Falls of the Cullasaja

We've visited and posted several of these before, but not all, and never in context to one another, so I thought here we'd combine several waterfalls into one post, starting at Highlands, NC and moving downstream, where the Cullasaja River parallels US Highway 64. (That is to say, where US-64 follows the river.) All photos by yours truly this time.

The Cullasaja begins at Sequoyah Dam and Falls at the edge of town. The dam was built (1927) at the site of the falls but did not completely obliterate it, so we're left with a blend of the natural and the man-made.

Bridal Veil Falls is not technically on the Cullasaja but on a tributary creek; immediately below the falls, it flows through a culvert under the highway and then empties into the river. 

[Fiona, our trusty '16 Crosstrek, at Bridal Veil.]

Next downstream is Dry Falls. We've photographed it to better advantage on other occasions; the trail behind the falls was closed this time, and it was a rainy day, so I encourage you to view our earlier visits; use the "waterfalls" link at the bottom of this post.

The locked gate did not, however, keep us from our standing appointment with dusky salamanders, and even with access limited there's really no such thing as a bad view at Dry Falls.

In the warmer months, Quarry Falls is often used by locals and visitors alike as a water slide, hence its alternate name of Bust-Your-Butt Falls. We were here in March, and content to stay as dry as the rain would allow.

This is also a popular area for fishing; the Cullasaja and its tributaries are home to rainbows and brown trout, but most importantly the native char, southern Appalachian brook trout. (I've pursued them myself, not on the Cullasaja but nearby.)

[Fiona again.]

Perhaps the prettiest waterfall on the river—it's so hard to pick a favourite, though—is the least accessible, Cullasaja Falls. To get close requires a steep hike down from the highway, and to the best of my knowledge there's no well-established trail. There's a good view from the road, but we rarely even get to see it for more than a second or two because the pull-off is too small for more than one or maybe two cars. We got lucky on this recent trip, though.