November 2009
Most people travel to the Asheville area when wanting to get away to the mountains. However, even closer for those living on the north side of Raleigh or Durham is the George Washington National forest in Virginia (approximately 160 miles from Durham as opposed to 224 to Asheville). There are numerous hiking and fishing destinations with much fewer crowds.
Crabtree Falls is one of the more populated destinations we have hiked, but the falls are one of the most beautiful in the area. They are denoted as the tallest waterfalls east of the Mississippi. When you arrive at the lower parking lot off VA-56, there is a $3 parking fee at the base of the trail. We only had a $20 and there was no one there to make change, so we placed a check in the self pay station. All seemed to work out OK.
The hike from the bottom to the top has hand rails and stairs, which makes the 1.1 miles to the top an easy trek for almost any level of hiker and a great first waterfall hike for young children. Mine were 4 and 6 at the time of the hike and I needed more breaks than they did. However, keep them close and do not climb over any railings. The forestry service has a sign stating the number of people who have fallen to their deaths at these water falls.
To make the hike longer and experience more solitude you can continue up past the foot bridge to the falls and follow Crabtree stream. This section of the trail is much less steep. This trail continues another 1.1 miles to a parking lot off forest service road 826. To get back to your car, turn around and retrace your steps.
Kid’s View
Mom: “What did you think about the hike to Crabtree Falls?”
Wyatt (6): “It was good.”
Garrett (4): “I loved it!”
Mom: “How difficult was the hike?”
Wyatt: “It was hard to climb.”
Garrett: “It was hard. It was a steep hill and I was trying to get to the top.”
Mom: “What was your favorite part?”
Wyatt: “When we got to go on the log bridge we climbed on ourselves.”
Garrett: “When I saw down the falls. It was a pretty place.”
Crabtree Falls is one of the more populated destinations we have hiked, but the falls are one of the most beautiful in the area. They are denoted as the tallest waterfalls east of the Mississippi. When you arrive at the lower parking lot off VA-56, there is a $3 parking fee at the base of the trail. We only had a $20 and there was no one there to make change, so we placed a check in the self pay station. All seemed to work out OK.
The hike from the bottom to the top has hand rails and stairs, which makes the 1.1 miles to the top an easy trek for almost any level of hiker and a great first waterfall hike for young children. Mine were 4 and 6 at the time of the hike and I needed more breaks than they did. However, keep them close and do not climb over any railings. The forestry service has a sign stating the number of people who have fallen to their deaths at these water falls.
To make the hike longer and experience more solitude you can continue up past the foot bridge to the falls and follow Crabtree stream. This section of the trail is much less steep. This trail continues another 1.1 miles to a parking lot off forest service road 826. To get back to your car, turn around and retrace your steps.
Kid’s View
Mom: “What did you think about the hike to Crabtree Falls?”
Wyatt (6): “It was good.”
Garrett (4): “I loved it!”
Mom: “How difficult was the hike?”
Wyatt: “It was hard to climb.”
Garrett: “It was hard. It was a steep hill and I was trying to get to the top.”
Mom: “What was your favorite part?”
Wyatt: “When we got to go on the log bridge we climbed on ourselves.”
Garrett: “When I saw down the falls. It was a pretty place.”
(Log Bridge: This is not a required part of the hike. And the waterfall was nowhere close at this point.)
Mom: “Would you want to go again?”
Wyatt: “Yes!”
Garrett: “Yes, but a different hike.”
Wyatt: “Yes!”
Garrett: “Yes, but a different hike.”
