Catawba Falls, NC

On Tuesday July 23rd 2024, we headed to old Fort, NC to visit Catawba Falls. The trail reopened on May 31st, 2024 after being closed for construction. It is very popular. The parking lot was full on this Tuesday afternoon. I found a spot off road near the parking’s entrance.

We hiked the loop starting on the scenic Catawba Falls River Trail. We walked on a footbridge over the Catawba River passing a mossy historic structure that used to be a hydroelectric plant in the early 1900s. We followed the path crossing over another bridge before reaching the base of the Lower Falls. The trail was muddy and slippery in certain sections. I appreciated my hiking stick and sturdy hiking boots. I highly recommend both for this trail. After admiring the water cascading 100 ft into a pool and photographing it, we proceeded to climb the newly constructed 580 steps toward the Upper Falls. I glimpsed picturesque views of mountain tops as I approached the end of the stairs. The Upper Catawba Falls descend 50 ft. There is an overlook facing it. This part of the trail is still unfinished but accessible. After a short break, we continued onto the Ridge Trail to complete the loop. I was glad we decided to hike up the Catawba Falls River Trail and return via the Ridge Trail. It is easier for me to climb stairs than to descend them. You will need to proceed whichever way is easier for you. The Ridge Trail has no steps but quite the elevation gain, guessing about 1,000ft based on our hike completion detail on AllTails. Our hike distance was about 4 miles and 864ft elevation gain. It took us about two hours with stops. I highly recommend this trail if you are able to manage the elevation gain. It is quite scenic and the falls are stunning.

References Catawba Falls on Alltrails, My completed hike on AllTrails, Hike WNC