Looking for new trails to tour this year? You might be surprised, but North Carolina is a top location for this purpose. Filled with incredibly beautiful waterfall treks, this state is perfect for any and every outdoor adventure. If you can’t come up with a route surrounded by nature for your next experience, simply scroll down. We’ve prepared something to fit any taste.
Top North Carolina Trails
Over the past three years alone, trail use has increased by close to 50%. Evidently, more and more people want to spend time outdoors. And it’s not just people who’ve been going outdoors for ages. In fact, more and more newbies are strolling nature trails across the country. Without further ado, let’s check out which are the top waterfall treks in North Carolina to visit this year.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Hikers young and old will love this trail. It’s located in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, where the Deep Creek Waterfall Loop is. The trail is short but has something for everyone. If you visit it right now, you’ll get to see various incredible wildflowers, as well as several show-stopping waterfalls. No wonder it’s branded one of the most beautiful trails in the national park.
Another top destination for hikers is located in the Dupont National Forest. It’s called the Triple Falls Trail and is an ultimate destination and is very short – the round trip is just one mile long, but there are plenty of things to see along the way. Again, there are three waterfalls you pass by, one of which was used as a filming set for The Hunger Games. There’s another, longer trail available, where you can pass near five incredible waterfalls.
Mountains to Sea – Ideal for Bikers
Now that we’ve covered the top trails for hikers, let’s move on to top destinations for bikers. Bikers have always had a passion for this incredible route. It connects the mountains from the western and eastern state coasts. The entire pathway is 700-plus miles, so you’ll get a chance to taste your legs’ limit.
Roanoke River State Trail
North Carolina’s Roanoke River was chosen as the state’s top destination for paddlers two years ago. However, this is one of few trails in the region that have received unwavering attention from paddlers for decades. The route passes through the most prominent bottomland hardwood forest ecosystem in the area. It’s not just the flora here that surprises people, either. Paddlers get to see bears, river otters, beavers, and many other creatures.