Deep Creek Waterfall Hunting (Part 1)

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No, I won’t bore you with everything I did today. It was jam packed, I guarantee you that!! Lots of lovely scenery all around. As usual, I’ll highlight my highlight, which of course, was a waterfall. In this case, it was a three-for-the-price-of-one waterfall hunt!!! The travels took me to the Deep Creek entry of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. That’s the southeast entrance, in North Carolina, near the Fontana Dam (more on that in another discussion). It’s not a “hotbed” of activity, given that there aren’t a lot of tourist traps in nearby Bryson City the way there are in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. Still, there’s plenty to do in Bryson City, such as a terrific scenic railway trip (my dear mother of blessed memory and I did that one year), the “Road to Nowhere” (I’ve discussed that before), and other beautiful things that are more nature oriented than “carnival” oriented the way things are in Pigeon Forge. (No knock on PF, that’s where I’ve stayed both nights!) The Deep Creek (which, honestly, didn’t look all that “deep” to me) area is the only place in the Smokies where tubing is allowed (riding inflated tubes on the rivers). I’ve done that once, but the put-in spot was just outside the park boundary. It’s also home to three, count ‘em three waterfalls in close proximity to one another. Up first: the first one I went to, Juney Whank Falls. It was also the most difficult hike for me. The trail was only 3/10 of a mile one-way; however, it was a steep 3/10 of a mile. Hiking trail websites have it rated as a “moderate” hike, and I usually have to bump that up by one because of my asthma and other age-related aches and pains. That’s okay. It was worth it. This waterfall is very close to the foot bridge that crosses the creek between the two drops in the waterfall. The top half (the more “exciting” part, I guess you might say) looks as though it has three different segments. The left side of the fall was barely running (even though it was raining while I was there). The middle had a light flow. The “star” was the right side, which had plenty of water gushing down. After crossing under the bridge the falls continued, this time down into a timber-filled creek below. I could have stopped there, because any waterfall is a blessing to me. However, the best was yet to come. (Stay tuned) The collage: (a) the footbridge, showing just how close the waterfall is; (b) the second part of the waterfall, taken from the footbridge; and (c) a view of the upper falls from the footbridge.