Hidden in a small gorge an hour from Johnson Metropolis, water crashes over the 40′-tall, 50′-wide Laurel Fork Falls. It’s straightforward to hike to the waterfall – and you’ve got two choices. The best route is the longest, and the shortest route contains a rickety footbridge carved from a fallen tree.
Which approach will you go?
Laurel Fork Falls – interchangeably referred to as Laurel Falls – is a couple of 2-hour day journey tour on the Appalachian Path. However with a close-by shelter, it may simply turn into a weekend getaway and an opportunity to take a seat on the base of a thunderous waterfall. You’ll possible have the whole place to your self.
Map
The right way to use this map: Click on the icon within the top-left nook to open the Map Legend, then click on on any of the legend gadgets to show extra info. If in case you have a Google account, click on the (very faint) star on the finish of the map’s identify to avoid wasting this map to your account, then entry the map out of your smartphone throughout your journey.
Packing Necessities
Earlier than hitting the Appalachian Path to Laurel Fork Falls, think about packing these important gadgets to benefit from your journey:
Parking on the Laurel Fork Falls Trailhead
Climbing to Laurel Fork Falls is an thrilling day journey journey. However first, you need to discover the waterfall.
The drive begins at Exit 24 on Interstate 26 in Johnson Metropolis. Take U.S. Freeway 321 towards Elizabethton – a small mountain metropolis with roots within the American Revolution because the Overmountain Males marched towards Kings Mountain and one of the vital vital battles of the Revolutionary Warfare.
After passing by way of the city – hold an eye fixed out for the 134-foot Elizabethton Lined Bridge over the Doe River – take U.S. Freeway 321/19E towards Roan Mountain. After a couple of minutes, flip left to proceed on 321 in Hampton.
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Proceed only a few minutes alongside the two-lane street. You’re virtually there as quickly as you see extra timber alongside the street than homes. The small gravel parking space is splendidly coated in shade, making it straightforward to overlook. When you see Watauga Lake on the left – and particularly when you see the Shook Department Picnic Space – you’ve gone too far.
The Laurel Fork Falls Trailhead begins on the fringe of the gravel parking zone. It’s a brief spur path connecting to the Appalachian Path and persevering with to Laurel Fork Falls. Parking is free and comparatively protected – however don’t go away any valuables in your automotive.
Parking on the Dennis Cove Trailhead
Following the identical route from the interstate to Hampton, flip proper onto Dennis Cove Street beside a financial institution. The 2-lane street winds and twists alongside the slope of Black Mountain. It would take about 10-Quarter-hour to drive the 4 miles to the gravel parking space on the left facet of the street.
This parking space is way smaller than the one on the Laurel Fork Falls Trailhead. There may be house for perhaps 4 automobiles to park without delay.
Climbing the Appalachian Path to Laurel Fork Falls
Climbing the Appalachian Path to Laurel Fork Falls is sort of a Select Your Personal Journey kids’s ebook: do you hike from the highest or the underside to the waterfall?
The 4.6-mile out-and-back hike from the Laurel Fork Falls Trailhead is the longer choice but in addition the best. The path ascends into the Laurel Gorge from the parking space with about 600′ of elevation change. Probably the most troublesome a part of the path is a fast one-hundred-foot descent after crossing a knob.
The two.5-mile out-and-back hike from Dennis Cove is generally degree, convincing you will probably be a straightforward hike, however abruptly you’ve a 300-foot descent within the final quarter mile. There may be an outdated saying about mountaineering the Appalachian Path, “What goes down should return up once more.”
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The hike from Dennis Cowl options one thing – terrifyingly thrilling. The path parallels Laurel Fork Creek a lot of the approach. About two-thirds of the best way to the waterfall, the Appalachian Path crosses the creek alongside a three-section rickety picket footbridge. The top sections are carved from fallen timber and sport railings unlikely to assist anybody in the event that they slip. The middle part is milled lumber and is actually the extra secure. Every part is supported within the center by two towers of river stone and mortar constructed way back by a path crew.
Each routes meet on the Appalachian Path excessive above Laurel Fork Falls. The ultimate descent is alongside a collection of stone steps on the gorge’s wall to the waterfall’s base. The tall, large, thundering Laurel Fork Falls. All of a sudden, whichever route you took, the hike didn’t appear all that dangerous.
Simply do not forget that on the best way again to your automotive.
Spending Time at Laurel Fork Falls
The gravest mistake of many adventurers is just not spending sufficient time at their vacation spot. Appalachian Path thru-hikers have a mission to perform and a set variety of miles to hike earlier than sundown. However when you’re a weekend adventurer out for a day hike, take a while to benefit from the splendor of Laurel Fork Falls.
Take a tenting chair when you dare to hold the additional weight. A Coleman Moveable Tenting Chair can work in a pinch, however you’ll need to lug the 8.2 kilos on some steep climbs. The best choice for a chair is the Helinox Ultralight – the chair folds down to simply 14 inches tall and weighs just one pound, 2 ounces.
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Even higher – take an ENO SingleNest Hammock. The packable nylon hammock weighs simply 16 ounces and requires about as a lot room in a backpack as a water bottle. There are many timber to arrange a hammock alongside the sting of the river beneath the waterfall.
When you resolve to hike with out chairs or a hammock, there are many locations to take a seat and benefit from the waterfall. The river is large and shallow on the base of the falls. Mossy areas and clean river stones provide numerous pure seats.
Tenting on the Laurel Fork Shelter
The Laurel Fork Shelter is about three-quarters of a mile north on the Appalachian Path from Laurel Fork Falls. It’s a typical AT lean-to shelter with three stone partitions supporting a sloped metallic roof and one giant sleeping platform.
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Round early Might, thru-hikers from Georgia start passing by way of the world. They get precedence placement within the shelters since many don’t carry a tent, hammock, or sleeping bag on the long-distance hike.
The realm across the shelter is okay for small tents – however solely okay. Rocks and timber don’t go away a lot room for comfortably spreading out on the bottom.
However at the very least you’ll have loads of water close by.