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Hooker Falls Trailhead - Dupont State Forest

4.5 (19 reviews)

Hooker Falls Trailhead - Dupont State Forest Photos

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Julie S.

Parking area gets crowded, but there is another lot not too far -- Lake Imaging Trail. The restroom facilities are nice with multiple stalls in the womens room. Quick hike down to the falls, where there's a sign about why it's called Hooker falls. From the parking lot you can also access triple falls trail and highly recommend that and high falls loop.

Andrea W.

Did this as part of a longer hike, short and sweet trail to take a look at a pretty nice waterfall! Goes downhill a bit towards the end but nothing too bad, worth a stop!

Alicia R.

The trails here were amazing. While short, some spots were a little strenuous. The views were worth every minute. Couldn't recommend this spot any more. A must visit

Jeremy M.

Fun little hiking spot that allows you to see 3-4 waterfalls, lots of water views and a covered bridge in a short, easy to do hike. The hardest part was coming back down to the parking lot as it's a bit of a steep decent for about a quarter mile. The parking lot filled up quickly on a Saturday so I'd recommend getting there early or later in the day. The upper Hooker falls parking lot was blocked off and the arrow pointing to the trail was covered when we visited so it wasn't clear whether only the parking was closed or the trail so we didn't take that route.

Hooker Falls
Alex C.

Out of the three falls we visited, this one was kind of a disappointment. The view was just okay in my opinion. The hike down to it was moderate and wasn't strenuous at all.

Stephanie J.

Waterfall stop no 3, Hooker Falls This is my least favorite waterfall in DuPont State Park, due to the size. It is smaller compared to Triple Falls and High Falls but it is still beautiful. Plus, it is a short walk from the parking lot for those that choose not to hike.

Ashton M.

Hooker Falls is an easy, accessible, fun trail through the woods for great waterfall views and wading.

Richard R.

Let's just get this out of the way upfront. NO, you are not going to find any hookers jumping over the falls here you pervs... LOL! Although that might actually have given this fall a better rating. It's a nice leisurely stroll from the parking area and easily accessible for any age. I would say it's worth seeing, but go prior to visiting the other waterfalls in this trilogy. It doesn't have the majestic mind blowing awe of Triple Falls or the sheer size of High Falls, but if you're lucky, you may see a few kayakers having fun. --------------- - - - - - Trail Location: Staton Road @ Little River Roundtrip Length: .6 Miles Total Elevation Gain: Insignificant (Great for small children) Trail Difficulty Rating: Easy as rolling out of bed Waterfall Height: 15' Yelp100 [41]

High Falls
Vishal P.

Drove here from Maggie valley on way back to Florida. Huge gravel parking lot and well maintained hiking trails to all 3 falls (hooker, high, and triple). There is picnic tables near parking lot in shade (100 yards in on right of hooker trail)...eat lunch. Triple Falls trail has mile hike pretty steep. Plenty of places to rest in shade. The falls itself are 100% worth everything. Couple people in my group jumped in water to cool off. Couple people were trout fishing. Def coming back to relax here again... THE RUN DOWN: This parking lot is called Hooker Falls Trailhead. Gives you access to view three falls: Hooker, Triple, and High. Best trail to take is Triple Falls Trail. You get to see Triple falls from a distance and at the end of the trail end up at the bottom of High Falls....I would recommend doing this....if you got extra time go see hooker falls afterwards...

Jorge D.

We didnt have too much time at hooker falls so we unfortunately didn't get to do the full hike, but it was a beautiful sight. The Falls themselves are inspiring especially for a Floridan who doesn't get to seem many water falls. I preferred triple falls a little down the path, but it is a great park.

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Ask the Community - Hooker Falls Trailhead - Dupont State Forest

Review Highlights - Hooker Falls Trailhead - Dupont State Forest

You get to see Triple falls from a distance and at the end of the trail end up at the bottom of High Falls....

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Cascade Lake Dam

Cascade Lake Dam

4.5(2 reviews)
1.6 mi

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.

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

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Cascade Lake Dam
Cascade Lake Dam
Cascade Lake Dam

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Merry Falls

Merry Falls

5.0(1 review)
1.4 mi

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

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Merry Falls - Both falls AND lower cascades

Both falls AND lower cascades

Merry Falls - Falls as seen from top of goat trail near the road.

Falls as seen from top of goat trail near the road.

Merry Falls - Falls as seen from base

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Falls as seen from base

Skyterra Wellness Retreat - Indulge in private lodging, with option to stay in pet-friendly lodging.

Skyterra Wellness Retreat

5.0(15 reviews)
5.0 mi

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!

The most amazing week! Location, staff, guests, activities! A fantastic way to spend a week in the…read moremountains of North Carolina

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Skyterra Wellness Retreat - Visit the nature-inspired Skyterra spa for massage, acupuncture, facials, body treatments, and much more.

Visit the nature-inspired Skyterra spa for massage, acupuncture, facials, body treatments, and much more.

Skyterra Wellness Retreat - Fitness for all ages

Fitness for all ages

Skyterra Wellness Retreat

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Hooker Falls Trailhead - Dupont State Forest - hiking - Updated May 2026

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