The Mountains-to-Sea Trail across North Carolina is close to my heart. Over nearly two years, 2009-2011, I hiked the trail in sections from the western terminus atop Kuwohi in the Great Smoky Mountains at the NC/TN state line to the eastern terminus atop the sand dunes at Jockey’s Ridge State Park at NC’s Outer Banks – more than 1,000 miles! Some days I walked with others, some days on my own, and I biked some of the eastern sections. Every mile was an adventure.
The MST can be accessed from many points across the state for a challenging mountain hike, a relaxing half-day walk in the woods or an easy small-town stroll. A book that I highly recommend, Great Day Hikes On North Carolina’s Mountains-to-Sea Trail, highlights 40 adventures across the state. The trail continues to change and grow since I completed it in 2011, and currently it spans 1,175 miles. Great Day Hikes is my inspiration to get out and see what it’s like today.
To escape the broiling heat of a July day in the Carolina Piedmont, Jim and I headed to a higher altitude section of the MST along the Blue Ridge Parkway near Boone, NC – Hike #11. Within the boundary of E.B. Jeffress Park, we hiked from the Cascades Recreation Area eastbound to Benge Gap and back again. (If you’re with friends and two cars, this is a nice shuttle hike.)
Know before you go: check the BRP website for seasonal or construction closures.
Our hike started from the north end of the Cascades Recreation Picnic Area on a loop trail. The MST goes left and the Cascades Trail goes right to access the waterfall. Jim and I followed the right fork to check out the waterfall, knowing that we would hike the MST portion of the loop on our return.
A steep set of steps leads from the top of the Cascades Waterfall down to a rock wall and landing viewpoint of the falls. The steps are very close to the waterfall as it descends. Beyond the landing, the trail was blocked off and we could see severe erosion. I wonder if the trail will ever be rehabbed or if it is better to remain closed. It’s so close to the waterfall, it seems a strong temptation to get dangerously close.
We walked back up the steps to the loop trail, and at the sign indicating the return to the parking lot Jim and I turned right onto the MST
I jumped higher than he did!
The Mountains-to-Sea Trail follows the Blue Ridge Parkway, crossing the roadway back and forth, sharing its narrow corridor of protected federal land as it passes farms and fields in this area northeast of Boone. Fences and gates are part of the rural scene. Sometimes a sharp eye will discern a hunter's deer stand.
A couple of miles along our route, we popped out into a pasture and followed the well-trodden path downhill, where we walked a short way on the road and turned back into the woods.
Before we knew it, we’d reached the intersection of country roads called Benge Gap. We turned around and retraced our steps, staying on the MST portion of the Cascades loop trail as it followed Falls Creek. This little loop to the waterfall and back is a great family hike for the summertime, splashing in the creek and looking for toads.
Our reward after an 8.5-mile ramble: lunch with adult beverages in downtown Wilkesboro, NC. If you haven’t taken the backroads to this little country town, you should.
“In Native American cultures, the American toad is considered a symbol of transformation and adaptability due to their dual nature of living both in water and on land.”
~Robert Leonard
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