Leatherwood Falls | Hayesville, NC
Cherokee County has so many beautiful, natural places to offer the adventure seeker, the hiker, the motorcyclist, etc. There seems to be something for everyone here, unless you are looking for the city–you will not find that in Western North Carolina. Rightfully so, many people traverse to the small towns of Murphy, Hayesville, Andrews, etc. to escape the big cities. Centrally located to Atlanta, Chattanooga, Asheville and Knoxville, it only takes about 2 to 2.5 hours to escape the concrete jungle to the exciting deciduous rainforest that is Western NC. People laugh when WNC is referred to as a rainforest, but if you have spent any amount of time in this neck of the woods, you know this phrase to be absolutely true. During the summertime, you can pretty much expect rain just about every day. This area is also notorious for some pretty significant flood waters and landslides due to the amount of rainfall. Don’t let those words scare you though. When you come to any of the Cherokee County towns, you come to an Appalachian paradise.
I’ve seen mountains all over the United States, the Caribbean and parts of Europe. There is a magical aura that is entrenched in the Appalachian Mountains. You will never find another mountain range quite like this one. The earth is unique in many ways, and she spared no expense with this one. Whether you fall in love with the thick, lush forests or the dewy smell of honeysuckle or the waterfalls that look like they’re straight out of a movie–there is no way to go wrong with embracing nature here.
Leatherwood Falls
That brings us to what this blog posting is all about: Leatherwood Falls. This Hayesville/Murphy hotspot is located off Highway 64 and Fires Creek Road. It is part of the National Forest Service and is a well-kept, family-friendly area for both locals and tourists alike. Here you can watch the gentle river flow by, which is mildly temperatured for you Southern folk. 🙂 There are beautiful paths to walk, BBQ and picnic areas to dine at and it’s only a short jaunt up to the falls themselves. These falls are quaint but gorgeous. If you’re expecting Niagara, this is not the place for you, but if you want to listen to the modest water rushing, cloaked in a canopy of trees, this IS the right place for you.
For all of you rockhounds, there’s a good chance that you will find pieces of quartz, loads of granite, beautifully shaped and smoothed river rocks, perhaps pieces of metal (like aluminum), etc. After all, you are in a mineral hotspot area when within Cherokee County and the surrounding counties. They don’t have a town named “Marble” for no reason.
During the summer, I do recommend selecting your spot to setup shop early. This is a happening spot and it gets busy quickly on the weekends. If you are looking for a quiet, serene connection to nature I suggest that you get there around 8am before the crowds show up. This is a beautiful spot to check out in all seasons. You could visit this spot every day and find something new to appreciate each day. There are copious amounts of mushrooms that grow here, flowering trees, ferns, and some of the poisonous ones do have a sharehold as well. It’s best to stay on the paths provided for various reasons:
- In an effort to not trample the natural foliage, organisms, etc.
- To protect you from poisonous plants and creatures.
Leatherwood Falls is an excellent destination for families, people who are not able to hike long and hard terrains, and for the general naturist. Make sure to add this waterfall to your destination list and pinboards!
Learn more about the Appalachians:
How To Hike the Appalachian Trail: https://amzn.to/3ipfha6
Appalachian Trail Map: https://amzn.to/2F8aDz5
Insider’s Guide to the North Carolina Mountains: https://amzn.to/3a7atDy
