The Carolina Mountain Club (same group who came up with the torturous South Beyond 6,000) are presenting the “Western Waterfall & Cascade 100″ aka “WC100″. I think the name needs some work*, but I like the idea. Visit 100 waterfalls/cascades in the Western Carolinas to complete the challenge.
Sounds easy enough and you can download a checklist from their website. Rules are pretty straight forward too; visit everything on the list and keep record. Most of the waterfalls and cascades are found in Kevin Adam’s excellent book North Carolina Waterfalls: A Hiking and Photography Guide. I haven’t looked to far into how to find the South Carolina waterfalls on the list, but I’m sure there is info out on the internet.
I have decided to take up the challenge and will be updating my progress on the table below. I’ve already posted about some of the falls, so keep a look out for more.
| Waterfall/Cascade | Location | Length | Date Hiked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Herbron Colony Falls | Blowing Rock | 0.8 | |
| Twin Falls | Brevard | 5.0 | |
| Bridal Veil Falls (Little River) | Brevard | 4.0 | |
| Long Hollow Branch waterfall | Brevard | 2.0 | 25 MAR 2010 |
| High Falls (South Fork Mills River) | Brevard | 4.0 | |
| Cedar Rock Creek waterfall | Brevard | 1.6 | 10 MAR 2010 |
| Laurel Fork waterfall | Brevard | 2.0 | |
| Looking Glass Falls | Brevard | 0.0 | 5 NOV 2009 |
| High Falls (Little River) | Brevard | 2.0 | 16 DEC 2009 |
| Tom's Spring Falls | Brevard | 1.0 | 9 MAR 2010 |
| Log Hollow Branch waterfall | Brevard | 0.8 | 25 MAR 2010 |
| Cathey's Creek Falls | Brevard | 0.2 | 11 MAY 2010 |
| Cove Creek Falls | Brevard | 2.6 | 9 MAR 2010 |
| Triple Falls | Brevard | 0.8 | 6 DEC 2009 |
| Moore Cove Falls | Brevard | 1.4 | 16 FEB 2010 |
| Shuck Ridge Creek Falls | Brevard | 8.0 | |
| Juney Whank Falls | Bryson City | 0.6 | |
| Indian Creek Falls | Bryson City | 1.6 | |
| Alarka Falls | Bryson City | 1.0 | |
| Silver Run Falls | Cashiers | 0.2 | |
| Soco Falls | Cherokee | 0.2 | |
| Mingo Falls | Cherokee | 0.4 | |
| Elk Falls | Elk Park | 0.4 | |
| Rufus Morgan Falls | Franklin | 1.0 | |
| Big Laurel Falls | Franklin | 1.2 | |
| Upper Creek Falls | Grandfather Mountain | 1.2 | |
| Hunt-Fish Falls | Grandfather Mountain | 1.8 | |
| North Harper Creek Falls | Grandfather Mountain | 2.0 | |
| Steels Creek waterfall | Grandfather Mountain | 1.8 | |
| Gragg Prong waterfall | Grandfather Mountain | 2.4 | |
| Burnthouse Branch waterfall | Grandfather Mountain | 4.4 | |
| South Harper Creek Falls | Grandfather Mountain | 3.8 | |
| Harper Creek Falls | Grandfather Mountain | 3.4 | |
| Little Lost Cove Creek waterfall | Grandfather Mountain | 2.8 | |
| Rainbow Falls (South Carolina) | Greenville County, SC | 6.0 | |
| Raven Cliff Falls | Greenville County, SC | 4.4 | |
| Moonshine Falls | Greenville County, SC | 6.0 | |
| Hickory Nut Falls | Hickory Nut Gorge | 3.0 | 1 DEC 2009 |
| Dry Falls | Highlands | 0.2 | |
| Picklesimer Rock House Falls | Highlands | 1.2 | |
| Scotsman Creek waterfall | Highlands | 0.2 | |
| Secret Falls | Highlands | 1.4 | |
| Glen Falls | Highlands | 1.6 | |
| Flat Creek Falls | Lake Toxaway | 9.0 | |
| High Falls (Toxaway Falls) | Lake Toxaway | 2.8 | |
| Schoolhouse Falls | Lake Toxaway | 2.4 | |
| Stairway Falls | Lake Toxaway | 3.6 | |
| Wintergreen Falls | Lake Toxaway | 10.0 | |
| Drift Falls | Lake Toxaway | 1.8 | |
| Rainbow Falls (Lake Toxaway) | Lake Toxaway | 2.2 | |
| Bearcamp Falls | Lake Toxaway | 12.0 | |
| Greenland Creek Falls (Holy Falls) | Lake Toxaway | 2.2 | |
| Still House Falls | Lake Toxaway | 1.0 | |
| Turtleback Falls | Lake Toxaway | 1.6 | |
| West Fork French Broad waterfall | Lake Toxaway | 3.0 | |
| Windy Falls | Lake Toxaway | 7.2 | |
| Dismal Falls | Lake Toxaway | 4.0 | |
| Paradise Falls | Lake Toxaway | 0.8 | |
| Sols Creek waterfall | Lake Toxaway | 0.8 | |
| Big Falls (Lake Toxaway) | Lake Toxaway | 7.0 | |
| Whitewater Falls | Lake Toxaway | 0.4 | 11 MAY 2010 |
| White Owl Falls | Lake Toxaway | 0.4 | 11 MAY 2010 |
| Linville Falls | Linville Falls | 2.0 | 12 MAY 2010 |
| Crabtree Falls | Little Switzerland | 1.8 | 5 MAY 2010 |
| Mouse Creek Falls | Maggie Valley | 4.0 | |
| Tom's Creek Falls | Marion | 0.8 | |
| High Shoals Falls | Morganton | 1.8 | |
| Roaring Fork Falls | Mount Mitchell | 1.4 | |
| Douglas Falls | Mount Mitchell | 1.2 | |
| Setrock Creek Falls | Mount Mitchell | 1.0 | |
| Lee Falls | Oconee County, SC | 4.0 | |
| King Creek Falls | Oconee County, SC | 1.6 | |
| Yellow Branch Falls | Oconee County, SC | 4.0 | |
| Station Cove Falls | Oconee County, SC | 2.0 | |
| Issaqueena Falls | Oconee County, SC | 0.2 | |
| Long Creek Falls | Oconee County, SC | 4.0 | |
| Opossum Falls | Oconee County, SC | 3.0 | |
| Brasstown Falls | Oconee County, SC | 0.2 | |
| Rileymoore Falls | Oconee County, SC | 2.0 | |
| Spoonauger falls | Oconee County, SC | 0.6 | |
| Catawba Falls & Upper Falls | Old Fort | 3.0 | 30 MAR 2010 |
| Twin Falls (South Carolina) | Pinken County, SC | 0.2 | |
| Middle Falls | Robbinsville | 10.2 | |
| Bird Rock Falls | Rosman | 0.4 | |
| Courthouse Creek waterfall | Rosman | 2.8 | |
| Dill Falls & Upper Dill Falls | Rosman | 2.0 | |
| Eastatoe Falls | Rosman | 0.4 | |
| Courthouse Falls | Rosman | 0.8 | |
| Little Bradley Falls | Saluda-Tryon-Columbus | 0.8 | |
| Bradley Falls | Saluda-Tryon-Columbus | 1.8 | |
| Pearson's Falls | Saluda-Tryon-Columbus | 0.6 | |
| Sam Branch waterfall | Shinning Rock | 0.6 | |
| Upper Falls (Shinning Rock) | Shinning Rock | 3.0 | |
| Skinny Dip Falls | Shinning Rock | 0.8 | |
| Second Falls | Shinning Rock | 0.6 | 15 NOV 2009 |
| Wash Hollow waterfall | Shinning Rock | 0.6 | |
| Ramsay Cascades | Smokey Mountains NP | 8.0 | |
| Enloe Creek Falls | Smokey Mountains NP | 7.0 | |
| Rainbow Falls (SMNP) | Smokey Mountains NP | 5.4 | |
| Grotto Falls | Smokey Mountains NP | 6.0 |
*The issues I have with the name are:
- “Western” is a little confusing when not in the context of the Carolinas
- “WC100 challenge” sounds like British contest to visit 100 restrooms (i.e. water closets)
- Why get so technical about waterfall vs. cascade? I think we all know what you mean, just call them waterfalls
My wife and I are also attempting the WC100 and loving it so far. We are currently about a quarter of the way finished with this task and loving every weekend of it!
Good luck, it’s a great challenge! It has already taken me places I would have never visited otherwise.