Hiking at DuPont State Recreational Forest
If day one in Asheville was about easing into vacation mode, day two was the complete opposite.
We woke up ready to explore, grabbed Bojangles for breakfast, made a stop at McCall Farm, and then headed toward DuPont State Recreational Forest for what I thought was going to be a cute little morning of looking at waterfalls.
Let me go ahead and tell you now: we looked at waterfalls. We also HIKED.
Apparently, there is a difference.
And despite leaving DuPont with a scraped-up knee and a much greater respect for the word “trail,” this ended up being one of my favorite days of our entire Asheville trip.
Starting the Day with Bojangles
There are mornings for finding the cutest local brunch spot in town, and then there are mornings when you have places to be and Bojangles is calling your name.
This was the latter.
We grabbed breakfast before heading out of Asheville toward DuPont. If you’re planning a waterfall morning, I definitely recommend eating beforehand and bringing water and a few snacks with you.
We learned pretty quickly that this wasn’t going to be a leisurely walk through the woods.
A Stop at McCall Farm
Before getting to DuPont, we stopped at McCall Farm, which was such a fun little addition to the drive.
One thing I loved about this entire Asheville trip was that some of our favorite moments weren’t necessarily the big things we had planned. It was pulling over somewhere that looked interesting, finding little local spots and letting ourselves explore without being completely tied to an itinerary.
Then it was time for the main event: waterfalls.
Visiting DuPont State Recreational Forest
If you’re visiting Asheville and love being outside, DuPont State Recreational Forest is absolutely worth adding to your list.
It’s about an hour outside Asheville, so I would plan for it to take up a good portion of your day rather than treating it like a quick stop.
We decided to see three of the most popular waterfalls in the forest:
Hooker Falls, Triple Falls and High Falls.
The nice part is that you can see all three during the same outing.
The part I was perhaps not mentally prepared for?
You actually have to hike between them.
First Stop: Hooker Falls
We started with Hooker Falls, and this is probably the waterfall I’d recommend if you’re visiting with younger kids, don’t want a major hike, or only have time to see one.
It’s the easiest of the three to get to, and you can get relatively close to the water.
This was also the spot where we could slow down for a little bit and actually enjoy being near the water instead of immediately moving on to the next trail.
If you’re visiting during warmer weather, I’d bring a swimsuit, water shoes and a towel. Just make sure you’re paying attention to posted swimming restrictions and staying away from areas near the falls where swimming or wading isn’t permitted.
Then we headed toward Triple Falls.
And this is where my definition of “waterfall walk” began to change.
Triple Falls
Triple Falls was probably the most unique waterfall we saw.
Instead of one big drop, the Little River falls over three different sections of exposed rock, which is where the name comes from.
It’s absolutely beautiful, and there are different places along the trail where you can stop and take it all in.
But this portion also involved more climbing and elevation than I was expecting.
If you see someone online casually describe this entire waterfall route as an “easy little hike,” please understand that everyone’s definition of easy is apparently very different.
Wear real shoes.
Bring water.
And perhaps don’t get distracted staring at the scenery while walking.
Which brings me to…
High Falls — And My DuPont Souvenir
Our final waterfall was High Falls, and this one felt like the big finale.
High Falls is much taller and more dramatic than the first two, and the view makes the trek completely worth it.
By this point, though, my legs were very aware that we had been hiking.
And somewhere during our DuPont adventure, I managed to take home a little North Carolina souvenir in the form of a scraped-up knee.
Nothing major, thankfully, but enough that Jeremy and I spent the rest of the trip making jokes about my battle wound.
Would I do the waterfalls again?
Absolutely.
Would I wear good hiking shoes, bring more water and go into it understanding that we’re actually going HIKING?
Also absolutely.
How Hard Is the DuPont Three-Waterfall Hike?
This is the information I wish someone had emphasized to me before we went.
Seeing Hooker Falls, Triple Falls and High Falls together is completely doable, and you do not need to be an experienced hiker.
But I also wouldn’t describe the entire experience as a casual stroll.
There are inclines, uneven areas and enough walking that you’ll want comfortable shoes and water. Give yourself plenty of time so you can stop at the overlooks, take pictures and actually enjoy each waterfall rather than rushing through the whole thing.
If you’re traveling with very young children, older family members, or someone with mobility limitations, I would research the individual waterfall access before deciding to do all three.
You can still experience DuPont without turning it into a three-waterfall mission.
And after our experience, I fully support that decision.
What I’d Bring to DuPont State Recreational Forest
If we went back, I’d bring comfortable hiking shoes, plenty of water, snacks, sunscreen, bug spray, a small backpack and a portable phone charger.
During warmer months, I’d also throw a swimsuit, towel and change of clothes in the car if you plan on spending time near the water.
And apparently I personally need to add Band-Aids to the list.
Lesson learned.
Ending the Day with Papa Nick’s Pizza
After spending hours hiking through DuPont, there was absolutely no part of either of us interested in getting dressed up for dinner.
We wanted pizza.
We ended up at Papa Nick’s Pizza, which was exactly the kind of meal we needed after the day we’d had.
Good food, casual, and most importantly: I could sit down.
Sometimes the best vacation dinner isn’t the reservation you’ve been planning for months. It’s pizza after hiking to three waterfalls with your favorite person while comparing how sore you’re both going to be the next morning.
Was DuPont Worth the Drive from Asheville?
100% yes.
If you’re planning an Asheville trip and want to experience some of the natural beauty outside the city, I would absolutely dedicate a day — or at least half a day — to DuPont.
The waterfalls were some of the most beautiful things we saw during our trip, and getting outside of downtown gave us a completely different side of Western North Carolina.
My biggest advice is simply to know what you’re signing up for.
Don’t show up expecting to hop out of the car, take three waterfall pictures and leave.
Give yourself time. Wear the right shoes. Bring water. Expect some hills.
And maybe pack a Band-Aid.
See Our Day at DuPont
Want to see what the day actually looked like? From our stop at McCall Farm to hiking Hooker Falls, Triple Falls and High Falls (and yes, the infamous knee injury), I shared the whole day over on Instagram.
Watch Day Two of our Asheville getaway on Instagram
Our Asheville Couples Getaway: Day Two
Day two was definitely more adventurous than day one.
We ate Bojangles, made an unexpected stop at McCall Farm, hiked our way through three beautiful waterfalls, acquired one minor injury and finished the entire thing with pizza.
It wasn’t fancy. It wasn’t perfectly planned. And it definitely wasn’t as easy as I thought it was going to be.
But it was one of those days we’ll remember from this trip for a long time.
DAY TWO AT A GLANCE:
Bojangles → McCall Farm → DuPont State Recreational Forest → Hooker Falls → Triple Falls → High Falls → Papa Nick’s Pizza