SWEET INSPIRATION

Around 12 years ago, I visited the Talluah River headwaters for the first time. The river begins on the slopes of Standing Indian, in North Carolina’s Nantahala National Forest, before heading south into Georgia. On that first trip, we backpacked from the Standing Indian campground and spent a several days exploring the infant river, Chimney Rock, and High Falls on Beech Creek. It was a great trip, and I immediately began looking forward to another visit.

For some reason, that didn’t happen until May of 2005. On that trip, Dave and I visited the Beech Creek Gorge & Big Scaly, before finishing our trip on the Appalachian Trail and a primitive route along the Georgia state line. It was another fine trip, but once again, several years passed without a return visit.

A few months ago, I received an email from John, who’d stumbled upon my report from that 2005 trip. We exchanged several messages, and John offered up a lot of information on the area that I wasn’t aware of. Before long, I began to feel a familiar itch. His email had reminded me of the many places in the area I’d yet to explore. Before long, I began to contemplate when I could get back there.

A couple of weeks ago, a job assignment in Atlanta gave me my opportunity. The main reason I rarely make it to the Talluah River area is that it’s a looong drive from Charlotte. From Atlanta though, it’s a little more reasonable. Plus, I knew my job would only take three days, which left me with some extra time to play. When I left for Atlanta on Monday morning, I had all of my backpacking gear in my trunk.

Atlanta has never been one of my favorite destinations, thanks to the eternal traffic jams and infernal smog. However, this trip had a couple of highlights. First, I was able to spend one evening with my friend, Jimmy. Also, while I was in the area, I discovered that Atlanta has its own National Park! Well, technically it’s a National Recreation Area, but it’s managed by the park service. One evening after work, I spent a bit of time checking it out. I drove over to the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area for an evening run. I only saw a small portion of the recreation area, but I really enjoyed the views of the river and a nice wooded path for my run. Of course, I had to sit in a traffic jam to get there. I guess that whole experience kind of sums up Atlanta for me.

By Thursday I’d had enough noise and traffic, and was ready to head for the mountains. I left Atlanta at lunch time, and drove non-stop to Clayton, Georgia. Along the way, I passed a billboard advertising low rates at the Bates Cabins. This really got my attention. Call me crazy, but I just don’t think “Bates” is a good choice in names for any sort of overnight accommodation.

I stopped at the Ingles in Clayton for last minute groceries, before heading on to the Talluah River and Tate City, Georgia. Tate City isn’t really a city, but it is a quaint little community in a lovely valley. From there, I crossed into North Carolina. A couple of minutes later, I reached the parking area for the Beech Creek Trail. I was surprised to find someone camping adjacent to the parking lot. On my previous trips in the area, I’d seen virtually nobody.

By the time I finished loading my pack, it was already 4:30. My original plan was to hike up through Beech Creek Gorge, past High Falls, and on to camp at Case Knife Gap. However, due to the late start, I wasn’t sure if I’d have enough time to make it there comfortably before dark. The last thing I wanted to do was rush through one of the nicest parts of the hike. So, I spontaneously decided to do the hike in the opposite direction.

I started the hike by backpacking up the forest road. After 30 minutes or so, I passed several houses on private land surrounded by National Forest. As I walked by, I wandered what their address was. The forest road is a dead end, and the only way out of the valley is through Tate City. Tate City is in Georgia though. Would their address be Tate City, even though they live in North Carolina?

A bit later, I reached the parking area at the end of the road. From there, I continued ahead on the old road, just above the rushing water of the Talluah River. After a half-mile or so, I arrived at a nice campsite above the stream. There’s really nothing better than sleeping next to a mountain stream, with the soothing sound of rushing water in the background. Plus, I was almost at the junction with the trail to Chimney Rock and Case Knife Gap, so this was the perfect place to camp. I pitched my tent, and stopped to plan how to spend my evening.

I had one other motivation for camping here. The map indicates a waterfall nearby, and the Kevin Adams guide mentions another. Both are off trail though, so I didn’t want to go hunting them with a fully loaded pack on. Once camp was set up though, the pack was mostly empty. After finishing my chores, I got out my maps, and looked for the photocopy of Kevin’s description, which I’d made that morning. It was at this point that I realized I’d left it in the car! Going back wasn’t an option. I’d read that page several times over the preceding days though. Plus, one waterfall is shown on the map, and I was pretty sure I knew where the other one was. I decided to go for it with only my map as a guide.

I continued up the old road, passing the junction with the trail to Chimney Rock. I crossed Chimney Branch and turned off the trail onto another old road. This took me down to the river, where all traces of the road disappear. I didn’t see any way to get across dry, so I switched to water shoes and waded. The water wasn’t nearly as cold as I expected, and the crossing was easy. Once across, I bushwhacked uphill, through mostly open forest, angling towards Thomas Creek. Before long, I found myself on something of a beaten path – obviously others had come here looking for the falls. Soon the climb became steep, and it was a relief when a waterfall appeared ahead.

Thomas Creek is small, and the waterfall isn’t very high, but it was a nice spot regardless. The creek does tumble through a narrow notch and down a steep, mossy rock, creating a pretty scene. However, I was a little puzzled. The waterfall shown on the map seemed to be higher up the mountain. The faint path I’d followed did appear to continue, up an extremely steep slope next to the falls. Beyond the falls though, the terrain appeared to moderate. If there was another waterfall upstream, it was still a good distance away. I knew the stream would only get smaller the farther up I went. Plus, daylight was fading, and I was sure I only had time to either continue upstream or hunt for New Falls. I decided to spend my remaining time searching for New Falls.

After the trip, I checked the Kevin Adams guide, and discovered that Thomas Falls was in fact farther upstream. Oh well. I suspect that the only time it’s worth visiting is when the water is way up. And under those conditions, getting across the Talluah River would be a challenge.

The sensible route to New Falls would require backtracking, crossing the river, and following the official trail on the other side. So obviously I didn’t do that. Instead, I decided to go cross country. I was pretty sure New Falls was on the second stream north of Thomas Creek. So, I headed down Thomas Creek a short distance, before angling to the northeast. A steep descent brought me close to the river, and before long I crossed a small stream. Although I was bushwhacking, the going was actually fairly easy in mostly open forest. A bit farther along, I reached a second, larger stream. I guessed that this was the correct one, and headed up the creek.

Once again, I found a hint of a path along here. This time though, I climbed and climbed without a waterfall materializing. As I hiked, the stream dwindled, and I began to have doubts. Eventually I stopped for a lengthy map check. The stream I was following was heading west, while the one I wanted took a more northern bearing. I began to suspect that I had unwittingly wandered up into Collarly Cove, which looked to be completely devoid of waterfalls. Finally I fished out my compass, and confirmed it. I was definitely heading the wrong direction.

My wrong turn did have one benefit. Collarly Cove is an incredible wildflower garden. Blooms were everywhere, most notably trout lilies and several varieties of trillium. This was probably the best stretch of wildflowers I saw over the whole weekend.

I backtracked downstream, and then continued north. After only a few minutes, I blundered upon an obvious trail, marked by ribbons. Ah ha! This was more like it. I hurried up the path, as daylight was quickly fading. Hurrying was difficult though, as I was tackling a substantial hill. Fortunately, I didn’t have to go terribly far. A few minutes later, I got my first glimpse of New Falls. My first thought was that it had absolutely been worth the endeavor. New Falls is high, pretty, and on a much larger stream than Thomas Creek.

I stopped for a long break to enjoy the falls. I still had a little time to get back to camp, and I was sure the return would be much faster and easier. New Falls reminds me a lot of Dill Falls, near Rosman, NC. The creek is a little smaller, but the shape of the falls is quite similar. My first impression of New Falls had been favorable, and the longer I sat there, the more I enjoyed it. Eventually I had to leave, but it wasn’t easy. New Falls is definitely one I’d visit again.

I raced back down the trail, and continued following it beyond where I’d joined it after bushwhacking. Eventually I reached the river again, which I waded one more time. On the far side, I joined the main trail to Deep Gap. I continued down the valley though, passing a high rock face on the far side of the river. A few minutes later, I was safely back at camp, and working on dinner. I made it back with just enough daylight to spare that I was able to cook without using my headlamp.

I slept great that night, thanks to chilly temperatures and the constant lullaby of the river in the background.

It was cold the next morning, which delayed my breaking camp. I eventually got going though, and headed up the trail towards Chimney Rock and Case Knife Gap. It was a stout climb, but the many switchbacks eased the grade. As I was climbing, I was startled to encounter a father and son on their way down. They had spent the night camped up on Big Scaly, near the summit. Seeing them was a bit of shock, as I hadn’t encountered anyone since leaving the trailhead.

A bit later, I reached a large cairn marking the side trail to Chimney Rock. This path would be easy to miss if it wasn’t for the marker. I dropped my pack there, and headed up the mountain to check out Chimney Rock.

I climbed steadily, passing large boulders scattered along the hillside. A few minutes later, I got my first view of Chimney Rock. It’s a large outcrop of rock, perhaps 100’ high, perched on a steep, wooded slope. My first thought was that I should be content with this view of it, but then I noticed a scramble path leading up to the base of the cliffs. I headed up, hoping for a better look.

I reached the base of the cliffs, which are nearly sheer. There was one place where climbing might be an option, but it would be tricky. I then circled the rock, and found a better ascent route on the far side. There is a fixed rope here, which runs part of the way up the rock. From the base though, I couldn’t tell how difficult the rest of the climb would be. I was tempted to climb up, but decided against it. It would be potentially hazardous, even with the rope, and I was hiking solo.

I spent a few more minutes exploring Chimney Rock before heading back down to the trail. I hoisted my pack once again, and resumed the climb towards Case Knife Gap. Sometime later, I swung around the shoulder of Big Scaly, and strolled into the gap. There is a lovely hardwood forest here, and even at this lofty elevation, the ground was about to erupt with the blooms of wildflowers. I found the 4-way intersection in the gap. From previous hikes, I knew the trail to my left climbed an exceptionally steep slope up to the AT near Standing Indian. Today though, I was heading the other way.

I turned right, and headed up the “Big Scaly Nature Trail” towards the summit. It’s a fairly long but gentle climb from the gap to the top of the mountain. Shortly before the summit, I arrived at the first of several rock outcrops. There are great views here, stretching from the northwest to the southwest. Waves of blue mountains rolled away from me, and the lush valley surrounding Tate City was visible far below. In the furthest distance, I could just make out a large lake down in another mountain valley.

I stopped there for lunch and enjoyed a brilliant, warm, sunny day. I could’ve lingered there all afternoon, except for the annoyance of hordes of pesky little flies. Plus, I still had several miles to go, and my wife was expecting me for dinner.

I returned to Case Knife Gap, and hiked down through the upper Beech Creek valley. After a short distance I passed Beech Creek springs, which must be one of the largest springs in these mountains. There is a tremendous amount of water here, and as a result, Beech Creek gets big very fast. I passed several campsites and some early wildflowers, before the creek began to tumble rapidly below me. From here, the creek is one long series of slides and cascades. Unfortunately, the trail stays high above it, but the path is still lovely. I passed below the steep east face of Big Scaly as I worked my way down the mountain, chasing after the tumbling mountain stream.

Eventually I reached the first of several steep, rocky switchbacks carved out of the side of the mountain. I dropped down rapidly, eager to rejoin the creek. Then I reached a side trail, marked with an ancient sign pointing towards High Falls. I dropped my pack there, and took a few minutes to visit the falls.

High Falls is one of the nicest cataracts around, and is not to be missed. I followed the side path down to the creek, and followed it around a sharp corner. Immediately I found myself at the base of the falls. The waterfall is lovely, as the water cascades down a steep rock face, fanning out over hundreds of tiny ledges. It was a sunny day, so I couldn’t do much in terms of photography, so I settled for just enjoying the falls.

A few minutes later, I was startled when the people I’d seen camping at the trailhead arrived. It was two men and a fairly young boy, and they had hiked up to see the falls. I chatted briefly with the father, who was surprised to discover that it’s possible to hike a full loop around Big Scaly. We had been talking less than a minute when he yelled. I looked up to see that his son had scrambled a good ways up the falls. This was startling, but the gentleman didn’t seem too alarmed. I joked that it would take me 15 minutes to scramble as far as his son had gone in 30 seconds! Oh to be young again.

I decided to leave the falls to them, and headed out. I regained my pack, and resumed the descent. After another switchback, I passed the remains of an old mining structure, and noted a primitive trail that heads up to Beech Gap. The trail goes upstream a short distance, towards another significant cascade, before dropping down to cross the creek. It then ascends the extremely steep slope beyond, bound for the AT. I have yet to do this trail, but perhaps I’ll get to it one of these days.

The descent continued, and before long I rock hopped Beech Creek. A short distance beyond I reached Bull Cove Creek. Here I took one more side trip. I went up along this stream a short distance to Bull Cove Falls. It’s a nice waterfall, although it isn’t much when compared to High Falls, or even New Falls. It was still nice to make a quick visit though. Unfortunately, the lighting was horrible for photography.

Back at the trail, I carefully rock hopped Bull Cove Creek and continued downstream. Eventually I turned off the old road bed, and crossed Beech Creek one more time. I climbed the hillside beyond, through a garden of Bloodroot, Trillium, and other wildflowers, up to a minor ridge. From here, it’s all downhill. Unfortunately, it seems that most people here ignore the well-designed switchbacks, and go straight down the hill. I chose to take the switchbacks, which was difficult since they had fallen into disuse. At this point, the correct trail had faded to the point that it’s hard to follow.

I reached the road at the bottom of the hill, and crossed over to the parking area. I loaded the car, and began the drive home. It was only mid-afternoon though, so I decided to check out one more waterfall. I’d read about a waterfall on Denton Creek, just across the state line in Georgia. Kevin Adams gives it a brief mention with directions, so I decided to have a look.

I pulled off onto a dirt road that appeared to be the one Kevin describes. It looked pretty rough, so I decided to park and walk from there. After only a short distance though, I reached a small clearing with an old camper. The road ends here, and I didn’t see a reasonable route beyond, with the exception of another dirt road on the far side of the creek. It quickly dawned on me that I had taken the wrong road. I returned to the car, and found the correct road just beyond the stream. The road was a little rough, but nothing my Corolla couldn’t handle. I drove to the end, and parked just before a creek crossing.

I walked from there, and rock hopped Denton Creek. After the creek, the road swings away from the creek initially, before coming back to it. Once again the road swung away, but this time I followed a path upstream. From this point, it was just a short walk up to the falls. Denton Creek Falls is a nice waterfall, perhaps 30’ high. It’s on a fair sized stream, too, and there was plenty of water on my visit. I’d like to go back another time, when the lighting is better, and get more photos.

After seeing my fifth waterfall in under 24 hours, I was ready to call it a day. I returned to the car, and drove back to Clayton. There I had a second lunch at Chik-Fil-A, before embarking on the long drive home.

It was another great trip in the Talluah River headwaters, and I’m looking forward to doing some more exploring there. I suppose I may have to make another attempt at Thomas Falls. Plus, I’m told there are some small waterfalls in Holden Cove, which is another tributary of the river. No matter what, I’m sure I’ll be able to find a reason to go back to one of my favorite places.

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