Date: 08/02/2022
Name: Dry Falls & Ranger Falls Loop Trail near Highlands, NC
Distance: 4
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Total Climbing Elevation: 709
Type: 2-Loops
Notes: We began our day with a visit to Dry Falls. The falls were impressive today with lots of water flowing over the falls from the Cullasaja River. We continued on to the Cliffside Lake Recreation Area. While a pleasant day for a hike, the trails show heavy use exposing lots of roots which in combination with today's wet trail, required care how and where we stepped. Both the Cliffside Lake Trail and Ranger Falls Loop Trail have good signage at their beginning, but there are no blazes along the trail or signs at several side trail intersections making it easy to take off in the wrong direction. Ranger Falls is a fairly narrow, 30-foot high cascade very close to the trail. We were expecting a bit more water flowing over it than we saw, but it is still worth the hike. We saw a few wildflowers and fungi today. However, a crawfish was found under a rock below Ranger Falls and a small snapping turtle on the side of the trail toward the end of the hike.
AllTrails Link: Dry Falls & Ranger Falls Loop Trail near Highlands, NC
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