Cascades over old 64 West, a little over two miles from Highlands on Cullasaja Gorge Road. Before a large boulder fell from above the falls in the fall of 2003, cars used to be able to drive under the falls.
Only three miles from Highlands on the left when you are going down the Cullasaja Gorge Road. It is a short walk down stone steps that lead to a walkway that goes under the tremendously powerful waterfall.
Six miles from Highlands, on the left, as you go down the Cullasaja Gorge Road. Locals gather here to swim, jump off a small ledge up high in the trees into the frigid mountain water. These falls are made for sliding down into the pool of water below. And, there is a secret in the falls. A small cave big enough for one person to sit back and keep from getting wet as you look out through the water rushing over the rock.
Two miles (round trip). Trail head is at Whiteside Mountain parking area off of Cashiers Road (Hwy 64). Spectacular views from a high ridge top, 2,100' above the valley floor. Whiteside Mountain is 4900' and has the highest sheer cliffs in the Eastern U.S. Between 400'-750'.
From the middle of Highlands go half a mile down Horse Cove Road and Sunset Park Road is on the right and across from Highlands Nature Center. Park in the small parking lot on the right and walk half a mile up Sunset Park Road to get to the overlook or drive up the road, but don't block the road because it is a private roadway to the trailhead to a turn around at the top of the gravel road. You can park at the trailhead and walk to the overlook.
Follow Horse Cove Road 2.8 miles to Rich Gap Road on right. Follow Rich Gap 0.1 mile to Stairway Road to Poplar Road. There is plenty of parking along side the road. Stairs on the right lead to Pagett Poplar, a huge, centuries old tulip poplar tree named after Ranger Bob Pagett, who is famed to have saved the tree from timbering in 1966. The adjacent loop trail follows nearby a stream and returns to trailhead.
Follow Horse Cove Road 5.8 miles to the T-intersection of Bull Pen and Whiteside Cove Roads. Bear right on Bull Pen (very rough gravel Forest Service road) and go one mile to the trailhead on the right. This is an easy 0.2 mile hike. The trailhead leads to the top of a rock face that has the view of the Nantahala and Chattahoochee National Forests.
Click Here to Read "The Highlander" Newspaper Article
click to view