Skip to main content

Western NC Vacation - Day 1 - Looking Glass Falls and Sliding Rock

Maggie and I traveled to Asheville for our one year anniversary.  The trip on I-40 was uneventful except for the rain that followed us from Mocksville to Black Mountain.  We stopped at Shell's BBQ in Hickory for lunch.  it's about a five minute drive north of I-40 Exit 126, but it's worth the detour. (Directions head north from I-40 about 3 miles to Springs Rd NE, turn right, Shell's is about 1/4 mile on the left.)  You have to have the Cherry Vanilla Lemon (Sun Drop) Float; it's amazingly good.  And the prices are very reasonable.

Sadly, the rain was too hard to get any photos of the old diner and some of the old Pepsi-Cola signs around the restaurant.  From Shell's, we got back on I-40 and headed to our hotel in Asheville.

After checking in and relaxing from the drive, we headed out to Pisgah National Forest.  We were going to take the Blue Ridge Parkway to US 276 but concerns of possible slides had the parkway closed from NC 191 to US 276.  So we took NC 191, NC 280 to US 276 near Brevard.

Our first stop was Looking Glass Falls.  This was really the first time I focused on long-exposure shots with my tripod.

Looking Glass Falls

Looking Glass is one of the more popular waterfalls in Western North Carolina, and this rainy Friday afternoon was no exception.  A feature of Looking Glass Falls is the ease of access to the falls.  The falls can easily be viewed from US 276 as there is a parking area on the northbound side of the road.  From there, it's a very short walk to the main viewing platform.  If you want a closer look, all you need to do is head down the staircase.

IMG_6252

Just up the road is Sliding Rock.  Sliding Rock may be more popular than Looking Glass Falls.  Sliding Rock is a 60 foot natural waterslide; and during the summer months, an extremely popular spot to cool off.  During the summer season (Memorial Day through Labor Day), Sliding Rock is manned by National Forest Service staff (including lifeguards) and there is a minimal $1 per person entry fee.

IMG_6278

As tempting as it was to slide down the rock into the 7' pool at the bottom, the cold water and rainy conditions wasn't worth the risk.  Oh well, there's always another trip during the summer!

For the whole photo set from both Looking Glass and Sliding Rock head here.  Day 2 was a visit to the famous Biltmore Estate, and I can't wait to share that!

Comments

Larry G said…
I have actually slid down sliding rock more than a few times and it's a real HOOT! but do it when it's warm and sunny!

Popular posts from this blog

Former US Route 101 through Sargent

  Sargent is a ghost town and siding of the Southern Pacific Railroad located in southern Santa Clara County.  The original alignment of US Route 101 was aligned through Sargent via what is now known as Old Monterey Road.  Sargent was bypassed gradually due to shifts of the alignment of US Route 101 which occurred during 1941 and 1950.  Pictured as the blog cover is a view on Old Monterey Road which is now no longer accessible to the general public.  Below is a scan of the 1935 Division of Highways Map of Santa Clara County which depicts the original alignment US Route 101 through Sargent.   Part 1; the history of US Route 101 in Sargent Sargent lies on land which was once part of Rancho Juristac.  During 1856 James P. Sargent purchased Rancho Juristac and plotted what was known as Sargent Ranch.  By 1869 the Southern Pacific Railroad coast line reached the relocated town site of Gilroy.  The Southern Pacific Railroad coast line would be constructed through Chittenden Pass by 1871 whic

Tulare Lake returns

During the winter of 2023 California experienced one of the wettest seasons in recent decades.  Enough snow and water were deposited into the Sierra Nevada Mountains that the runoff was enough to partially reform Tulare Lake within San Joaquin Valley.  Tulare Lake was once the largest lake west of the Mississippi River by surface area.  Tulare Lake has been largely dried for the past century due to irrigation divisions and upstream impoundments.  This blog will examine the history of Tulare Lake and its recent return.  Pictured as the blog cover is Tulare Lake from 19th Avenue in Kings County during early May 2023.  Tulare Lake can be seen near its maximum extent below on the 1876 P.Y. Baker Map of Tulare County .   Part 1; the history of Tulare Lake Tulare Lake is the largest remnant of Lake Corcoran.  Lake Corcoran once covered much of the entire Central Valley due to being it being located at a in natural low point from where mountain run-off would accumulate.  Lake Corcoran is thou

US Route 95 in California

US Route 95 within California exists within San Bernardino County and Riverside County.  US Route 95 within California is approximately 130 miles factoring multiplexes along Interstate 10 and Interstate 40.  US Route 95 in California begins at the Arizona state line along the Colorado River near Blythe in Riverside County.  US Route 95 follows the general course of the Colorado River north through the Sonoran Desert to the Mojave Desert towards Needles of San Bernadino County.  US Route 95 enters Nevada north of Interstate 40 and the historic alignment of US Route 66.  US Route 95 was extended to Blythe, California during July 1939.  Upon US Route 95 entering California during 1939 it overlapped and deleted much of the original California State Route 195.  US Route 95 was extended from Blythe into Arizona during June 1960.   Part 1; the history of US Route 95 in California The corridor of modern-day US Route 95 in California first came to prominence during the run-up to the creation of