First Solo Hike
The beautiful mountains of Western North Carolina were the perfect place for me to jump into solo hiking. As with most solo adventures, I was scared. But as you know by now, I did it scared.
Thanks to the amazing owners of Blue Ridge Falls RV Resort, I had my personal guide to the best newbie hiking trails in the area. During my stay I did 2 of the recommended hikes. The Living Waters Trail was my first choice and my first official Solo Hike. It was an easy hike that ended up being the perfect way to get my feet wet.
Living Waters Trail
The Living Waters Trail is located on the grounds of the Living Waters Religious Retreat. Parking is on the the side of the road making it a bit of a tight fit for Lucy and I, but we managed. The short hikes is fairly easy and takes you along the side of the water to 3 different waterfalls. During the entire hike you are surrounded by beautiful foliage much of which is Mountain Laurel. I can only imagine how incredible the trail is when the lauren are blooming. You are also treated to the sounds of rushing water making the entire experience very peaceful.
Mill Shoals Falls and French Broad Falls are both located at the start of the trail. If you are a person that is not able to walk long distances you can still see some amazing waterfalls. However, the walk down to the falls is a bit steep so be prepared, In case I haven’t mentioned it lately, in my professional life I am a Physical Therapist. So, you will often find me commenting on how accessible things are. I just can’t seem to keep my professional brain turned off.
The third set of falls, Cathedral Falls, is located at the end of the trail. The trail itself is relatively level with a few areas of incline. Once you reach the falls you will notice that it is located in a small canyon with steep rock formations on either side. It is breathtaking.
All in all the Living Waters hikes was a lot of fun and not scary at all. I really enjoyed the trail and the falls. The hardest part of the entire adventure was fitting Lucy into the parking spots on the side of the road and pulling back out onto the main road. The location is on a curve in the road limiting visibility a bit. If you are in the area I would definitely recommend this hike.
Next up, Rainbow Falls!
