Darrell Duke
Cullasaja Falls at Sunrise
Arrived well before sunrise to make sure I got one of the pull off spots. The most dangerous shoot I have ever made, but also one of the most thrilling.
Cullasaja Falls, Nantahala National Forest
Cullasaja Falls can be seen from the roadside on US Highway 64 (called Mountain Waters Scenic Highway & Waterfall Byway), 8.8 miles west of Highlands, along a very narrow, curvy stretch of highway through the Cullasaja River Gorge in Nantahala National Forest. What a beautiful cliffside drive.
Due to the location, there is only a small pull-off for 2-3 cars along the road (on the left if you are heading west from Highlands). Be careful! It's best to park when driving toward Highlands from Franklin so you are on the same side as the pull-off. From Franklin, it's about 8 miles east on US 64 from the intersection of US 441. There is no sign for 250-foot waterfall, so you need to drive slow and look for pull-off.
Nearby Waterfalls:
About two miles east (toward Highlands) is the roadside Bust Your Butt Falls swimming hole. 5.5 miles east is Dry Falls. Go another mile east for drive behind Bridal Veil Falls. Also nearby is Glen Falls. Glenn Falls is not accessible for the Hiking Challenged.
Hints: I cannot stress enough for you to be careful while photographing these falls. There is traffic zooming by very close to you on the narrow gorge road. You cannot get a shot of this full 250 feet of this waterfall unless you are a billygoat with a camera. Most shots you see are of the upper portion as in this photo. The only seasons you can really see the waterfall is fall and winter after the green trees have dropped some growth. A thrilling shoot, as you can feel and hear the power coming from the falls.
Cullasaja Falls at Sunrise
Arrived well before sunrise to make sure I got one of the pull off spots. The most dangerous shoot I have ever made, but also one of the most thrilling.
Cullasaja Falls, Nantahala National Forest
Cullasaja Falls can be seen from the roadside on US Highway 64 (called Mountain Waters Scenic Highway & Waterfall Byway), 8.8 miles west of Highlands, along a very narrow, curvy stretch of highway through the Cullasaja River Gorge in Nantahala National Forest. What a beautiful cliffside drive.
Due to the location, there is only a small pull-off for 2-3 cars along the road (on the left if you are heading west from Highlands). Be careful! It's best to park when driving toward Highlands from Franklin so you are on the same side as the pull-off. From Franklin, it's about 8 miles east on US 64 from the intersection of US 441. There is no sign for 250-foot waterfall, so you need to drive slow and look for pull-off.
Nearby Waterfalls:
About two miles east (toward Highlands) is the roadside Bust Your Butt Falls swimming hole. 5.5 miles east is Dry Falls. Go another mile east for drive behind Bridal Veil Falls. Also nearby is Glen Falls. Glenn Falls is not accessible for the Hiking Challenged.
Hints: I cannot stress enough for you to be careful while photographing these falls. There is traffic zooming by very close to you on the narrow gorge road. You cannot get a shot of this full 250 feet of this waterfall unless you are a billygoat with a camera. Most shots you see are of the upper portion as in this photo. The only seasons you can really see the waterfall is fall and winter after the green trees have dropped some growth. A thrilling shoot, as you can feel and hear the power coming from the falls.