Don’t worry, I’m not going to drag you to every waterfall. I’ll just show you a few of our favorites…and a couple of random bear photos from our backyard in Florida.
A Note From The Present Moment
We’re in holiday mode, so I bought myself an oyster shell Christmas tree at the local art market. I wanted one last year and didn’t buy it because I thought, “What the heck am I going to do with this in the trailer?” Well. Here we are. And I’ve got myself an oyster shell Christmas tree.
I just had to have this. It’s made from local oyster shells.
One more thing: In our two-and-a-half months in the mountains of North Carolina, we saw not one bear. But look at this, in our backyard here in North Florida:
One of two bear cubs…
And Big Mama Bear
Okay, back to the waterfall tour!
Rainbow Falls & Turtleback Falls
Both Rainbow Falls and Turtleback Falls are in lovely Gorges State Park. This is a moderate 3.9 mile round-trip hike on a nicely maintained trail. Gorges State Park was just a few miles from our RV park, and we liked the trail so much we hiked it several times (I wrote more about Gorges State Park in this post).
Rainbow Falls
Turtleback Falls
Greenland Creek Falls & Schoolhouse Falls
For another two-for-one waterfall hike, we embarked on a seven-mile scenic adventure in Panthertown Valley. I wrote about the adventure in detail here; if you don’t get lost, the hike is only 6.3 miles. Both of the falls are beautiful, but if you want to hike only to Schoolhouse Falls, you can make it a much easier 2.6 mile hike.
If you’re up for it, do both. Just don’t get lost. :-)
Greenland Creek Falls
Schoolhouse Falls
Triple Falls, High Falls, & Hooker Falls
In DuPont State Forest, we hiked to three beautiful falls—each with a different personality—in about five miles. The trails are wide and impeccably groomed, with some steep uphill sections and stairs. Totally worth it.
Sometimes I count the stairs on a trail as a meditation (and as a way to distract myself from how many damned stairs there are)
A refreshing picnic spot on the way to Triple Falls
Triple Falls
Hooker Falls is a popular swimming hole on hot summer days
Bridal Veil Falls
We returned to DuPont State Forest to hike to Bridal Veil Falls. There are many intersecting trails in the forest; we chose a beautiful 4.9 mile easy hike through a covered bridge, along the banks of Lake Julia, to a large boulder draped in the cascading veil of the falls.
Covered bridge on the trail to Bridal Veil Falls
On the Three Lakes Trail and the first inkling of fall color
Bridal Veil Falls
I’ve said this many times, but one of the best parts of traveling is making new friends. We met Cathy and Ed on a trail in Gorges State Park and had such a good time chatting with them that we made a date to hike to Bridal Veil Falls together. They’ve invited us to stay with them on their blueberry farm in South Carolina next time we’re in the area.
Cathy and Ed
Whitewater Falls
You can glimpse a very distant sighting of Whitewater Falls with almost no effort, but a much better view awaits at the end of a long stretch of stairs. This is the highest waterfall in North Carolina, and it’s a beauty.
Whitewater Falls from the viewing platform
We continued by hiking the 4.7 mile Foothills Trail to the Whitewater River. It was a steep, hard hike over too many boulders. Our verdict: Go see the waterfall from the viewing platform, skip the trail to the river.
That’s where we’re headed
There used to be a trail to the bridge…but it was washed out by a storm
It was a really nice spot for a picnic before heading back on the terrible trail
A truly terrible trail
Dry Falls
At only one-quarter mile roundtrip, Dry Falls is more of a roadside attraction than a hike. But it’s incredibly beautiful. If you’re in the area, don’t miss it. The trail winds behind a 65-foot cascade of water, offering a behind-the-scenes view of the falls.
Dry Falls
Happy Holidays, Dear Friends
Maggie waiting for ‘Santa Claws.’ In her stocking will be her favorite cat treats, a felt ball, and chicken-flavored cat toothpaste, LOL.
In this holiday season and in the coming year, we wish you joy and peace—and plenty of treats and playtime! Be well, friends.
Love,
Eric, Laurel, & Magnolia
Wow, Tree Huggers in your own back yard!
Love all those waterfalls. They are more contained than all of the water falling from our skies, here in the Pacific Northwest.
Thank you for another year of beautiful photos and writing. Hope 2022 is healthy and has great journeys in it.
Haha, we do have our very own tree huggers in the back yard! I appreciate your kind words about our blog, Sheila. It’s one way that we can stay connected to people who are dear to us. We wish you and Bruce a healthy and happy New Year, too. We miss you.
Love the bear photos! Waterfalls are amazing also. That part of NC is so pretty! We saw Dry Falls on a visit to Franklin to see family. US-64 in that stretch has to be the craziest piece of the entire US Highway system! I had planned on pulling the fifth wheel through there…glad I didn’t! Happy holidays!
Jim, that stretch of highway 64 is a wild one! Good decision to not tow your rig through there—we drove it many times in our truck and we never got used to it. But as you said, it’s beautiful. If you are traveling through this part of Florida, come see us. Happy sunny holidays!
Our very best to you and Eric this holiday season. We are settled in for the winter here in Olympia and are hoping the forecast for snow on Christmas day comes true.
All our best to you!
Happy holidays, Riley & Karen! You guys are having some cold weather there—it looks like your wish for snow on Christmas will come true. :-) We wish you a cozy winter and many wonderful adventures in the coming year!
That oyster shell Christmas tree is stunning! Your home looks lovely all decorated for the holidays! And bears in north Florida–that had to have been very exciting! Beautiful photos of all those gorgeous water falls–one of these days my knee is going to be better one way or another and I will be able to hike again! Your last sentence resonated with me–joy and peace–that’s what we all need! Happy Holidays!
Janna, I’m so glad you enjoyed the waterfalls. We love hiking, and I’m always grateful that so far, our knees aren’t giving us trouble. Knowing your determination, you’ll get your knee problem sorted out. Wishing you a bright holiday season in your lovely desert home, and a wonderful New Year!
Thanks to you we got to experience most of those waterfalls. I highly recommend going someplace after Laurel and Eric. Laurel finds all the best places. Wishing you both a 2022 filled with good health and awesome experiences.
Aww, I’m so glad that we were able to recommend those hikes to you, Beth. We just wish we had been there at the same time as you guys. We wish you both a healthy and happy New Year, and many more grand adventures (hopefully including seeing you!).
Looks like you found a few waterfalls that we missed! Darn it means we have to go back. 🤗 Happy Holidays to you to.
P. S. Eric’s pictures are better than ours
Cindy, I’m glad you enjoyed the waterfall photos and I’m glad we could share some with you that you haven’t yet been to. We’d like to return to explore more, too! We wish you a wonderful holiday season and New Year!
Good morning.
Beautiful post. Bears in the backyard, what a treat.
Having lived in the upstate of SC, I learned it was waterfall central. Whitewater is my favorite. There are websites dedicated to all the waterfalls as folks plan their vacations around them.
May be heading up your way. The noise had gotten loud, working in my gardens is no longer peaceful as well as noise creeping into the house. And to boot, they started building a home next to mine.
The deer is plentiful but too busy for our sweet bears. Intentional communities and co housing, here I come. Happy holidays !💚💛💙
K~
Kathryn, we really enjoyed our summer of waterfalls! You must have visited many waterfalls living in South Carolina. I’ll bet you have some fabulous waterfall photos.
One of the things we’re enjoying most about living in this spot in Florida is the incredible peace and quiet. And, of course, the wildlife. I’m looking forward to hearing where your explorations for co-housing/intentional community take you. If you come up this way, please email me. I’d love to meet up with you! Wishing you peace in this coming year.
I would have HAD to buy that Oyster Christmas tree, it’s too fabulous! Thanks for taking us on your beautiful waterfall hikes, they’re refreshing to look at from here in the desert.
Merry Christmas and a very happy and healthy New Year friends. I hope it brings you much joy and adventures of the good kind.
Sue, isn’t that oyster shell Christmas tree sweet? One of the benefits of settling down here is that I could justify buying one. :-) We enjoyed our summer of waterfalls, and now we’re enjoying our bay front location. I do love the water.
Wishing you all a wonderful holiday in your beautiful new home and a New Year of all good things—health, joy, and many more traveling adventures!
It was the same scenario for us when we lived in our house — never, ever saw bears on our hikes even when everyone else was reporting bears on the trails, but we saw them all the time in our own backyard! Silly ol’ bears.
Waterfalls sure provide great hike destinations and make even terrible trails a little more tolerable. At least you know you’ll be rewarded for all the crappy trail conditions!
I think Maggie is waiting to tackle that tree…
Three years ago this holiday season, we met you and, coincidentally, did a wonderful waterfall hike together. Isn’t life amazing?
Merry Christmas, our dear friends, and the Happiest of New Years!
Joodie, that waterfall hike we did together in Tucson was beautiful, and the best part was that it was our first adventure with you two! Hopefully, there will be many more, even though we’re going to be on opposite sides of the country.
I’ll bet you have bears in your new backyard, too! Speaking of wildlife, you were right about our little Christmas tree and Magnolia. She just couldn’t resist it, so we took it down, LOL. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you two dear friends!
It’s wonderful to share in your travels, with great writing and pictures. Happy Solstice to you both and a blessed new year!
Joanne
Joanne, I’m always so happy to hear from you. I hope that all is well and that you’re continuing to enjoy life to the fullest, as you always do. Wishing you the blessings of light and joy and a New Year of grand adventures!
Merry Christmas you two! Thanks for sharing all of this for all these years. You were wonderful neighbors!
Oh, David—we miss having you as our neighbor! Those were such wonderful years. We hope that you and Susan are doing well and enjoying your travels as well as being at home in Ashland. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Mmmmmm, chicken flavored toothpaste. LOL.
I agree with Joodie: Maggie is totally taking that tree down. She’s just assessing angles at the moment, planning her attack. It’s gonna be epic!
I love your waterfall photos, but I have to say, my favorite is the covered bridge. There’s just something about that picture, I can’t stop staring at it. It so perfectly captures a quiet summer day in the country. Beautiful!!
Your house looks terrific – love the oyster tree – and ready for a cozy holiday. I wish you guys peace, joy, health, and happiness in the New Year!
Laura, thank you for all of the wonderful wishes. We’re enjoying a sweet holiday season—and seeing you guys in mid-January will add immensely to getting 2022 off to a great beginning!
Sorry to say the Christmas tree has already bitten the dust. You and Joodie were right. Maggie just could not control herself, LOL. Merry Christmas to you three—wishing you all the best of everything in the coming year!
Every time I read the name of that state park in North Carolina, in my mind I pronounce it as “Gorgeous State Park.” Your photos illustrate why. But I think Whitewater Falls is my favorite. So many to choose from!
I hope the bears are invited for the holiday celebrations. Looking forward to it!
Shannon, it could easily be called “Gorgeous State Park.” It really is one of the prettiest state parks we’ve ever visited, and the trails are wonderful. You and Ken would love the entire area with all of the hiking, waterfalls, and breweries.
I won’t be surprised if the bears show up for our dinner party, LOL!
Chicken-flavored toothpaste – will wonders never cease? Love the waterfalls – like some of the slick rock cascades in the Sierra Nevada. We might get snow here on the valley floor on Christmas Day for the first time in 33 years. Maybe…or…maybe not. We’ll see.
Happy Holidays & a Good New Year to you both!
Laurel,
So you have to return to Florida to see bears? Who knew? Love your pictures! If you’re up for another summer trip to the Carolinas, I discovered a new campground on a creek. Maybe we can meet up and do some whitewater rafting. Let’s talk later.
Have a joyous Christmas and a blessed start to the New Year. Joe
Joe, isn’t it crazy that we didn’t see any bears in NC but we have bears often in our backyard in Florida? I’m intrigued by your new campground on a creek. It would be fun to meet up with you two there!
Wishing you and Helen all the blessings of this holiday season. Enjoy your winter travels!
Bruce, it looks like you’re in for a beautiful white Christmas! And New Year’s! I look forward to seeing your photos. :-) Happy Holidays to you, as well, and I hope you have many grand adventures in 2022.
Your oyster tree is wonderful! I would have HAD to purchase it too. I’m amazed that you have bears in your backyard. Lucky you! I agree 100% that one of the very best things about traveling is meeting new people. That blueberry farm sounds fantastic!
Janis, I thought about that oyster tree for an entire year and am glad we decided to stay in Florida so that I could buy it, LOL! Since we’re here, I figure I might as well enjoy coastal-themed decor. Of course, there are the bears, too—so we kind of have coastal/forest going on here. We love meeting new friends in our travels. I hope someday we meet up with you in person! Happy holidays!
Oh go ahead–drag me to every waterfall! :) Seriously, though, if my Mate & I get back to road-trippin’ in 2022, we are definitely heading to the parts of western NC we usually skip. Fingers crossed for bears. Oh man, how special are they, right there at home?
Thank you for all the beauty & inspiration in 2021. (We all needed it.) Here’s to more in 2022. Happy Solstice by the light of your oyster tree!
Gretchen, I know you will love all of the hiking and waterfalls in Western North Carolina. Thank you for your supportive comment and good wishes—may this year bring you all good things, including a return to road tripping in 2022! I look forward to reading all about it. :-)
Solstice greetings of Love and Light… especially light as in the lightness of being … we can all just “lighten up”. As expected your house is beautiful and your adventures superlative! Do hope we get there to spoil Maggie and put some new mischief in her feline repertoire before she’s a teenager with cattitude!
Loved the waterfalls and could hear the roar and smell those negative ions all the way to the western edge! Stay well and welcome the new … especially new people (even tho we know you’ll always love your old friends here in Oregon the Best). “Ain’t no Sunshine when you’re Gone and You’re Always gone too long, Anytime You Go Away” song request…. Hope to see you in 2022 ! D and J
Oh, my sweet friend—you know that we can never replace the deep, long-time friendships we have in Oregon. What a rich history we have together! We’re just expanding the tribe and hope that you two will make it to Florida to experience a bit of our Southern-style life. And Miss Magnolia is anxiously awaiting your visit!
Wishing you and John a wonderful New Year of adventure, creativity, good health, and joy. We miss you, always.
It’s always a special treat to see waterfalls on a hike. But it usually means a steep down and up. That looks like a “not fun” hike over those huge roots and rocks. Ugh. But Whitewater Falls is beautiful…from afar!!! Haha! Lovely photos of all the falls. So glad you always include photos of yourselves, especially since we can’t see you in person. How cool was that to see the bear family! What a cute photo of Maggie by the tree:) Your oyster tree is adorable!! Perfect your new FL home. Have a wonderful Christmas. Wishing you many new adventures and fun in the New Year!
Pam, you are SO right—almost every waterfall hike involves a steep down and up. Usually down…and then up…which is my least favorite way to hike. And so many of the trails in North Carolina involve a ridiculous amount of roots and rocks. But the reward of the falls is worth it!
We are always excited to see the bears—Maggie does not like them at all, though. We never let her outside, but she’s terrified when she knows they’re around. I hope you and John have a wonderful Christmas and New Year, too. I’m looking forward to your adventures in 2022!
Laurel, there is no such thing as ‘too many waterfall pictures.’ Most of our waterfall viewings happen within a half-mile of where our car is parked so we appreciate your effort to get to these.
I’m surprised you haven’t sighted black bears in your yard before. They are quite common in that part of Florida. The golf club at St. James, (just down the road from you) has ‘Beware of Bear’signs posted around the grill areas. I suspect there have been cases of unwanted guests arriving for dinner.
Love the oyster shell tree – it’s perfect for your coastal home. Merry Christmas
Suzanne, you’re right about the black bears being common around here—they are frequent visitors to our backyard. We love seeing them, but we’re careful to not leave anything tempting out…like garbage cans or bird feeders!
I’m glad you enjoyed the waterfall photos. We love hiking, and waterfalls are always a good destination. And mostly worth the effort, LOL. Happy Holidays!
Looks like you’ve landed in a very special place, what with the dock on the lake and the bears! Wishing the three of you a happy holiday season and a healthy, joyful year ahead!
We do feel lucky to have landed here, Lisa. We love being surrounded by nature and all of the critters that come to visit, and our view of the bay is spectacular. I hope you and Hans are having a wonderful holiday season—wishing you all the best in the New Year!
The waterfalls are gorgeous and endless. You both look so content. Sandy Collier forwarded us your wonderful blog. You guys do such a good job. We too, are enjoying our travels (18 months in of full-timing it) with an unforseen extension into 2023. We are seriously considering the Asheville, NC area for our new digs after the housing market calms down. Hope to meet you guys on the road at some point. Tried to subscribe to your site but wasn’t sure where to find that.?
Safe travels and Merry Christmas!!
Inger👣Jeff👣 and Sadie🐾
http://www.footprintsonwheels.com
Hi Inger & Jeff & Sadie, how fun to hear from you! I’m so glad to know that Sandy forwarded you our blog. We would love to meet up with you in person if you find yourselves in Florida…or perhaps somewhere on the road. We love the Asheville area, too.
As far as subscribing, you’ll find it on the right hand side of this page, below the ‘Welcome to Our Blog’ and above ‘Recent Posts.’ Thanks for commenting! I’m off to check out your blog. Happy Holidays to you three!
Love love your oyster shell tree and WOW bears in your backyard. You’ve got my isolated farm beat there. I’ve seen evidence of them but no where in my yard. What brings them so close? I’m taking notes on the waterfalls but I’ll need that whole list of 22 IF I can make it to NC this summer. Fingers crossed. Happy holidays to you 3.
Sherry, I’ll be delighted to share all 22 waterfalls with you. I hope you can make it to North Carolina this summer. I think you will love it (actually, I know you will, given your appreciation for waterfalls). I hope you have a wonderful holiday and may the New Year bring you ease and many happy adventures.
We’re so dry here that wandering among the many water falls is a lovely escape! Love the Triple Falls, easy to see how it (they) got the name. Unlike Dry Falls :-) That terrible trail really looks treacherous – especially coming down.
Love your bears, the original tree huggers!
I agree you needed the oyster tree, it’s truly beautiful and perfect for your Florida home. Maggie and her tree are too precious.
May you enjoy a fun and memorable holiday in your lovely home – love to you both!
Jodee, we loved our summer escape from the Florida heat in the land of waterfalls. Most of the waterfall names make sense…but Dry Falls? And then I discovered that you stay dry walking behind the falls—so, Dry Falls it is!
We’re currently enjoying the oyster shell tree as our only Christmas tree because Magnolia (bad kitty!) couldn’t leave the tree with the bright and sparkly ornaments alone, LOL. Enjoy your Christmas with your family in your beautiful new home! Hugs to you both!
well, darn, I had an inbox full of posts and letters to respond to and by the time I get to it, everyone has already said anything I might say. The oyster shell Christma tree is a total kick, so very Florida!
The photos of all the waterfalls in Western North Carolina make me wish we could get back there. We visited Asheville and drove the Blue Ridge, but never got to the waterfalls. Just in case, I am definitely going to keep track of this post if just perhaps we slide by that part of the country on our way back from the Northeast next September. Who knows….Merry Christmas to both of you in beautiful sunny warm Florida! We have snow in Grants Pass and if you can see webcams of Ashland this morning you might want to take a look!
Hi Sue, we’ve been watching the weather in the Rogue Valley, and that is a wild amount of snow that you’re getting! Meanwhile, here in Florida we’ve had a few days of warmer than normal temps. I would like something in-between, LOL.
You and Mo would love Western North Carolina, and September is a beautiful time to be there. If you go, check out the little RV park where we stayed in Lake Toxaway. It’s a perfect location. There are many waterfalls nearby, and many beautiful ones are easy to access. Wishing you a wonderful New Year of sweet times at home and adventures away!