The camp host was unprofessional, rude, and threatened to call the sheriffs department because he…read moresaid we were talking too loud. We were not loud and are filing a complaint. We have been coming here for years but will not pay to be treated this way.

Our family loves North Mills River! If you're looking to hike, fish, ride horses, picnic, camp,…read moreetc. this is a solid spot. The picnic area is very well maintained and each picnic table typically has a charcoal grill to go with it. We really love fishing out here! If you're lucky enough to outsmart the elusive fish out here... you can expect to catch rainbow, brook, and brown trout!

IF you want a challenging hike and are looking to score a bunch of amazing waterfalls on the SAME…read moreTRAIL, the Thompson River Waterfalls trail is your Huckleberry!!! Google maps has labeled the trailhead HIGH FALLS TRAIL HEAD just off Whitewater Road. As you turn onto Brewer Road, you will see a wide trail entrance on the corner. We parked along the side of the road near the entrance. There are multiple waterfalls along the trail as Thompson River makes its run down the mountain, dropping approx. 1,900 feet over 5 miles as it makes is way to beautiful Lake Jocassee. There are seven names waterfalls along the trail and 3 that absolutely should not be missed: HIGH FALLS, RICH FALLS & BIG FALLS aka THOMPSON FALLS. THE TRAIL The trail initially ascends about 60 feet but remains at a fairly consistent decline of about 500 feet along the entirety of the main trail. First up was REID FALLS at around .9 miles, but we decided to skip it. A split in the trail at around 1.1 miles leads to HIGH FALLS, a gorgeous 50 foot sliding ribbon waterfall. There really is no way to get an excellent picture of the falls without getting wet. The best vantage of the falls is across the river and a scramble over some large boulders to a beach like area. The pool in front of the falls is better than 6 feet deep, but most of the shallow areas were only ankle or calf deep. Back along the main trail we continued our descent down the mountain and next came to SIMON FALLS, which we also opted to skip. All of the falls (except High Falls) require a scramble downhill to view. Reid and Simon Falls have the least steep scrambles, but we wanted to conserve our legs for Big Falls, the steepest of the scrambles. We also bypassed Rich Falls around the 3.8 mile mark as we decided it would be best to see how we feel after tackling Big Falls. BIG FALLS Listen, however easy the trail seemed up until this point was about to SEVERELY change! The descent to the falls is about 535 feet in less that a quarter of a mile. IT IS VERY STEEP and some areas require sitting on your butt and sliding, other require holding on to low branches or roots and one area in particular requires mild vertical rock climbing. NOT KIDDING! But all of it is doable if you take your time and don't have any serious physical or health challenges. All of the MAIN trail is very easy to follow, but I would highly recommend downloading the ALLTRAILS map because it shows the exact entry points for the side trails to each of the falls. The side trail to Big Falls is easy to follow, but can be very faint in some areas. Once you make it down to the river, look for a side trail just before the final descent to the riverbank. It will lead you through a thicket of vegetation that leads to a boulder entrance to the falls. Navigate them as best you can to get to a great vantage point to view the falls. If you are not skilled at boulder hopping, this area will be very intimidating! But you MUST do it in order to view the Big Falls, which is not visible otherwise. NOTES / TIPS ~ Download ALLTRAILS MAP prior to your drive to the trailhead ~ There are 3 river crossings and yes you will get wet ~ Most of the falls require getting wet for best view ~ No restroom facilities at the trailhead ~ BRING PLENTY OF WATER & SNACKS FINAL THOUGHTS On our return, we were just too exhausted to attempt to see Rich Falls, so instead we used every ounce of energy we had remaining to make it back to the car. I was thoroughly exhausted. The 3.5 miles back seemed more like 10 and we'd run out of drinking water during our time at Big Falls. I recommend a minimum of five 16oz bottles to do this hike and more if you bring salty snacks. I'd also recommend you chug one bottle at the parking area before you begin. All in all this is an amazing trail full of gorgeous waterfalls. Big Falls easily has become one of my top 5 favorite southern waterfalls... but it is a beast of a hike! ALLTRAILS LINK: https://www.alltrails.com/explore/trail/us/north-carolina/thompson-river-waterfalls?mobileMap=false&ref=sidebar-static-map 2023 / 12

A series of gorgeous waterfalls along beautiful Thompson River as it makes its way from the higher…read moremountain elevations down to the Jocassee River. The trail offers a great experience for anyone at any hiking level. If you are like me and prefer more leisurely hikes, The first three waterfalls (Reid Branch, High Falls & Simon Falls) are fairly easy to reach. High Falls in particular is great for families with small children and has a wading pool of water at its base of different depths. There is even a small beach like area to relax and have a picnic. Just know you must get wet in order to reach the beach area, which also has the best view of the falls since High Falls kind of sits recessed into a little nook making it difficult to see in its entirety. But for those who are more like my husband and don't mind a more difficult hike, Rich Falls and Big Falls further downstream will give you plenty of challenge. Although I must say, my husband was sore several days after his hike and while he thought Big Falls was stunning, he was miserable on the return. He said the side trail to Big Falls was extremely steep and challenging, both on the way down and especially on the climb back out. It drained him completely at age 54 and he still had to endure a 3.5 mile hike back to the car running on empty. Knowing him he'll do it again! MEN... LOL Also near the parking area is a trail leading to White Owl Falls. A very short hike to a beautiful 20 foot waterfall. Walk west on Whitewater Road from the parking area and look for an opening with a pink ribbon tied to a tree branch about 900 feet from the trailhead.

My family and I stopped in here at Bent Creek experimental for us this weekend while we were in…read moreAsheville North Carolina. We stopped in to go hiking because Asheville is known for their hike so we went hiking through the woods looking at the animals seeing the trees it is exploring a big fan of exploring trying to get my family to enjoy it as much as I can but it's tough at times. My kids get tired of walking and they get over it pretty quickly but we still enjoyed it overall quick little fun experimental forest walk that we had. Took some fun pictures had a good time I recommend it for sure

Great for mountains biking and hiking. Trails are very well maintained and clearly marked. Several…read moreoptions for parking and an abundance of fun to be had. Get outside and play!

Spectacular views. Words do it no justice. Just a note, you better have a higher lift vehicle to…read moreget there. It's about 4 miles past Falls parking lot, it's gravel, rutty and pretty rough.

Gorgeous spot near Lineville, Table Rock, Grandfather, etc.! We took our engagement photos at…read moreWiseman's View on a beautiful September afternoon at sunset. It's the perfect spot for photos because... A) It's an easy stroll from the parking lot, i.e. you're not going to get hot and sweaty hiking to your photo shoot location. B) It's almost always 15-degrees cooler here than in Charlotte. Again, avoiding the whole hot and sweaty thing. C) The views are unrivaled. Sweeping from all angels, on a clear day you can see for miles and miles from one of the several outcrops/overlooks.

A stunning way to experience some of the best of the Blue Ridge Mountains…read more A scenic BR Parkway drive leads to an easy trail to the top, where the view is expansive, gorgeous, and seemingly endless.

One of the highest spots on the parkway, the gardens offer a verdant hiking trail. It is often…read morefoggy, and this area feels very much like the Great Smoky Mountains in how water moves around here. The vegetation is quite different than you'll see elsewhere. The parking area for the crag itself is quite large, and if you're lucky enough to catch it on a clear day, the views will be majestic.

It is a short hike that is moderate with difficult sections but the views were worth it. I…read morerecommend going at an off time since parking is limited.

It's a short trail (1m round trip) with limited parking options and a lot of vertical climb aided…read moreby railroad tie timbers positioned as erosion-limiting stairs. The view is pretty good, especially in a clear day, but there are better hikes to be had IMO.

We love PNF. We try and make it at least once a year and get a cabin just outside of Brevard. There…read moreis so much to do and so beautiful all seasons. It's snowing right now. We love it up here and will continue to visit Pisgah National Forest as much as possible.

I had so much fun hiking Sam's knob. It was beautiful and shorter compared to looking glass. This…read morepark is such a gem. I visited the ranger station before hiking and he game me a wonderful fun fact about the part being named after a biblical mountain. I'll let you look up the rest. If you are looking for waterfalls, sliding rocks, friendly rangers, beautiful summits check this park out.

Have been to Laurel Creek Falls (Trash Can Falls) many times and we love it. It's beautiful every…read moretime off year. I've came when it's crowed and when it's empty. The parking is off on a gravel area on the side of the road and it's limited. To get to the falls cross the street and follow the path through the woods. It's a super short and really easy path but once you get to the falls you do have to do some climbing and maneuvering so I don't recommend for anyone disabled, small children, or older folks who have issues getting around. We recently went post hurricane Helen and it looks a little different. The wood planks for crossing are gone but the straps remain to help you get out of the swimming hole. There is a fallen tree we had to climb over. Still many people there having a great time just as before!

This place is awesome to jump into a fresh spring & clean water as well, the rocks are a bit high…read morebut once the fear of heights is gone you'll have a blast!!!!! :)

Gorgeous place, easy parking on the side of the roads with multiple stopping areas. Dog friendly…read moreand people friendly. Able to swim and to walk around (very cautiously) on rocks. Relaxing to just lay on a massive rock and listen to the waterfall.

5-Stars for simply being a beautiful waterfall relatively close to town and located just a few…read moreshort steps from the road, no hiking required. There are 3 viewpoints: road level, mid-level down a short set of stairs, and at the base down a second set of stairs. This is a great option for people with little kids, people with limited mobility, or those just short on time. There is limited roadside parking. Free to visit. No restroom. Easy peasy.

Lots of things to explore for every age - swings, slides, climbers, seek and find. Tons of space to…read morerun and play with really nice bathrooms and a small picnic area. Pretty decent shade throughout the day.

Safe activities for toddlers in a quiet location. Good variety. Our two year old loved it! Only…read morecomplaint was that there are no landing pads.