Linville Falls and Gorge

I think that many people that go to Linville Falls are unaware of Dugger Falls. It is probably no more than 100 yards from the parking lot up a tributary of the Linville River. The falls is only about 15 feet high for both parts. The uniqueness of the scene is the small notch into which it drops.

Here are three out of the four of us standing in the creek.

It is possible to walk with dry feet up to the base and the top of the falls with a little rock scrambling ability. We had too many things of the docket this day for such an attempt.

Instead, we went to the near overlook of Linville Falls, which is more than 150 feet above the river. the overlook is on the knife edge of a fin that extends out from the main cliff. A later picture shows just how tall this fin is.

Next we hiked to the bottom of the falls. It is not a long trail, but it is steep and very rocky. The cliff beside the falls has numerous birds' nests from which adults come and go. The falls actually goes around a large boulder to reunite for the falls you see here.

Downstream the gorge winds in tight S-curves lined by high, jagged cliffs. The shape just above center in this picture is a rock tower.

After several tries, I was able to aim the camera right for the gang sitting in front of the falls. I was observing to the guys how peaceful the loud white noise of the falls is. It feels like a quiet because it blocks all else out, but of course, it is actually loud enough to require almost shouting to communicate.

Notice the light at the top of this next picture. This is not intended to be a picture of me but rather a picture of how small I am compared to the height of the cliff. The fin upon which sits the overlook is on the right.

I have been to this falls many times over the years. I was pleasantly surprised at how long these guys just sat and looked around. The get it. God's Creation is so intriguing and instructive if you will just observe in silence. It is the general book of revelation about God's character, albeit it cannot bring someone to salvation. It does point unmistakably to the Creator.

One of my friends, a fly fisherman, saw a ripple just out from the base of the far cliff and declared a fish had surfaced for an insect. Truly that is evidence for search image.*

One final parting shot

We next traveled around the upstream side of the gorge along Hwy 183 to Old Hwy 105. The trail we sought is clearly picture here.

About a quarter mile in is a small overlook. If you look slightly down and left of center you can pick out the "mound" in the bottom of the gorge, our intermediate destination, Babel Tower.

This is the upstream slope of Babel Tower on the right.

At the "entrance" to the tower are two curious overhanging rocks. You go around or take the quick way down as I did.

You would need a fisheye lens to get the unique view that I am about to describe. The river flows in a tight S-turn around 3 sides of the tower, which has perhaps 200' cliffs on one side. Standing at just the right place, you can turn your head maybe 30 degrees to see both the upstream approach and the downstream receding flow. Following is the downstream with Table Rock in the background.

An upstream stretch obscured by a bonsai shaped Table Mountain Pine.

The color and sheen of this shelf fungus suggested "up to no good" to me. It certainly is a rich color.

Two of us proceeded down the steeper, rockier part of the trail to the river below. This section has a constrained little cascade.

The bottom of the gorge is narrow here with cliffs rising right out of the water. The rock bare up 15 feet reveals how deep the water is sometimes during high flow. This is a very nice swimming hole, deep, with several levels of jump off, sunning rocks and shallow, gentle rapids just downstream on slick rocks for sliding.

I observed to my companion what memories this spot brought out. In former days I had brought my children here numerous times on hot summer days. It is about a 1 1/2 mile hike down, meaning that the cooling you received in the river was soon removed by the hike up out of the gorge. The memory sticks.

Here pictured is one of the easier parts of the trail. My friends assured me that I need to modify my description of trail difficulty. It seems a matter of perspective from experience and hiking practice.

I think this may be Whorled Loosestrife in seed. I have seen it before, but this was the best specimen I have seen.

I think my compatriots were genuinely impressed and challenged by the hikes we took.

I talked of water and cliffs and geology and flora and theology, but they were memories and a feeling of this being home that surged in my heart. I spent nearly 1/2 of my life in these woods. I am thankful for new trails and destinations to explore now, but I cherish the places I have been along with the sense of well-being that time in the woods alone or with others, but always with God's presence, has brought to me.

*"It [search image] is typically used in the context of a predator deploying selective attention for finding cryptic prey." Search Image | SpringerLink Practice enables one to see what others cannot.