Waterfall 100 Challenge Finale: Nellie’s Falls & Cody Falls – 7/26/23 – 6.2 Miles
Surprise – sometimes hiking challenge lists change! Carolina Mountain Club’s Waterfall Challenge (WC100) updated during the decade(s) that I’ve been chipping away at it. A couple of hikes I’d done were removed from the list and a couple of new ones were added. In the category of “never say never” I found myself returning down remote western North Carolina forest roads that I’ve traveled before, looking for the last two waterfalls to make 100.
Nellie’s Falls – 1.7 miles roundtrip
Nellie’s Falls wasn’t on the list when my hiking buddy Jeff and I hiked past the turnoff for it when we explored Flat Creek Falls back in February 2020, but he’d given me a GAIA track for it so I had something easy to follow. Before I left home, I refreshed my memory about our adventure. (You can read all about it here.)
Driving on NC 281 north of Lake Toxaway (which I personally pronounce “Lake Alongway”), I turned onto gravel Rock Bridge Road, then a long forest road, heading deep into the backcountry of Nantahala National Forest known as Panthertown Valley. I parked at a remote parking area and campsite beside Flat Creek. Unlike our February exploration featuring ice and traces of snow on the road, today was warm, 70’s. (I love July in the mountains).
As I shouldered my daypack, a big ol’ SUV drove up and a man stepped out wearing full camo. We chatted as he gathered up his tackle box and fishing poles. “Looks like we picked a great day.” Super nice guy.
My first trick was crossing Flat Creek. When Jeff and I were here, I had to wade barefoot through the frigid flow, but today the water was low enough to rock hop.
deeply shaded mountain laurel tunnels
A grandaddy tree had fallen across the creek at a short, broad cascade. Unless it just happened this morning, I knew there would be a workaround. I hunted around for a trail on the far side and, sure enough, someone had chopped their way through.
The trail continued to the base of Nellie’s Falls, a multi-tiered cascade flowing into a small pool, dazzling in the morning sun. I just love these precious gems in the backcountry and knowing that they are flowing night and day, not caring in the least whether anyone sees them or not.
Someone flagged a route leading to the top of the falls, out of sight. I followed it for a few minutes but lost interest when it appeared to go on a while. I hadn’t planned to pursue that route and I was alone… so I turned around and backtracked out to my car. I was one happy hiker, met a nice person, completed my goal, and had a fun drive out on the now-familiar gravel roads.
Cody Falls - 4.5 miles roundtrip
My last waterfall challenge was in Pisgah National Forest, off of Highway 215 near the little community of Balsam Grove. I was happy to see that Courthouse Creek Road was open (closed for several years). New gravel had been put down, but there were some bumpy stretches and one particular washout with flagging tape for a very skinny passageway.
Surprisingly, the road was gated about .6 miles before the main trailhead. There was a much bigger parking area here and the road beyond the gate was in very good shape. Speculating about the changes: improving the road but limiting access to forest service and rescue vehicles makes sense for this popular area. The gate added 1.2 miles roundtrip to my hike today. I was glad I hadn’t spent time going to the top of Nellie’s Falls.
pouring into its deep, clear pool
Like Nellie’s Falls, there is no official trail to Cody Falls, but after reading a couple of blog descriptions of how to find it, I thought it would be a quick scramble spur trail off of Summey Cove Trail near Courthouse Falls. Maybe I was too literal (which tree? which big rock?) After searching with no luck, I decided to get on with hiking Summey Cove Trail.
Did I mention that Summey Cove Trail plunges down to Highway 215? And what goes down…must come up. The tread was quite nice, though, and I thought I could just gut out the steep parts, but at the halfway point I turned around. The hour was getting late and I still had not found Cody Falls. Maybe someday I’ll get back to Summey Cove Trail and hike that pesky 1.4 miles out-and-back from 215.
Here's what happened: I took one last try at the side trail to Courthouse Falls and saw what I had missed earlier: a side trail off of the side trail, not Summey Cove Trail at all (smacks forehead). Maybe this was it? And it was.
It took all my brain power to work out that although they are close together, Cody Falls is not on the same creek as Courthouse Falls. Cody Creek is along Mill Station Creek, which flows into Courthouse Creek.
You’re welcome.
The trail was very steep but easy to follow down to Mill Station Creek, not as hard as some crazy ropes-and-cables things Jim and I have done. At the water’s edge I walked upstream for a few yards, around a curve, and there was Cody Falls. I got my feet wet crossing the creek to get an unobstructed view, but it was near day’s end and I was thrilled to have solved the puzzle.
This beauty looks like a slinky white wedding dress as it slides into a deep pool. The rock wall has been smoothed by the water, appearing like slickrock canyon walls in the deserts of the American Southwest. Alone once again, I soaked in the green moss, the water, spray, the leaves rustling in the breeze, the power of nature.
I thought about my dad and the 15th anniversary of his death coming up in a couple of days. Did he ever hike to a waterfall in his life? I never asked. Part of the reason I write about these hikes is for my children and grandchildren to know about my adventures, big and small, and my love of the outdoors.
Feeling elated, I hiked back to my car (don’t forget the extra .6 miles) and drove down the bumpy gravel road to civilization at the junction of Hwy 215 & Hwy 64. By civilization, I mean the Forks Of The River Taproom at Headwaters Outfitters. I sat on the porch with a Bold Rock blackberry cider and French fries to celebrate finishing the Waterfall 100 challenge. What’s next?
find that I lived just the length of it. I want to have lived the width of it as well.”
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