Catawba Falls is a series of waterfalls on the headwaters of the

Catawba River The Catawba River originates in Western North Carolina and flows into South Carolina, where it later becomes known as the Wateree River. The river is approximately 220 miles (350 km) long. It rises in the Appalachian Mountains and drains into ...

, in McDowell County, near

Old Fort, North Carolina Old Fort is a town in McDowell County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 811 people in the 2020 U.S. Census. History Before the arrival of European settlers, the area that is now Old Forts was populated by the Catawba and Chero ...

Geology

The

flows over 2 major waterfalls in a short distance. The first drop, called Upper Catawba Falls, consists of an upper free-fall drop, while the second drop a short distance downstream, often called just Catawba Falls, is a higher series of free-falls and cascades.

History

Catawba Falls is part of the

Pisgah National Forest Pisgah National Forest is a National Forest in the Appalachian Mountains of western North Carolina. It is administered by the United States Forest Service, part of the United States Department of Agriculture. The Pisgah National Forest is complet ...

. For many years, while the falls were located on public land, visitor access to the falls was heavily restricted. The only access points to the falls were a trail that went through private property, and an access point off of

Interstate 40 Interstate 40 (I-40) is a major east–west Interstate Highway running through the south-central portion of the United States. At a length of , it is the third-longest Interstate Highway in the country, after I-90 and I-80. From west to ea ...

. Use of either access point was illegal.Adams, Kevin, North Carolina Waterfalls, p. 177 In 2005 and 2007, the

Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina Foothills or piedmont are geographically defined as gradual increases in elevation at the base of a mountain range, higher hill range or an upland area. They are a transition zone between plains and low relief hills and the adjacent topograp ...

purchased of land at the end of Catawba River Road for a

trailhead A trailhead is the point at which a trail begins, where the trail is often intended for hiking, biking, horseback riding, or off-road vehicles. Modern trailheads often contain rest rooms, maps, sign posts and distribution centers for information ...

. In 2010, after Congressional approval the property was transferred to the

US Forest Service The United States Forest Service (USFS) is an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 154 national forests and 20 national grasslands. The Forest Service manages of land. Major divisions of the agency inc ...

and access to the falls was officially opened to the public. In 2012, a new parking area was built by the Forest Service. The Forest Service plans further improvements, including a foot bridge over a tricky crossing of the river along the trail and a new trail to the upper falls, bypassing a section considered steep and dangerous. {{cite web, url=http://www.ncwaterfalls.com/catawba1.htm, title = Catawba Falls and Upper Catawba Falls - Old Fort, NC

References

Waterfalls of North Carolina Pisgah National Forest Protected areas of McDowell County, North Carolina Catawba River Landforms of McDowell County, North Carolina