The Second Day of Waterfalls

This second day of visiting waterfalls began with a light breakfast and a plan for our day of driving and visiting the different falls. There were several more sites that we needed to visit today or we would not have time to see them. Most of them could be viewed from the road or after a short walk to the viewing area.

The first waterfall that we were to visit was the Cullisaja Falls on the river or the same name. The falls was a series of shorter falls that tumbled for two hundred-fifty feet from the top to the bottom. The river and the waterfall was so close we could have taken most of the snapshots from inside of our vehicle, but to get the several angles, we walked to the water’s edge.

The second was the Dry Falls. It could be seen from a higher platform, but walking down a series of steps and platforms where photographs could be taken until we reached the bottom. The trail passed behind the white waters spilling over the top in a curtain waterfall. Visitors remained “dry” passing under and behind the falls. From several vantage points we could see rainbows in the misty spray rising from the bottom splash.

The next falls that we drove to see was a thin stream of water spilling over the edge of a table. What made it special was its location to the road. The Bridal Falls had a roadway that ran behind it and we could drive behind it without getting wet. While we were photographing, two trucks hauling two smooth-skinned silver Airstream trailers drove underneath the curtain of water.

Silver Run Falls is a short quarter mile walk up and down hills. There is a bridge to cross the Whitewater River. With the heavy rains, a lot of rocks and roots were exposed on the trail between the series of steps. This falls is located near Cashiers North Carolina. Though it is listed as an easy trail, the roots and rocks caused us to be cautious traveling to the viewing area.

The final waterfall that we chose to visit is in the Nantahala National Forest and is the highest falls east of the Rockies and drops two hundred ten feet. Whitewater Falls drops over two sheer walls. At the top, it spills in two streams and combines at its first bench. Frothing and foaming, it thunders its beauty to anyone that will look and listen. At the bottom, it was channeled into a tight chasm that shaped it into a powerful and swift flowing stream.

When the day was over, I felt weary although we walked a lot less and visited fewer waterfalls than the day before. All of the falls were unique and beautiful, but I was waterfalled out. I wanted no falls more this vacation.