Where are you (park, forest, etc.)- Dupont State Forest
Nearest town (s)- Asheville, NC and Greenville, SC
How long is this hike- Day trek
Miles- 6 miles round trip
On your toughness scale (1 easiest, 10 toughest)- 3. I'm no macho hiker but this hike is easy for anybody with a little bit of time and a day to just relax. Mostly wide trails and relatively little incline.
Tell us about it- Since I've moved to Greenville, SC I've done a number of hikes north of here, but nothing north of the border yet (into NC). With the ladyfriend coming in town I figured it seemed like the perfect excuse for a little adventure.
Shortly after I moved here I realized mountain-biking was the sport of choice north of Greenville and south of Asheville. They told me it all centered around one area, Dupont State Forest. After doing a little research into the area I learned there was a lot more going on than just mountain-biking. The 10000+ acres of Dupont State forest has not only caught the eye of locals in the recent years, but Hollywood as well. A number of films have been shot inside the films border, but two blockbuster hits stand out. The Last of the Mohicans and The Hunger games each shot the majority of their scenes around these parts.
Unfortunately it turns out many people have the same idea. If you do this hike, go early. Luckily I got this advice and I managed to snag probably the last parking spot at Hooker Falls Parking Area at around 11am. It is about a 45 minute drive from Greenville. Anyway we departed from the trailhead and made our way to Triple Falls. This is truly an impressive waterfall. I could refer to this as the waterfall in the background of the scene where Peeta Cake-Paints his face, but I think the waterfall deserves a little more recognition. This is the waterfall probably 80% of the parks visitors go to see.
Beyond that, at the base of the waterfall you can hike out onto outcroppings that stand just inches above the rushing water. The water rushes beneath the outcroppings on its way down to the other falls. You can also see this waterfall in some movie that seems to have a famished title.
See any wildlife? None to speak of besides horses, which were domesticated so no. You may be able to count the bike riding shirtless local- there was enough hair to question the claim of domestication or not.
Would you recommend? I would definitely recommend. Beyond a little bit of distance it is a simple hike with some cool views. Considering the low grade in the terrain (at least around this trail) I was surprised to see as many features as I did. It's a good hike for almost any skill level.
Trail Tuesdays is a new weekly segment of Father Nature Outdoors. We realized that we have friends and colleagues all across the country so why not take advantage of their knowledge, and hear some fun stories in the process. If you would like to contribute to Trail Tuesdays yourself just go to the “Contact Us” page and let us know. In return we will reward you with a free FNO microfiber headband. We get to hear some awesome stories and in return we’re rewarding you just to go get some fresh air! That’s a win-win in our book.