Distance: 4.1 mile one way
Difficulty: Moderate
Elevation Change: gain = 870 ft; loss = 1075 ft
My Hike: 4.1 miles one way (picked up at Cascades Rec Area)
source: Great Day Hikes of North Carolina’s Mountains-to-Sea Trail
I started this hike at the Park Vista Inn & Restaurant parking lot in the Benge Gap area, thus heading west instead of east. This was a very pleasant hike and the elevation change was not difficult. We had just experienced a lot of rain, so the plant growth was really starting to take off.
The surroundings reminded me of the MST around Asheville, especially around the Visitor Center and Folk Art Center on the Blue Ridge Parkway. On this Saturday in May, I saw no one on the trail until I got to the Cascade Falls. The trail takes you through several different areas and crosses the BRP several times.
There are a few stretches through some open fields, which is a pleasant change after being in the woods.
At this time of year, the leaves are really starting to come out and I was amazed at the different shades of vibrant greens within the forest.
The Falls are located on a small spur off the MST. You actually approach the falls from the top; the trail does continue down if you want a view from the bottom looking up. The Falls are less than a mile from the Cascades Recreation Area parking lot.
