A++ to the community of folks who have preserved this area! We were one of three folks exploring on…read morea mid afternoon weekday. It's serene, peaceful and just so happens to be apart of the Palmetto trail system - look it up!

Beautiful, low traffic trail to get a good walk around 2 ponds at. The trail connects to the longer…read morePalmetto trail which crosses the state. The Preserve offers moderate inclines in mostly gravel trail with some steeper areas after the first 1.5 miles. Lovely birds, restored land (following a kudzu cleanup), running water, and a waterfall (I didnt go far enough to see that). Limited parking and no restrooms. I'll definitely go back as long as I can get there early.

Chestnut Ridge is yet another preserved hiking gem in the area located between Glassy and Squirrel…read moreMntn. There are many options and routes from the two trailhead's. I hiked 5.7 miles total from the southernmost trailhead. South Pacolet River is about 3 miles from the start and quite tranquil. The trail is rough with roots and uneven terrain. There is some elevation in this hike, but nothing too challenging for seasoned hikers. Don't get me wrong, this hike is a great workout! The 'red' trail portion of the hike is actually quite wide, but proper hiking footwear is most definitely needed considering the rugged nature with the roots and all. There are a few stairs missing in some spots, but I just can't bring myself to knock a star off for that because I had such a great hike regardless!

Beautiful hike, fairly easy, multiple trails to choose from. Found a geocache while there.read more

I found this trail during a recent camping trip at Lake Lure and decided to run the trail rather…read morethan pound pavement. The trail head has ample parking and is well marked (directly across from Ingles). Before my jog I was taking in the well labeled and color coded map showing the multitude of trails, their difficulty levels and distances. As I was about to start my jog another jogger came off the trail. I asked about their route and they told me a similar route I was considering but mentioned they made a wrong turn and ended up on the nearby vacant golf course. Fast forward about 10 minutes and I find myself on said golf course. With that being said, the trails are gorgeous and vary in difficulty (heed caution on the Roller Coaster Trail - properly named). Nothing beats hitting the tree line and enjoying nature, in my opinion. There are about 3.3 total miles of trails and obviously that can be extended based on the trail layout. The Mountain View Trail was my favorite because there is a slight clearing and bench at the end where you can sit and enjoy the view. The Roller Coaster Trail was a beast with strenuous ups and downs. Trails were decently marked but there are some intersections that are a little confusing. There are a couple of trails that spur off the main trails that are private or not part of the main trail system making it a little confusing. About 1/2 of a mile (est) into the Mountain View Trail is a well groomed trail that forks to the left. That trail takes you to the gold course and is easily confused for the main trail. Enjoyable trail and area overall and I would definitely recommend and return.

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

This place is kinda like a 'mini Paris mntn', but more so for mountain biking. Hikers are welcome…read moreand I've hiked the 5.8 mile trail a ton. A little tip for those newer to mntn biking: You can park towards the middle of the park (second parking lot by the pond) and cut right into the middle of the trail, just be sure to check out the bike/hiker traffic direction sign located at the first parking lot bc you will occasionally run into those on foot (like myself)

Came across this YouTube video of this park that I thought would be helpful for those interested in…read moremountain biking. Copy and paste: https://youtu.be/oe7pXEVGqzg

Great for mountains biking and hiking. Trails are very well maintained and clearly marked. Several…read moreoptions for parking and an abundance of fun to be had. Get outside and play!

Good intermediate ride and not crowded until mid-morning during the week. Greens Lick was empty!read more

DANIEL RIDGE FALLS is also known as Tom's Spring Branch Falls and Jackson Falls. It is located in…read morethe Pisgah National Forest along the Daniel Ridge Loop Trail. This magical 150 foot waterfall is an easy family-friendly half mile hike from the parking area. The gravel road leading to the parking area was in very good condition on our April 11th, 2021 visit, but be forewarned this is a popular hiking AND camping destination, so the decent sized parking area fills up quickly on weekends. PRO TIP - The best overall picture of the falls is from the main trail and not from the side trail leading to the base. There is also a secondary trail once at the base of the falls that takes you about 12 feet higher. [ THE HIKE ] Walk toward the gate on the north end of the parking area. The entire trail to the falls is a wonderfully wide and well maintained forest service road. Approximately 325 feet past the gate you will encounter an iron bridge allowing you to cross Davidson River. It is here along the riverbanks we notice a half dozen hikers had set up camp for the night. About 145 feet past the bridge the trail will split. Follow the trail to the right, which is also marked with an arrow pointing towards the falls. Between the split and the falls is where you will have the majority of the elevation gain, but that being said, it is very minimal. Just before you reach the falls, you will see a small trail on the left leading upwards. Take this to reach the base of the falls, but for the best view of the falls, stay on the main trail. I love using ALLTRAILS for the topography maps which show elevation changes using sweeping lines. According to the map, the crest of the fall begins around 2920 feet and reaches the base around 2756 feet, where it still continues to drop an additional 15 feet to the main trail. This would make the Daniel Creek Falls approximately 179 feet tall, but only about 125 feet of it is visible from the trail. A drone video I saw on one website shows it in it's entirety and WOWZA, this is a very tall waterfall! The upper tiers are recessed back out of view, but it doesn't really matter because what IS visible is stunning enough. You can continue to hike the entire loop of this trail which will add 4 miles to your hike or simply walk the way you came back to the parking area making your total roundtrip hike1.1 miles. [ THINGS TO KNOW ] Total Hiking Distance: 1.1 miles Difficulty: Easy and family/pet friendly Creek Crossings: YES (1 bridge) Elevation Gain: 135 feet Waterfall Height: 150+ feet WATERFALL ATTRACTIVENESS - 8 out of 10 TRAIL ATTRACTIVENESS - 6.5 out of 10 Access to top of falls: NO Access to base of falls: YES Pool of water @ base of Falls: NO Sitting areas @ base: YES (limited) RESTROOMS: NO PARKING: YES (room for about a dozen car + more space along road) [ FINAL THOUGHTS ] Easy waterfall hike that could be coupled with several other nearby hikes in the area such as Moore Cove Falls, Looking Glass Falls, Caney Bottom Falls and Cove Creek Falls. This is a BEAUTIFUL section of the Pisgah National Forest where you will be just as pleased with all the trails as you will be with the waterfalls they lead you to find. No matter if you are a beginner or have been hiking for years, the waterfalls I mentioned here are sure to please! Bring your family, friends, pets and favorite snack and enjoy hours of gorgeous nature! 2021 / 48

Gosh. As a cyclist, I really wanted to find another Greenway that was not too far from Asheville…read more After doing some research, I found this one and made the day trip. I love that it was only a little over an hour away and very accessible. There was parking was helpful. A little hard to find the trail, but I plugged in the name into my GPS and then just used context clues around me. Seemed to be a real lack of facilities and upkeep here. There were no bathrooms, and I really needed that. Eventually there were some parks he passed so maybe those were open? I went on a weekend, but it was winter so I will keep that in mind. The trail itself was not pretty. A lot of concrete, and tons of sketchy looking buildings. The very few people I passed were friendly. I felt a little nervous being on this trail solo just because if something were to happen to me or my bike, it would be a while before I saw another person. A lot of the bike stations were also not in good condition/functioning. If I were you, I would make the drive to the swamp rabbit in Greenville. They have restaurants and more green spaces along the trail. Overall, not upset I tried it because I'm always a fan of more bike trails and outdoor spots, I hope that they make some great changes to this, so that it becomes a beauty for all.