It was a beautiful fall day. Covid was in the air. Time to seek out a waterfall.
Mingo Falls, from the Cherokee’s name for Big Bear, cascades 120 feet down the mountain.
The falls is on the Cherokee Indian Reservation and located on Mingo Creek before it empties into the Oconaluftee River.
We took The Pigeon Creek Trail to Mingo Falls. The hike to the waterfall runs alongside a rushing stream.
The trail is short, but you must climb 161 steps. At the top of the stairway a short path past rock outcroppings leads to a viewing area at the base of the falls.
The trail is 0.25 miles long and is moderately difficult, unless you have been sitting around the RV for 9 days, then it is very difficult. I didn’t tell Barbara I was beat, but each time she said she had to rest I said “oh, ok.”
Tidbit of Information: There are over 250 waterfalls in this part of North Carolina. Mingo Falls is considered one of the most spectacular. To be honest (of which you all know me to be) some of those falls might only be 10-20 feet, and some, like Indian Creek Falls (see Day 1402), I would not classify as a waterfalls, more like a water slide.
It is quite impressive, though, as I stated before, being in the Smoky Mountains there are hundreds of streams and creeks, including one right behind our RV.
Hey you two!! I so enjoy your blogs (tho I may have missed responding to the last one.). They ‘take’ us to places we didn’t go ourselves. Now that I’ve been there, I can easily envision at least some of the places you mention. What happy memories you & Barbara sent me home with! I look out to the gray skies here in leftwing Portland but my soul and mind’s eye just ‘see’ the peace and beauty of NC.
Mingo Falls was one of our favorite waterfall hikes when our children were young, especially if the streams were high after rains. Now that we are old and lazy, we haven’t attempted the steps. Thanks for bringing back fond memories.
I hope all of your posts and photos are compiled in a book that is put on sale. It would be invaluable for anyone who plans a road trip anywhere around this great country. I’ll be the first customer.
Thank you, Jerry. I have not found an easy way to do this. There is a web site that says they can do this, but when I tried, it did not work with mine. I will keep looking.
Beautiful. Enjoy your commentaries Learning about places in the. USAGE
Thank you.
Hey you two!! I so enjoy your blogs (tho I may have missed responding to the last one.). They ‘take’ us to places we didn’t go ourselves. Now that I’ve been there, I can easily envision at least some of the places you mention. What happy memories you & Barbara sent me home with! I look out to the gray skies here in leftwing Portland but my soul and mind’s eye just ‘see’ the peace and beauty of NC.
I am sorry our time together was so short. Hopefully we will meet up in the future.
Mingo Falls was one of our favorite waterfall hikes when our children were young, especially if the streams were high after rains. Now that we are old and lazy, we haven’t attempted the steps. Thanks for bringing back fond memories.
Good to hear from you. Im back in FL after 4 months in MD
We are ships passing in the night. We will be back in Md after 4 months in North Carolina.
I hope all of your posts and photos are compiled in a book that is put on sale. It would be invaluable for anyone who plans a road trip anywhere around this great country. I’ll be the first customer.
Thank you, Jerry. I have not found an easy way to do this. There is a web site that says they can do this, but when I tried, it did not work with mine. I will keep looking.