Big thanks to Richard R. for adding this one that did not come up in the usual searches and yet, it…read morewas the main reason I passed through the DuPont Forest. I love bridges and I love covered bridges even more! And wow, thanks for the amazing writeup of all the drama on this property that was an eye-opener. I parked the van at the High Falls Trailhead (there are restrooms and even a wifi here!) and made my way along the trail to the bridge. It's about 0.75 of a mile on a path through the woods. I am apparently not as delicious as usual as I earned zero mosquito bites despite sweating a lot in the humidity. I'd call this walk "easy plus." The bridge itself is impressive and quite modern. And I would suggest not missing the nearby Falls though I was simply too tired and it was getting too late for me. I'll need to plan better next time! The walk back was much easier as I opted to take the gravel road that is easy and smooth, but only open for emergency vehicles and the forest rangers. I would rate the hike as "easy" for 0.6 miles though not wheelchairable. You can ask the rangers for access by vehicle for handicapped but they're only open regular hours. [Review 20030 overall - 3463 in North Carolina - 1005 of 2023.]

High Falls Covered Bridge (also known as Buck Forest Covered Bridge) is one of my favorite bridges…read morein the Southern United States. It is a modern structure that has an interesting history. It is an example of the power of the people versus the dollar power of a developer. HISTORY In 1999, Sterling Diagnostic Imaging decided to sell their interest in the land that holds Triple Falls and High Falls, two of the most gorgeous waterfalls you will ever visit this side of the Mississippi. For reasons still unknown, the company decided to use an unusual bidding method by choosing to keep the bidding private and secretive. The State offered up a bid in efforts to save the land for public use, but Sterling announced a developer by the name of Jim Anthony won with a bid of 6.35 million. The developer initially announced in the Hendersonville Times News that he had no plans to develop the land, but instead wanted to use it as a private retreat. However, it soon became apparent Anthony was indeed planning a massive upscale gated community. The fact that the deed he purchased from Sterling Diagnostics stating the land could not be used for residential purposes at the Transylvania Courthouse did not seem to matter. It was later discovered the complex legal agreement between the two was unenforceable and the battle began between the state and Anthony. Anthony proceeded to begin building the roads and this gorgeous covered bridge as part of his planned community, but thankfully he was ultimately defeated. On October 23, 2000 Governor Jim Hunt and the Council of State unanimously voted to invoke eminent domain on the tract of land owned by developer Anthony. In many ways Anthony still won big, because the State paid him 24.5 million dollars in an out of court settlement. WOW! The Falls opened to the public on December 17, 2000. Since then, the entire 2200 acres has been integrated into Dupont State Forest. [History Reference: Romantic Asheville - "How Dupont State Forest was saved"] FINAL THOUGHTS Aside from being one of the most beautiful covered bridges you will ever see, it also is part of a trail system that includes arguably the most beautiful waterfalls in the South. If that is not enough of a reason to come here, let me give you movie fans one more reason. Many scenes from the 1st Hunger Games were filmed right here in this forest. The scene were Katniss finds Peeta camouflaged in the ground at the waterfall is located on the second tier of Triple Falls... just a half mile downstream of High Falls Covered Bridge. Movie scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxvyMiwhJWw Year Built: 2000 Obvious materials: Wood, stone, concrete Spans over: Little River at the top of High Falls Location: Dupont State Forest @ Buck Forest Road

The tunnel is cool, but very short. The trails make up for it and the waterfalls are a great sight…read more No wait time, no reservations recommended, price to entry $1-5. But make sure you have a flashlight with you to go into the tunnels and the waterfalls is so pretty. I recommend this to anyone who want to adventure.

Short experience but worth going to. The entrance is $5 a car. You can walk the short tunnel, just…read morebe careful it gets dark and there's puddles. The waterfall is beautiful and it can be viewed from the top and from the side on the observatory deck.

Beautiful example of a southern plantation house. The house and grounds have a rich history. Our…read moretour guide was very knowledgeable and gave interesting details as we went through each room. Pictures are not allowed inside the house. Some families that once lived here donated furniture that was in the house at the time. The pieces of furniture and accents are gorgeous! The design of some of the tables and even some door hinges was ingenious. This is well worth the stop if you're nearby!

Absolutely loved stumbling upon Textile Totems by Yuri Tsuzuki while exploring Camperdown Plaza!…read moreThis creative tribute to textile history is both artistic and meaningful. The giant stainless steel needle, safety pin, and wooden bobbin feel like a playful nod to the craft world--supersized and beautifully engineered. The intricate laser-cut patterns and clever lighting make the installation come alive, especially in the evening. It's like walking through a story sewn into the heart of the city. Definitely worth a stop if you're into public art or just want a great backdrop for photos!

Worth the drive to see and walk through the tunnel…read more Read the history, it's really a sad story. They call it the stolen highway

If you didn't know the history of this spot, you might not think it's a big deal but if you do know…read morethe history, it becomes more relevant. Yes, it literally is a road that ends in a very long, dark and wet tunnel. There are also several walking trails nearby. We drove back on the road a little bit and did one of the shorter hikes that leads to a section of the lake. There are other trails that are more strenuous. This is more of an oddity than anything else, but still an interesting place to visit.

There's a very helpful brochure at the entrance and if they're out of stock, I've added a picture…read more The brochure tells the story of this cemetery that dates back to 1785 when the oldest church in the county was organized by Scots-Irish in a log building that stood at the north side of the graveyard called Francis Dean's or Robert Henderson's Lower Meeting House. Dean owned the land and Henderson was the first pastor of the church. The brochure continues, "When the church was founded in 1785, Dandridge was just a small western outpost nestled along the French Broad River in Caswell County, State of Franklin, where most people were living in scattered log cabins. The ace of cession by North Carolina paved the way for the formation of the State of Franklin which almost became the nation's 14th state and survived for four years under its own government even though North Carolina would never officially recognize the Franklinites." It was peaceful and interesting and quite historic. If you're heading to Dandridge, stop in and visit the final resting place of these pioneers. [Review 20105 overall - 461 in Tennessee - 1081 of 2023.]

So old. Yeah, this is pretty neat. Dating back to around 1785, interred here are the graves of…read moreRevolutionary War veterans and early citizens of Dandridge. The are only a handful of headstones and they are all unmarked and weathered - in a really cool historic way. There are several stone benches and the grounds are well maintained. The local attendant at the visitor center told me much more oral history; apparently you may never guess it by the size of this little hill mound but approximately 200 unknown graves lie underneath. Oh my.

I found out about an event going on at The Haywood Mill threw the Meetup app. A group of retirees…read morewere going to "meet up" there. My hubby and I decided to give the event a try...boy, am I glad we did! Wonderful entertainment with banjo's playing, singing and the mill was open! Wow! How cool to see them making grits powered from a water mill! Explored the other structures to. Small tents were set up with artisan's selling their merchandise. Loved the museum where a rock is that was discovered to have Cherokee Indian writings on them. Wow! What a treasure! My hubby and I enjoyed it so much! Would have never known this place existed without the Meetup Group! Can't wait to go back for more events!

Great family area, history, hiking Just a good place to…read moreexperience the outdoors Bring the dogs play in the creek/ explore

Its a long hot hike in the summer, but when you finally make it to the falls, the water is cold!…read more The climbing rope is not very safe, I slipped due to so many people being there and the rock being so slippery and had massive bruises on my knees for weeks. A little overcrowded in the summer.

Turtleback Falls was always so much fun. Everything in this area is spectacular. It is a giant…read morefalls shaped like a turtle's back and you can slide off of it! The rock surface is so smooth and when you slide off the turtle's back you fall 10-15 feet into freezing cold water. There is a hole on turtle back that you can slide into and lean your head back to find an air pocket. You can also swim behind the waterfall and just chill. On the opposite side of the catch pool (natural), you find a giant rock that you can jump off of. I'd say it's roughly 15-20 feet so you may want to wear shoes to assuage the impact on your feet.

Rhonda was our tour guide. So friendly and helpful. The house was very interesting to walk through,…read moreand so much we could actually see up close and personal. We also got to see Mr. Calhoun's office, which is not attached to the house. We enjoyed our time here and didn't feel rushed at all. And it was FREE!

From the owner: Thomas Green Clemson's bequest led to the creation of Clemson University and the establishment of…read moreFort Hill, the antebellum plantation of American politician John C. Calhoun, as an historic house museum first opened to the public in 1893. In accordance with T. G. Clemson's will, Fort Hill dwelling house "shall always be open for the inspection of visitors" with official hours of operation seven days a week, with the exception of University holidays and home football games. Fort Hill interprets the history of all who lived here from the Calhoun and Clemson families to the enslaved African-Americans whose sheer determination, resilience, and resistance are much of our story. Prior to the American Revolution, the land that now makes up Clemson University's campus was part of the Cherokee's Lower Town of Esseneca.