DuPont State Recreational Forest
Updated: April 2019
Stunning Waterfalls and Amazing Trails
DuPont State Recreational Forest has incredible forests and some of the most beautiful waterfalls in Western North Carolina. It is no surprise that the park served as the setting of two famous movies: the 1992 film The Last of the Mohicans and the 2012 blockbuster The Hunger Games. For The Hunger Games, scenes were shot along Camp Summit Road (fire scene), Bridal Veil Falls (pool scene) and along Little River between the Staton Road highway bridge and the base of Triple Falls (river scene).
The park also sports almost 100 miles of hiking trails and dirt roads. All 84 marked trails are categorized based on their degree of difficulty ranging from easy to difficult. The longer or more challenging trails are meant for experienced hikers who may need to use topographic maps. Please use your discretion.
Should You Only Have Half a Day
Should you only have half a day to explore the park and want to get up close to the waterfalls, you may want to stop at the Visitor Center along Staton Road and from there venture to explore the three beautiful falls nearby: High Falls, Triple Falls, and Hooker Falls. Due to the limited parking by the Visitor Center, which can fill up fast on sunny days, you can also use the second larger parking lot near Hooker Falls and start your hike from there and end it at High Falls.
Trails are generally well marked. Hiking boots (best) or firm running shoes (at a minimum) are advisable.
The trails of DuPont State Recreational Forest are also a fantastic destination for mountain bikers offering a variety of single-track loops ranging from an hour to several hours.
A view from the bottom of High Falls. On a warm day, it’s the perfect place to sit back on one of the large boulders at the base and listen to the roar of the water. In a series of short falls and long cascades, the water drops around 100 feet.
Overlooking High Falls is a Picnic Pavilion. Having a group event there with these picturesque falls as the backdrop would surely make the event special.
This picture was taken from the Picnic Pavilion with its stunning views of High Falls. You can see in the distance the roof of the Wooden Bridge, which can be reached from the Black Forest Road.
You can admire the beautiful scenery at the top of High Falls from the Wooden Bridge.
The forest road going over the Wooden Bridge connects back to the Visitor Center.
Triple Falls got its name from the three-tiered series of gentle falls and cascades amounting to a 100 feet drop.
And finally Hooker Falls, which is only 12 feet high, but a great destination for anglers, swimmers and kayakers. It is also a beautiful location to have a picnic.
Perhaps you recognize Hooker Falls from the movie The Last of the Mohicans in the scene, where the canoes go over the falls.
History
Named after the chemical company DuPont, who had manufactured x-ray films in the area before selling its operation to Sterling Diagnostics in the 1990s, the 10,400-acre DuPont State Recreational Forest – located in Henderson and Transylvania Counties - was formed in three phases from 1995 to 2000.
In the first phase, the State of North Carolina acquired all excess acreage (7,600 acres) from DuPont. In the year 2000 in a second phase, the State purchased an additional 2,200 acres containing High Falls, Triple Falls, and Bridal Veil Falls. Also in 2000, a third phase added 500 more acres in the south end of the park.
1300 Staton Road, Cedar Mountain, NC 28718
Tel.: → (828) 877-6527
Mon. to Sun.: 5am to 10pm.
All year.
Free admission.
Free parking at the park.
Stunning waterfalls, great trails for hikers and mountain bikers alike offer a variety of activities for everybody to enjoy.
Hikers may want to wear hiking boots (best) or firm running shoes (at a minimum) as most trails go through the forest with tree roots, smaller rocks or fallen tree branches covering sometimes parts of the trail. Please use your own discretion.
Several picnic tables and wooden benches offer a wonderful opportunity to enjoy your lunch or are a great place to rest and to relax.
The park offers several trails, mountain bikers can enjoy.
Restrooms are located at Visitor Center and at the Picnic Pavilion.