Glad To Be a Gladden: Crabtree Falls, NC

INCREDIBLE. This waterfall and trail? Incredible. You're going, and here's what you want to and need to know.

Do not...I repeat, do NOT type "Crabtree Falls" into the GPS. You won't be taken to the right place. However; I did this...haha...and I managed to use a little common sense and stopping at a Mine attraction for directions - which apparently was a common theme because just as "Do you happen to know..." exited my mouth, a girl already slapped a printed slip of paper with a map and directions down in front of me, laughed, and smiled and explained to me where to go. I was about 8 minutes away. The trail head is actually very well labeled itself when you are on the right track and it is off the beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway at mile Marker 339.5.

How to find it? Well, friend, you are actually going to be parking at "Crabtree Meadows Campground" which is immediately off the Blue Ridge Parkway. So my best advice based on my learning experience is to do the following: In your Google GPS, type, "Crabtree Meadows Campground." This will take you directly into the parking lot. The parking here is paved, and a large circular lot around some older abandoned buildings of the campground. There are so many signs and it is all very well directed, organized, and having this address, would be impossible to mess up.

Parking: Again, you have a nice big, paved, circular lot to park in and it is labeled well.

Distance, Difficulty, and trail details: Dog friendly. Rated moderate, the trail is 2.7 miles at it's longest if you do it as the loop. If you do it as an out and back, it is 2 miles Let me explain your options. Everybody begins the trail from the parking lot. The trail is briefly paved. As you go along, 500 ft. in, there is an old amphitheater on your left.

The trail then becomes dirt and pebble. Soon after passing the amphitheater you approach a fork with a sign that looks like this:

When you see it, don't be daunted, just go right. Basically all this does is put you more directly at the actual trailhead which is within the abandoned somewhat eerie but cool campground. So this is what you will shortly see next as you come to the end of this right turn at the fork (photos are in consecutive order):

Ok! You are now actually starting the real trail! Ha! Approaching the falls is entirely downhill. There are many large river rocks, some roots, rock stair cases, a couple of small switchbacks. As the sign says, it really does not take long to arrive to the GORGEOUS falls....even with a 3 year old in tow. The trail is blazed with orange diamonds. In my opinion, the trail is very well marked and self explanatory. There are also benches all throughout to pause to sit, if needed, more likely for on the way back out. When you get to the falls....(which I will get to so soon, I promise), and you are ready to make the journey back to your car, you have two choices.

Choice A: Return the way you came. 1 mile uphill, it is also marked in reverse so will be easy to keep your bearings. This would be making the trail an out and back.

Choice B: Or, continue the journey (my highest recommendation) for just a slight bit further for a full loop back to the parking lot, on a still well marked and obvious trail with extra bonus views such as a cliff view and a small waterfall, creek, and mountain laurel tunnels. I believe this is absolutely the best option because of all the views. This option continues from the falls, once you cross the bridge. Just up the rock steps you go to make your return to the car.

The falls are down low on the mountain so either way you return will begin uphill. In my opinion, the uphill for option B started steeper, but it also leveled out and even descended quite soon (plus those bonus views!!) Option A is shorter by way of mileage yet is uphill the entire mile with more staircases. You cannot go wrong either way, I just suggest doing the trail as a loop and continuing on because that's part of the adventure - to see all the trail has to offer! Dealer's choice.

The falls are 70 feet tall and after a good rain, they are so full and boast their full pounding cascade. I would not consider these falls a swimming spot for summer, however, if you return to the car via option B as a loop, there is a wide creek bed to play in on a hot steamy day.

I of course returned via the loop so I could see and experience more of this awesome trail. If this is what you plan to do, continue to read so you can see what to look for! If you choose option A - out and back - I hope you enjoyed! Thank you!

So after a lovely lunch at the falls and reading lots of books together with my daughter, we packed up and continued on our way. We ventured up the steep rock steps which were also well labeled with a trail sign to continue on:

And once at the top of the stairs, following the trail, here are some of the things you see along the way:

(Above: view from the cliff which you can choose to approach on your left at the top of the stairs if you choose. Moms - I did not let Ellie join me - made her sit within my view while I took a peek. Always access your risks.)

We continued on and soon came to a smaller yet fast and beautiful waterfall on our left. Easy to simply get down to, we enjoyed it a moment and continued on.

Following the second small waterfall, we remained on the trail along the creek and crossing a couple bridges. The trail is obvious, and it is marked, but sometime after the metal bridge over the wide creek bed, I began to wonder how much longer we had; I knew it wasn't too far based on my own bearings, and it was awesome to see then in that exact moment of my thought a post declaring .7 left until the parking lot. And after that it went by quickly.

(When you see this last sign in the above photo, you are at the campground. The campground is a big loop. Do not wonder if you go left or go right, just go straight - go straight through the grasss and you will come out to the other end of the campsite loop back to a sign telling you the direction of the amphitheater! Yay! Nearly back to the car!)