July 18th & July 24th, 2019
Whimsical woods & waterfalls
We found an incredibly beautiful, peaceful, and FREE getaway spot on a recent trip through North Carolina. We were on our way north to visit family, and it was going to be a long drive through the mountains. So many changes in elevation and sharp turns can get pretty stressful when hauling a camper. We made it easier on ourselves by splitting up the drive and camping overnight in
It's the largest of North Carolina's 4 National Forests, and gets it's name from the Cherokee word meaning "land of the noon-day sun". In some of the deep gorges, the sun only reaches the ground when high overhead around noon. And it is GORGEOUS, offering amazing views of the mountains, tons of trails to hike, and countless waterfalls along the road. The entire drive was stunning and we would have been happy to camp anywhere in that area.
Our route took us near the Blue Ridge Parkway, and was the most picturesque drive yet. We drove carefully along the road as it meandered through the mountains with a rock wall on one side and a drop off on the other. Most traffic is going 30 MPH or less, so don't plan on getting anywhere quickly. The switchbacks and sharp turns will keep you on the edge of your seat, but the views are so worth it.
There are streams of fresh water running down the rocks along the road and we were surprised by some awesome waterfalls. We stopped at three during our trip, each one much bigger than the last. The first was almost hidden along the side of the road.
The second waterfall was way bigger. We parked and jumped out to explore it. The water was cold and clean, and it was a lot of fun to climb up and check out. I was surprised we were alone since it was such a cool spot. There is a campsite close to this waterfall, but it was occupied both times we checked.
The biggest waterfall we saw was the only one we stopped at that had a sign - Bridal Veil Falls. This one also had a parking area, which did have a few cars in it. I'm guessing it's one of the more popular waterfalls because it's right on the main road and definitely not hidden. We saw other waterfalls down along the river and on our way out. There are so many more to find in this area, we barely scratched the surface.
We found a spot to camp along Blue Valley Road. This area is best for those looking to tent camp. There were lots of tent sites, but only a couple spots that worked for our 25' camper. It was definitely a little tight for turning around, so if you do have a larger rig, plan your route carefully.
The surrounding forest is WILD. You can see black bears, bobcats, deer, and more. Luckily, we didn't run into any bears or bobcats, but we did see frogs, birds, fish, and lots of interesting insects.
Even the ground was awesome. There were shiny flakes of (what I believe was) mica everywhere. It sparkled all along the paths and in the water. The dust and sand that the dogs tracked into the camper was like glitter.
Mica on Moss 
Red Chanterelle (?) 
Stereum Ostrea (False Turkey-Tail Fungus)
Tiny snail 
American Toad 
Helix Aspersa Maxima Snail
Crayfish 
Pipevine Swallowtail 
Nantahala National Forest has made it to the top of my list so far. We got to climb waterfalls, camp for free, and hike on some wildly beautiful trails. There are tons of even cooler hiking trails throughout the area, and we will definitely be back to explore more of them. It was quiet during our stay too, and even though we were only there for one night each time, we really got to relax and enjoy nature at it's finest.
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