Twin Falls

in Pisgah National Forest, NC

Upper portion of the left hand falls that make up "Twin Falls"

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The hike to Twin Falls is a 5.5 mile (round trip) easy to moderate hike located in Pisgah National Forest in Transylvania, NC.  In reality it should be called Triple Falls, as you pass a third waterfall about 500 feet or so before arriving at the "Twin Falls".  In 5.5 miles, you gain 500 feet in elevation, most of it done as you gradually walk upstream towards the falls (makes the return trip in this out and back hike quite easy and quick!)

The trail itself is actually 4.3 miles round trip ... an additional 1.2 miles (0.6 miles each way, out and back) must be hiked along Avery Creek Road (FS 477).   This road is gated at the Horse Stables located along this road, due to a mud slide that took out much of the road about a half mile from the stables.

To reach the trail head for this hike, get yourself to the intersection east of Brevard, NC, where highways 280, 276, and 64 all intersect.  There is a big shopping center on one of the corners of this intersection that has a Bi-Lo grocery store, Pizza Hut restaurant, and WalMart.

Turn onto 276 north, heading towards Pisgah National Forest.  Stay on 276 until you pass the Pisgah Forest Ranger Station on the right.   Continue on 276, and turn right onto the first gravel road past the ranger station (you'll see a sign for the Riding Stables).  Once on the gravel road, continue until you come to the stables (about a mile and a half or so).

Generally I try and park on the gravel road itself, rather than in the stable's parking lot, although I see a lot of hikers park in the lower end of their parking lot, leaving the upper portion for stable customers.

Start walking on the gravel road, going around the gate.  In a half mile or so, you'll see the above mentioned washout of the road.   Just beyond that is the place you leave the road to begin hiking on Avery Creek Trail.

Follow Avery Creek until you come to the intersection of Avery Creek and Buckhorn Gap trails (about half way or so to the falls).   See picture of this intersection (below).   At this intersection, bear right onto Buckhorn Trail.

Your next intersection to watch for is where the short side trail to Twin Fall turns off to the left.  In this picture, note the trail sign on the far left of the photo.

 

GPX data for download:  Twin Falls Hike.

This hike is wonderful to do any time of year ... spring time gives you lots of wildflowers, but all year long the hike along Avery Creek (which makes up the first half of the hike) and along Henry Branch (which makes up the latter half) provides a delightful hike along these rivers, both of which will treat you to rapids here and there.

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As for the "Twin Falls" themselves (along with the third waterfall that you come to just before the two "Twin Falls"), all three of these are located very near the origins of their respective streams, so they all show great variability in their water flow.  The best time to see them is the day or so after one of this areas regular, torrential rainstorms!

Part of this trail's enjoyment are the numerous log bridges one crosses as the trail crisscrosses Avery Creek and Henry Branch.  Below shows the bridge where you leave Avery Creek Trail (blue blazed), and pick up Buckhorn Gap Trail (red blazed).  This is about halfway to the falls.

Because this trail is used by both mountain bikers as well as hikers, every bridge crossing has an associated crossing for cyclists that goes through the water (since the log bridges would be a bit tough to navigate with a bike!).   If you find yourself at a water crossing with no bridge, just go back and look up the trail a little for a bridge.

The sign below shows one of these "bikes go one way, hikers go the other" signs.   The sign actually says "Horse Ford", but of all the times I've been on this trail, I've never run into a horseback rider, or any horse poop, so I do not believe this trail is used by horses.  The stables (where you park your car to do this hike) DO lead a hike to Twin Falls, but they go by way of Clawhammer Road, a gated, forest service jeep road.)

Once you've reached the falls, back track and return the way you came. 

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