wearing. We couldn't give him enough compliments! Fun, don't walk to this place!

Been here twice in one month because it was just that awesome. High falls is just one waterfall in…read morethis park, there are 2 more. Easy trails, not too much incline or decline, pretty short hike down to high falls and lots of rocks to lounge on.

Same as my review for Dupont State Forest where this trail & waterfall are located. Great park with…read morea variety of hiking trails and some beautiful waterfalls to check out. The trails are well marked, but you'll want to either download the trails map ahead of time from their website, or take a photo of the park map at the parking lot, because they don't have maps along the trails & there are several trails to chose from. We hiked to High Falls and then Triple Falls, which is a bit further (both beautiful!), which I would say are moderate-level difficulty due to the inclines & some portions of the trail are loose gravel. Easy for The Hubs and I, but a tad more of a challenge for my in-laws. There are some spots with rocks just the right size to sit on and have a rest if you need a break. There are restrooms at the High Falls trailhead parking lot, and a gift shop. I'm not sure about restrooms elsewhere in the park.