Upper Catawba Falls Hike

223 West State Street,Black Mountain NC 28711

07 May, 2022

Description

Join us for this moderate 4.3 mile round trip hike on a section of one of the oldest wagon roads into the Valley from Old Fort. Join us for this moderate 4.3 mile round trip hike on a section of one of the oldest wagon roads into the Valley from Old Fort.  The hike starts at Arthur Joe and Mary Hemphill's pavilion at Fortune Fields and follows the Catawba River down to the upper Falls, passing Davis Falls on the way and following the old wagon road.  Arthur Joe's ancestor, Capt. Thomas Hemphill (1746-1826) was an original Revolutionary War patriot who owned part of this popular stage road up from Old Fort.   Arthur Joe and Mary donated this large tract to conservation.  The hike will be led by Rick and Melinda Halford, who are the caretakers of the tract. Cost: $50 for members/$65 for non-members. Some fees apply.  Difficulty:  Moderate, 4.3 miles round-trip. Moderate 500ft elevation change, but numerous rocky stream crossings. Please e-mail [email protected] with any inquiries.  Coronavirus Protocol: Please bring a mask to the event to use in the event of carpooling.No one who is sick, running a fever or potentially exposed to COVID should attendIf not vaccinated, masks should be worn in all group settings like sign-in and congregation times.Social distancing while on the trails is recommended Swannanoa Valley Museum & History Center has served the western North Carolina community since 1989 as Buncombe County’s primary museum of general, local history.