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On April 25, 2022, there
was a closing notice at the beginning of the hiking trail. But it was
still open on this date.
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 However,
In April 2023, the two RV Gypsies checked the internet because their
daughter wanted to go there again. The internet stated that CATAWBA
FALLS WILL NOT BE OPEN UNTIL SPRING 2024. The two RV Gypsies checked
their website in May 2024 and it said the trail would reopen May 31
,2024. Dates are always subject to change so
Check
before you go. Ever since the US Forest Service acquired Catawba
Falls, plans have been in motion to get visitors safely from the trailhead
to the upper falls, thus the reason for the long closure.
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The hike that the two RV Gypsies
were able to take was just three miles, round trip on an easy-to-moderate
trail through the hardwood forest. The trail stayed close to the water
the whole way. The sound of the water varied from a light gurgling to
a loud rush, and made the hike quite enjoyable. (The three photos below
are from 2019) |
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Below: The
boys skipping stones |
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Below: Flowing water alongside
the trail in 2022 |
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Below: Lee Duquette crossed
this area first, stepping from stone to stone. (2022) |
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Below: After Lee Duquette crossed this
area, he turned around and took photos of Karen Duquette, who chose
to just walk in the water, rather than stepping stone to stone. |
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Below: Small cascades of
water. |
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Below: Family crossing the bridge in
2019 |
Below: Lee Duquette crossing the bridge
in 2022 |
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Below: View from each side
of the above bridge in 2019. |
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Below: Ruins
of a stone foundation from the early 1900s. |
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Below: The two RV Gypsies
and family came to the wall of a dam once constructed here in an attempt
to create hydropower. The nearby sign urges visitors to NOT
stand on the dam wall because it IS treacherous. The Dam is just 1/3
of a mile away from Catawba Falls. |
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2019 |
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Below: 2022 |
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Below: The trail to Catawba
Falls. It was an easy trail UNTIL the big boulders leading to the base
of the falls. |
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Below: The lower portion
just below the base of Catawba Falls with small cascades in 2019 |
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Below: The boys crawled
over the big boulders - not an easy task, even for the young. |
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Karen Duquette made her way over and around
some big boulders to sit in the water a bit and watch the boys play. |
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Below: As always, Karen
Duquette found an access spot to get totally soaked. |
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Below: Lee Duquette decided
to check the temperature of the falls, although he did not get totally
soaked. |
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Lee Duquette made a cairn |
And Later John made one too. |
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Below: The lower portion of Catawba Falls
with small cascades in 2022.The two RV Gypsies sat here and ate their
picnic lunch. In 2022, the water was not dripping over the boulders
shown above in 2019, so Karen Duquette did not get wet. She did not
think it safe to get where a small portion of the falls (as shown below)
was flowing. |
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Below: (2022)
View of the base of Catawba Falls from the lower part of the falls. |
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Below: (2019) Looking up
at the base of Catawba Falls. The very top of the falls is not reachable. |
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 While
there is an upper portion of Catawba Falls, emergency management officials
urges visitors not to attempt to reach the upper cascade. There is no
trail maintained by the U.S. Forest Service that goes to the upper falls.
And since the upper falls can be seen from below (as shown below) it
was not necessary to go any farther.
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Below: Heading back down the
trail to the car, everyone decided to investigate another area behind
a small cascade where someone found a small craw dad in the waters.
Renee asked Karen Duquette if she really wanted to continue sitting
in the waters. Karen said that she will take her chances. |
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if you have been viewing the 2019 sites in the order of your choice
you may return to the 
