Moore Cove Falls is one of the busiest hikes in the Western North Carolina area. The hike to the falls is just over a half mile and the trail is easy to follow. The trailhead is located right along US 276 from Pisgah Forest.
I have been to Moore Cove before, but I’ve never seen the hiking trail in such disarray. Last year in 2018, we had the most rainfall ever recorded. This year looks like it’s going to be just as rainy as last. Once the trees and ground get so saturated, even a cool breeze could take down a tree. But we had some pretty fierce winds after all the rain, which lead to rock slides and downed trees. Here you can see the damage at the trailhead of Moore Cove.
We opted to re-visit Moore Cove Falls because of all the rain, and it was a great choice. I can’t remember the water ever rushing over the rock ledge like it did this time. Other waterfalls that tend to trickle would also be great to visit during these times of high water volume. Slick Rock comes to mind.
Between downed trees, blocked creek water, broken foot bridges, and a huge tree in the path, this hike turned out to be quite interesting.