Waterfall 100 Challenge: Steels Creek Falls & Bard Falls
Pisgah National Forest, Grandfather District – 5.5 miles - 6/2/23
SOOOO CLOSE…to completing the Carolina Mountain Club Waterfall 100 Challenge! Just two in the Linville Gorge area and two in Pisgah National Forest’s Ranger District and then I will…probably start another hiking challenge. [The CMC Waterfall Challenge list is here, newly revised in February 2024.]
What’s up with these challenge lists? I’m a fan because I learn about places I would likely not find out about on my own. The completion thing motivates me, but true satisfaction comes with every single hike to a beautiful place in nature.
Waterfall hiking in the Linville Gorge Wilderness on a summer day. Jim and I set our sights on Steels Creek Falls first, then we’ll pick up my long-time hiking friend Cathy and head to Bard Falls.
For those of you who like maps, on Highway 181 north of Morganton, NC there’s a forest road (well, there are many forest roads) leading deep into the Grandfather Ranger District of Pisgah National Forest. FR 228 is the road to God’s Country, they say. Long, winding and narrow, 4 miles at 5mph took longer than we expected. No cell service so unable to let Cathy know that our time estimate was way off…
Looked innocent enough until we saw the crossing above this spot, deep water in between big rocks. Seeing the bottom wasn’t easy, and no chance of rock hopping, so we chose carefully before moving our feet. Of course, we had to return the same way.
On the far side, the side trail soon connects to my old friend the Mountains-To-Sea Trail (MST), where we turned right to follow Steels Creek upstream. [When I hiked this section of the MST in 2011, we passed right by Steels Creek Falls but didn’t take the side trail to see it.]
The rugged trail goes steeply up, then down, then up, then level, then…well, you get the picture. A lot happens in about .6 miles, always within sound and/or sight of the creek, sometimes with one foot IN the creek.
In wilderness areas, you have to look closely for an unmarked side trail to a waterfall, and it’s often a slippery scramble. This one was typical, with handy ropes set to ease the way (if you trust ropes set by someone else, that is).
Jim and I agreed not to risk life and limb to walk out on a rock ledge to get up close to the falls. This viewpoint was just fine to see the huge potholes made by the powerful cascading water.
My favorite hike blogger’s report of Steels Falls with great photos is here.
Fast forward: drive back up FR 228 at 5mph, pick up Cathy, switch to FR 464 aka Pineola Road (still in Grandfather District of Pisgah NF) to the Harper Creek Falls area. Bard Falls is also on the Mountains-To-Sea Trail and I also passed it by in 2011.
Turning left at the junction with North Harper Creek Trail (266, still designated as the MST), it’s about .7 miles downstream to Bard Falls. Know before you go: one wide wet crossing of North Harper Creek cannot be avoided. A couple of years ago, Cathy and I attempted to reach Bard Falls with her dog Ellie, but the water was too high and we turned back. Today the creek was calm and ankle deep.
Continuing downstream, we followed the creek as it grew bigger and louder, tumbling through boulders. We glimpsed the top of Bard Falls and found the rugged trail down to the base – no ropes this time, but slippery rock ledges similar to those at Steels Falls. A couple of broad pools below the falls are inviting to wade, but we were not tempted to walk upstream into the flow of the waterfall.
My favorite hike blogger’s report of Bard Falls with great photos is here.
The Harper Creek area is fairly easy to get around with intersecting trails to create loop routes, and lots of creek crossings and waterfalls to enjoy. Remember, safety in numbers when hiking around water features. Be ready to get your feet wet (and more)!
~Jim Watkins
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